James Mitchell
Leadership, learning and knowledge: lessons from COVID-19
‘Not everything is about the constitution. We need to find a way out of the lazy constitutional rut Scottish politics has descended into. This is not to suggest that the constitutional question or relations between…
GE2019: the Scottish dimension
Ahead of the Westminster election on 12 December, James Mitchell explains how party competition in Scotland is shaped by interrelated questions of policy, competence, independence and Brexit…’
Looking back five years on….
‘In both camps, there are those who are closer to those in the other camp than the binary choice would suggest. The challenge five years on is to allow the richness of the debate that…
Local government blame game
‘Fiscal responsibility is the flip side of fiscal autonomy. Those who argue for more money from the Scottish Government without proposing new powers for local government to raise own revenue are also playing a blame…
Take back control: sovereignty, identity, nationalism
‘ Today, the Conservative Party is emphatically more nationalist than the SNP but some of its leading members still criticize the nationalist mote in the SNP seemingly oblivious to the beam in its own ideology’.
Scottish Labour’s unravelling continues
“A similar stiff upper lip will be required amongst many Labour candidates going into this election with the hope that they too might in time sit on the Commons’ green benches with similar majorities some…
Ruth Davidson as midwife of independence?
“The Scottish Tories have happened upon a strategy to avoid association with the Conservatives in London. For the moment, keeping the issue of Scottish independence simmering away works for the Tories. But an issue that…
Nicola’s new model army
“The referendum created a realignment in Scottish politics allowing the SNP to fulfil its long-standing ambition of replacing Labour. But it may also signal a change in the nature of political activity. That may be…
Sturgeon’s lonely decision on #indyref2
“Nicola Sturgeon’s decision on the timing of the independence referendum is likely to be the most important of her leadership. If she gets it right her place in Scottish history is assured but if she…
Davidson: all spin and theatricals?
The greatest danger facing the Scottish Tories may prove to be unrealistic expectations. The party is far from secure in its position as Scotland’s second party and has a long way to go before it…
Do SNP depute leaders matter? Nicola and John run the show
One American Vice President crudely described the office (of VEEP) as ‘not worth a bucket of warm piss’. Is the SNP depute leadership any better? Up to the winner – most likely Angus Robertson…
Toxic Tories kept in the attic
Ruth Davidson and her 30 MSPs are smiling. But the Tories are not yet secure as the main opposition party. Having fought off the LibDems for third place in the early years of devolution, they…