Beyond Tribal Politics
Independent journalism and commentary on politics, society, culture, climate and Scotland’s future.
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…
Franco-German Social Democrat plan to revive EU
The French and German economy ministers have come up with some radical ideas to get the EU out of its trough -…
Double crossings: the Queensferry Crossing and the future of Scottish engineering
The Queensferry or Second Forth Crossing is no triumph of Scottish engineering but, rather, a reflection of globalisation. George Rosie reports on…
Charles Kennedy: a principled politician
Charles Kennedy was a conviction politician. Affability and an ability to bring commonsense warmth into the nation’s living rooms won him affection,…
Sex and sensuality
One hundred years after the Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock was published Fay Young reflects on how Eliot’s poem fits our…
Tests for Scotland’s anti-austerity credentials
As with their counterparts in other parts of the UK and beyond, Scotland’s public-sector workers are more and more sceptical about the…
The abuse of social democracy
Everybody’s talking social democracy, not least in Scotland. But nobody defines what it means, recognises how it’s in crisis and sees how…
Blue Labour’s theology of the common good
British politicians famously ‘don’t do God’. But much of Labour’s programme for government is inspired by an avowedly theological movement: Blue Labour.…
Politics and a vote for love
WB Yeats would no doubt be celebrating with Colm Tóibín the outcome of the referendum on gay marriage in Ireland. And, says…
Scottish Labour: Utopia… or bust?
Justin Reynolds argues Scottish Labour needs to steer a course between soaring idealism and sober pragmatism to confront the spirit of utopianism…
The Bavarian Christian Social Union: a model for Scottish Labour?
In light of discussion whether it’s time for Scottish Labour to sever formal links with the wider UK Labour Party David Gow…
