The Competition Commission has missed a trick with its refusal to countenance a break-up of big banks despite powerful evidence of the lack of real competition in the retail market. The situation is even worse in Scotland than in rUK. What’s to be done?
Holyrood misses boat on democratic renewal
As the ruling SNP uses its parliamentary majority to limit scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s activities, Holyrood’s presiding officer is stepping down before her reform proposals have been put into effect. What next?
ScotPound misses its targets
It’s the currency issue wot lost it for Yes a year ago, they say. So how about a Scottish currency to meet issues with Sterling – and boost equality and the economy? Our financial expert is unconvinced.
An underwhelming programme for government
Nicola Sturgeon’s pre-election programme for government is, well, worthy but provides no evidence that the SNP in power at Holyrood for another five years can make its delivery match its rhetoric
Sturgeon discovers Blairite pragmatism
Scotland’s First Minister has signalled a strictly non-ideological, flexible approach to improving education. “What works best” is a very Blairite concept.
Stale old news from Hume and Salmond
It’s the silly season, so before turning to Alex Salmond’s wishful thinking about the inevitability of a second referendum on independence for Scotland, here is an amusing story about David Hume.
Too early to privatise the Green Investment Bank?
The “greenest of all” UK government’s signal it wants to privatise the GIB adds weight to the suggestion it is not a long-term investor in renewables after all.
The profligacy myth that stymied the UK and EU economies thrice over
The myth that Labour over-spending “caused” the financial crash and recession of 2008 has had damaging consequences for the British and European economies. Ray Perman examines three deleterious side-effects.
Kilts and gilts and Scottish debt
The Scottish Government can now, as of April 1, raise its own debt – via bonds or ‘kilts’ as they’re known. But there’s been no fanfare so far and no evidence the government wants to use this new power.
The SNP’s total but pyrrhic victory?
The 56 SNP MPs will soon get their first taste of powerlessness in Westminster as David Cameron uses his majority in Parliament to shun their demands across the board, argues Ray Perman.