“We pay a licence fee and in return deserve a fearless and objective public broadcaster. That may at last change the gloomy media weather forecast. It will require the departure of a number of staff – some on-screen, some not – whose grip on democracy, the public mood and decent journalism has been irretrievably damaged by 14 years of Tory government….It is a pity a change of government has not signalled a turning of the tide.”
Seven questions on the Council of the Nations and Regions
Keir Starmer is due to chair the inaugural meeting of the UK government’s newly created ‘Council of the Nations and Regions’ in Scotland this Friday. The summit is due to focus on investment and growth ahead of a much bigger international investment summit to be held in London the following Monday.
How to fix the Scottish cultural funding crisis?
“Budgets across the creative industries have been decimated by the state of the economy. Micro businesses and creative industries freelancers have borne the brunt of it. I know people in film and TV who haven’t worked all year. And many have left the industry.”
Let’s reverse the decline in Scottish journalism
“This not just about how we understand foreign affairs and how we tackle misinformation, but about basic democracy functioning in Scotland. Hopefully MSPs and ministers understand that though journalists can be a pain in the arse for them, a news vacuum full of disinformation and conspiracy would be much worse.”
Eurosclerosis makes an unwelcome return
“Mario Draghi, former central banker turned technocratic premier, is warning the EU of a “slow agony” if it fails to invest in modernisation and catching-up on the US and China. That is no exaggeration. It means renewing its political class and leadership to one that focuses on delivery, not radical surgery. Nor doom and gloom.”
EU climate challenges – and politics
“European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has unveiled her new team for the next five years. But are the climate and biodiversity crises going to receive the deep and urgent attention they need or are security and competitiveness challenges taking over as priorities? “
Ten years on: the story behind a front-page pic
“The British government – whether Conservative or Labour – has decided to veto another independence referendum for Scotland. I think in the end that strategy may prove counterproductive for the Unionist cause. Whether Scotland’s future is as an independent country or within the UK is a matter that the people who live here should be able to decide, hearkening, of course, to the voices of their consciences.”
Ten years after: the enduring case for indy in Europe
“The EU and independence debate have been inevitably intertwined in the last ten years since the independence referendum. The case for independence in the EU is strong in many ways. But why did Brexit not have more of a sustained and dynamising impact on the political push for independence?”
How to garden in a changing climate?
How do we meet the needs of birds, bees and butterflies when storms blow the blossom off our wild fruit trees and flowering times are thoroughly out of sync with birds, bats and insects hatching?
Perhaps answers are growing in the garden.
The SNP must get serious on tax
“So where do things go from here? Blaming Westminster, finger-pointing at Labour and shouting “wiznae us!” will not suffice. Not now, and certainly not in 2026 and 2027, when the Holyrood and council elections occur….”