• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Articles
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contribute
  • Contact

Sceptical Scot

Asking Questions. Seeking Answers.

Will the Assembly of Nations and Regions fly?

March 1, 2023 by Meg Russell Leave a Comment

“If the purpose of a second chamber of the nations and regions is to bind the devolution settlement together, engagement with key figures from beyond Westminster, particularly at the devolved level, is clearly essential. Consultation should also meaningfully engage the public, ideally through deliberative exercises such as citizens’ assemblies.” On Brown Commission plans for a second chamber at Westminster

Prospects for future fiscal devolution?

February 25, 2023 by Graeme Roy Leave a Comment

Winter-flowering spikes of Witch Hasel, yellow against a blue sky: photo Fay Young

“Are current fiscal powers optimal for managing day-to-day and longer-term risks? And do the devolved administrations have the right tools to manage the financial risks they are likely to face now and in the future?”

Scotland’s currency options under independence

February 25, 2023 by Iain Hardie Leave a Comment

“The transition to full use of a S£ would take time, with high use of the UK£ within Scotland even once the S£ is established, whether at independence or soon after. In my view, it should start on day 1 of independence.”

Isla Bryson: a trauma-blind response in prison

February 6, 2023 by Kath Murray 2 Comments

The Bryson case reveals a long-standing tension in Scottish prisons policy between gender self-identification principles and trauma-informed care. For the best part of a decade this contradiction has played out in plain sight, with minimal scrutiny, to the detriment of female offenders. That it has taken the case of a double rapist to bring it to the fore raises serious questions about political priorities as well as the susceptibility of public authorities to lobbying.

Can Scotland enjoy a ‘velvet divorce’ from UK?

January 11, 2023 by Kieran Williams 3 Comments

Looking back on the Czech/Slovak divorce 30 years ago, a US political scientist sees no precedent: “The SNP might interpret a general election result as a mandate to leave, but unionist parties might see it otherwise and refuse to come to the table. Any push towards independence in the face of opposition from the U.K. government could lead to an impasse akin to that between Catalonia and the Spanish government.”

Should Wales leave the UK?

December 16, 2022 by Glyndwr Cennydd Jones Leave a Comment

“He explores the various sorts of visions to which independence supporters aspire—socialist, enterprise-driven, republican etc.—provocatively querying what happens if on arrival at the much-vaunted Shangri-La it does not meet individuals’ personal expectations.”

Swinney should use his fiscal powers to the full: Update

December 12, 2022 by Fraser of Allander Institute Leave a Comment

“But there are also flexibilities that the Deputy First Minister has for the next financial year that were not available to him for this year – the Scottish Government does have tax powers that could be used, if he wishes, to raise more revenue.” FAI sets the scene for Thursday’s Scottish Budget

The SNP’s new fundamentalism

December 6, 2022 by James Mitchell 4 Comments

“The SNP has dug itself into a fundamentalist hole and will need a dramatic pragmatic turn to hope to take advantage of the changing political context.  Its best hope under its current fundamentalist leadership remains that the Tories win the next general election, opinion remains polarised and might finally shift decisively in favour of independence.”

A voluntary union with no exit?

November 25, 2022 by Dr Kirsty Hughes 11 Comments

“Scotland, the Supreme Court says, cannot have a referendum without Westminster’s approval. But what the SNP, and others, put in their election manifestos is up to them. We’re on a path to a quasi-referendum. And Scotland will have its say.” Kirsty Hughes on the political aftermath of THAT ruling. Where do we go from here?

Unhelpful clarifications on #indyref2

November 24, 2022 by Michael Keating 2 Comments

“The way is now open for the UK Government to say that there is no time or way for Scotland to exercise its acknowledged right of self-determination, for no other reason that it has the power to do so. As others have noted, this turns from one of consent to a union of (narrowly interpreted) law.” Michael Keating on Scottish self-determination and UK sovereignty in the light of the Supreme Court ruling.

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

About Sceptical Scot

Welcome to Sceptical Scot, Scotland’s premier non-tribal forum for passionate, informed debate. Sceptical Scot is for all who care about Scotland’s future, regardless of how they vote: for party, independence or union, EU or Brexit. We aim to provide an arena that is both broader and deeper than current online/print offers with a rich diet of well-researched, polemical, thought-provoking writing. Read more » about About Sceptical Scot

What’s new on Sceptical Scot

  • The rules of the road in the Highlands March 22, 2023
  • How sustainable are Scottish tax and spend policies? March 22, 2023
  • Scotland needs a new politics – and fresh policy options March 17, 2023
  • What does Hunt’s first Budget mean for Scotland? (Update) March 16, 2023
  • ChatGPT, you’re fired! March 14, 2023
  • Impartiality and public service media March 13, 2023
  • SNP leadership election: what about indy in Europe? March 8, 2023
  • Taking the border out of politics March 8, 2023
  • Are Europe’s independence movements dead? March 5, 2023
  • Why Labour should adopt a two-stage approach to Lords reform March 5, 2023

The Sceptical Newsletter

The Sceptical Scot cartoon

Categories

  • Articles (663)
  • Blog (541)
  • Books & Poetry (26)
  • Brexit (205)
  • climate crisis (5)
  • climate crisis (27)
  • Covid19 (65)
  • Criminal justice (17)
  • Culture (306)
  • Devo20 (1)
  • Economics (191)
  • Economy (109)
  • Education (75)
  • Elections (187)
  • Environment (66)
  • European Union (259)
  • Featured (41)
  • Federalism (19)
  • federalism (13)
  • Health (63)
  • History (69)
  • Housing (23)
  • Humour (11)
  • identity (14)
  • Independence (277)
  • Inequality (76)
  • International (36)
  • Ireland (8)
  • Ireland (6)
  • Local government (82)
  • Longer reads (72)
  • Media (11)
  • Podcast (3)
  • Poetry (72)
  • Policy (217)
  • Politics (340)
  • Polls and quizzes (1)
  • Reviews (24)
  • Social democracy (84)
  • Trump (10)
  • UK (344)
  • Uncategorized (6)

Sceptical Scot elsewhere

Facebook
Twitter

Footer

About Sceptical Scot

Since 2014 Sceptical Scot has offered a non-tribal forum for passionate, informed debate for all who care about Scotland’s future

Recommended

  • Bella Caledonia
  • Centre on Constitutional Change
  • The UK in a Changing Europe
  • Common Space
  • Gerry Hassan
  • Scottish Review
  • Social Europe
  • Think Scotland

Archives

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in