Flashback. Five days before the Iran war, I’m on my way to chair a round table discussion about the gaps in Glasgow’s social narrative, the human stories missing from the city’s self-knowledge. I’m a little apprehensive, aware we might stray into sensitivities expressed during my preparatory conversations. Instead, the event revealed something altogether different. As the … [Read more...] about Inside the Wall of Death, a wealth of human kindness
Articles
Certain uncertainties of Iran War, inflation and public finances
With the cost of both energy and debt repayments rising, what can the UK government do? Take a targeted approach to support those in most need, writes João Sousa, Fraser of Allander deputy director. War broke out in Iran and the broader Middle East just days before the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) presented its latest forecasts. At the time, we noted that … [Read more...] about Certain uncertainties of Iran War, inflation and public finances
When a night club demolition becomes a radical right dog-whistle
In this commentary piece, Charlie Ellis examines what the online reaction to the demolition of a well-known Edinburgh nightclub reveals about the current state of public discourse in Scotland. Taking Facebook commentary on the demolition of the Atik on West Tollcross as his starting point, he traces the journey from personal nostalgia to nativist grievance, arguing that … [Read more...] about When a night club demolition becomes a radical right dog-whistle
Public pay settlements: a crisis waiting for the next Scottish government
The Scottish government has long practised the exercise of kicking problematic cans down the road. Perhaps wider world crises will keep eyes off Scotland's immediate pay problems but in yet another hard hitting assessment, Fraser of Allander's deputy director Dr João Sousa predicts "...whoever is in power after May will have to seriously grapple with implausible settlements in … [Read more...] about Public pay settlements: a crisis waiting for the next Scottish government
‘A shambles and a disgrace’ – saving Scotland’s High Streets will take more than the market (Part 2)
The decline of Princes Street and Sauchiehall Street is no isolated Scottish tragedy; it's a pattern replicated across the UK and beyond. Why? In Part Two Charlie Ellis seeks answers beyond the market. Structural Explanations for High Street Decline Andrew Neil’s market-focused prescription [in Part One] is widely contested. Many commentators and academics point to deeper … [Read more...] about ‘A shambles and a disgrace’ – saving Scotland’s High Streets will take more than the market (Part 2)