Beyond Tribal Politics
Independent journalism and commentary on politics, society, culture, climate and Scotland’s future.
Learning from Scotland: what a Labour government would mean for the right to roam
Scottish rights of access are based on a small number of exceptions which tell people where they cannot go, such as private…
Europe must unite to stop deep-sea resource grab
“There is no legal or moral ground for allowing a few multinational corporations to profit from the vast array of minerals under…
Energy market reforms must embrace a social tariff
“The cap needs a complete overhaul and Britain ultimately needs to reset how initial consumer prices are determined, so that energy prices…
Climate change at the Edinburgh festivals
“Governments working together to regulate the production of greenhouse gases is our planet’s best, perhaps only, only hope. To get there, we…
GERS 2023: uptick in oil revenues narrows the budget deficit
“And here the challenge is stark, with a likely deficit far in excess of the UK as a whole, other comparable countries…
Zombie Scotland must wake up to its future
“…suggestions of a return to ‘a government of all the talents’ with bells on and other ideas should form part of an…
Let’s make interest rates zero – permanently
“The idea of permanent zero rates is far outside the mainstream of economic thinking. But perhaps (Joan) Robinson was right to suggest…
Treasury gives Holyrood more fiscal leeway
The Fiscal Framework behind the Scottish Budget has finally been updated, giving the Scottish Government greater leeway when it comes to tax…
Ukraine’s recovery will ‘take a village’ of international actors
“Ukraine is now making unimaginable human and economic sacrifices in its commitment to Europe. Helping the country fully to recover and become…
A splash of sunshine
“Perhaps it would be nice to be a degree or two warmer than today’s 16C. But every day brings news of the…
Tweaking council tax won’t solve its fundamental flaws
“a revaluation is necessary. Indeed, it should be a prerequisite…To continue without revaluation is deeply unfair and to take forward reforms without…
Where are Orkney and Shetland?
Orkney’s leaders recently raised the prospect of secession from Scotland, prompting Prof James Mitchell to look back over half a century of…