Beyond Tribal Politics
Independent journalism and commentary on politics, society, culture, climate and Scotland’s future.
Remote? The Highlands? Get awa’
“Remote” seems to me to have a useful meaning in the IT sense of performing an activity when you are not there…
Land wars go badly – and today’s world knows it
” Instead, there is every prospect of a bitter war with many thousands more Palestinians killed, tens of thousands of young Palestinians…
Who owns Scotland’s sea lochs?
“ ‘This effectively means no one can scrutinise the activities of these farms which are basically self-monitored as it is. It’s a…
Paradiplomacy and independence in the EU: Quo Vadis Scotia?
“…can the SNP walk and chew gum at the same time? Surely, it makes most sense to focus on priority issues at…
Israel and Hamas: the debasement of discourse
“To portray the Islamist fanaticism of Hamas—its radical-conservative ‘purity’ laws, its Manichean world of friend and foe—and its consequent war crimes as…
Flawed plan to ‘explain and retain’ controversial statues
“There are, though, exciting ways that monuments could be used to throw light on the events of the past. They hold the…
What do Humza Yousaf’s new policies mean for Scotland?
“It may be that the process of establishing and issuing the bonds is seen as strengthening the Scottish state in advance of…
What Poland’s new government will mean for Europe
“the very fact that Poland has shown that the drift towards right-wing populism, and the undermining of democratic institutions and the rule…
Back to the National Gallery of Scotland after 30 years
Jackie Kemp revisits a once favourite haunt: ” I felt that what would be better was just to hang Scottish paintings among…
Labour needs a thumping majority at Rutherglen to win big in the UK
A thumping Labour gain “would signal that currently the key swing voters in Scotland – that is, those on the left torn…
How much will an extra Scottish Income Tax band raise?
An extra band of income tax at the higher rate charged on good earners would raise money for the Scottish exchequer but…
What’s in the new Programme for Government? Look in the long grass
Humza Yousaf’s first programme for Government kicks several big fiscal and other policy issues into the long grass.So, do we have to…