Beyond Tribal Politics
Independent journalism and commentary on politics, society, culture, climate and Scotland’s future.
Swinney should use his fiscal powers to the full: Update
“But there are also flexibilities that the Deputy First Minister has for the next financial year that were not available to him…
The SNP’s new fundamentalism
“The SNP has dug itself into a fundamentalist hole and will need a dramatic pragmatic turn to hope to take advantage of…
A voluntary union with no exit?
“Scotland, the Supreme Court says, cannot have a referendum without Westminster’s approval. But what the SNP, and others, put in their election…
Unhelpful clarifications on #indyref2
“The way is now open for the UK Government to say that there is no time or way for Scotland to exercise…
It’s time to talk to the neighbours
“There is now a pressing need to investigate some common ground, if not a broad strategic compromise, in a new isles-wide partnership of states…
A monetary straitjacket: Scottish Government economic plan for independence
“A Scottish currency is no guarantee that independence would see the country’s deeply embedded economic problems tackled. A monetarily sovereign independent government…
Can muscular unionism save the Union?
“Muscular unionism didn’t work in Ireland in 1921 and there is no reason to expect it to work now. Ignoring the votes,…
The left must abandon high tax policies
“The left should opt for an eco-fiscal policy, designed to dismantle rentier capitalism. It should accept that high progressive income tax is…
Scotland deserves better than two bad choices
The latest Building a New Scotland paper on the economy is being roasted – including by informed nationalists. Here a prominent unionist…
The ‘markets’ ease the return to economic reality
“But there may be a silver lining here. This may be a wake-up call that populist policies need to pass the credibility…
Labour’s revival puts SNP on the defensive
“The process of recovery has begun for Scottish Labour. It can now focus on winning back what Anas Sarwar describes as ‘soft…
Fantasy economics: alive and well on both sides of the border
“Where Scotland differs (from the UK) the most is in its lack of engagement on economic issues. If this continues then the…