Beyond Tribal Politics
Independent journalism and commentary on politics, society, culture, climate and Scotland’s future.
A new year message from ancient times
Perhaps there’s something quietly comforting in the thought that people were gathering for a December dawn five thousand years ago in a…
Les enfants de la patrie – but the enduring trap of populism is not unique to France
Trump has seized on opportunities Macron and Starmer have created. Macron and Starmer. alike in their determination to ignore politicians of the…
UK Budget 2025? Get real. The world has changed
John McLaren explains in no uncertain terms why the UK Budget is such a disappointment, doing nothig when so much needs to…
Enough campaigning. Is the next Scottish government prepared to govern?
Hot on the heels of Anton Muscatelli’s hard-hitting report comes Jim Gallagher’s rigorous investigation into Scotland’s failing governance. Fixing Broken Government comes…
Fraser of Allander takes another bite at the Budget
“The proposed pay-per-mile charge raises important questions of fairness and is likely to be a source of public debate.” After the endless…
#MuscatelliReport: is Scotland ready for radical action on regional economic development?
Carried out on behalf of the Scottish Labour Party but after the 2026 election the Muscatelli Report is likely to fall to…
Well tempered steel beneath David Gow’s jovial irreverence
Under David’s editorship Sceptical Scot soon established itself in a crowded field, gaining a reputation for well written, thoughtful contributions to the…
Honest, rigorous and kind: David Gow as mentor
“As an editor David was rigorous and kind, but most of all never patronising. He would never accept a pitch out of…
AI, Creativity and Humanity (3): Responsibility
“AI isn’t going anywhere. You interact with it many times a day whether you know it or not. You don’t need to…
AI, creativity and humanity (2): Obstacles
“As a creative producer, my team and I are able to do more, better, faster; we’re expanding and experimenting with techniques we…
AI, creativity and humanity (1)
‘“I resisted ChatGPT for so long because I felt it was wrong to use it. But then I caved in and now…
