Beyond Tribal Politics
Independent journalism and commentary on politics, society, culture, climate and Scotland’s future.
From Big Oil to Big Wind
“Challenges lie ahead. But one major difference between Big Oil and Big Wind is that the latter has the potential to help…
Scotland must lead in confronting its imperial past
‘A speech by the First Minister acknowledging Scotland’s role would be useful; a fund to promote research on Scotland and the empire,…
A brief note on wind and hot air
“So while the first steps towards mass exploitation of the North Sea offshore wind power at industrial scale have been taken, the…
Scottish devolution and the new democratic deficit
After over 20 years existence, instead of extending the principle of devolution within Scotland, the Scottish Government has not only retained all…
A crisis made in the USA: why Russia will likely invade Ukraine
“The current crisis is made in the USA, but the US can still defuse it by stepping back and agreeing to a…
Wishing love: a song and poem for the new year
“Each being is like a grain of sand or a pebble that makes up a beautiful whole. All are unique and precious.…
Time to shake up Scotland
“…now would be a good time to shake things up even further. Who will make that happen? I expect little from the…
The paywall keeping the public out of history
“At a time when digital resources are a godsend, the general public cannot engage with Census data to advance their own historical…
Year of the Squeeze
“For all the talk of the pandemic (somehow) boosting worker power, it looks more likely to deliver the third real wage squeeze…
Prophets without honour in their own land
“Scots have a self-image of being frank and forthright. Within the professions at least, this is rarely justified. Agreement with official policy…
Kathleen Jamie: the poetry of natural resistance
“But another important thing is that poetry is for everyone. Don’t for one minute think poetry was ever a highfalutin thing. It…
Why is inflation at its highest for decades?
As UK inflation hits a 10-year high of 5.1%, a leading Scottish economist asks why global prices are rising so fast -…