No PR system would have been likely to produce a workable majority for any sustainable coalition, but that is a reflection of the highly fragmented multi-party political system in the UK.
Elections
Scottish Labour for Radical Democracy
‘We call on the left across the UK to back our demand for a second referendum on independence and to fight with us to secure a radical democracy for all the peoples of these islands.’
Crack of light in Northern Ireland
As Northern Ireland’s political plates shift, ‘of course, Johnson may not want to concede another independence referendum. But it seems certain that, one way or another, Scotland will not be able to tolerate indefinite Tories. And neither can we.’
Another Johnson untruth on poverty
‘Boris Johnson’s bold claim about child poverty needs some careful consideration – it is a very partial truth that completely misrepresents wider realities.’
No, no, NO Mr Johnson
Boris Johnson’s “serial mendacity” or constant lying is a big issue in this election so we go back to Andrew Neil’s interview of July 12 to highlight how he distorts facts and figures – and he’s still at it.
Migration is vital for Scotland
Immigration is not the salient issue in GE2019 it was in GE2017 but Scotland’s need for significant net migration is stronger than ever – as Jonathan Portes and Graeme Roy discuss separately here.
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…’
Drowning in a sea of unknowns
‘Given the 1000s of permutations/flavours of possible exit, you’d stand a much greater chance of getting a final flavour you liked the most from a blind-folded Quality Street sweet selection.’
Pupil attainment: up or down?
‘Unfortunately, it is not easy to evaluate the CfE conclusively at this point in time…We need more research into everything from the breadth of education students are receiving to the number of A to C grades at National 5 and Higher levels to what happens in the years after people leave school.’
Scotland’s budget prospects
The Scottish Budget was due on December 12, #GE2019 day, but will almost certainly be pulled until after the UK Budget is presented early next year on the back of wild spending promises. Even pre-Brexit the Scottish outlook is more than unusually uncertain…