Beyond Tribal Politics
Independent journalism and commentary on politics, society, culture, climate and Scotland’s future.
Middle East transformed in two years of war
“All the while, Palestinians continue to die on a daily basis and there are still Israeli hostages (and in some cases bodies) waiting…
Build, baby, build
The Scottish Parliament has just passed a new housing bill that, inter alia, removes the council tax cap on second homes but…
Does Starmer have a vision?
“Starmer, in his speech, said both Farage, the Tories, ‘the extremes of the left’ and the SNP want Britain to fail. But…
Political change across Britain and Ireland (2)
“Underlying most of these is a deep disenchantment across the UK with its democratic credentials and constitutional settlements a generation on from…
Scottish education: genuine partnership or pre-election fix?
“The Scottish educational establishment, over many decades, has been successful in resisting attempts to disturb its culture of complacency. Sadly, it may…
Ferreting out radioactive leaks from Trident
“Loch Long is a 20-mile-long seawater loch that flows into the Firth of Clyde. People fish there; they swim and paddleboard. They…
Demarco’s gauntlet of truth to authoritarianism
“Trump, Rubio, Putin and their fellow travellers in the UK, Europe and across the globe are not the friends of European civilisation.…
Lonely at the top: Sturgeon, leadership and regrets
“This battle over the legacy of Sturgeon has major implications for the future of Scottish politics. Will the SNP continue the same…
Defence spending in GERS: anatomy of a myth
“Through an official government news release, Scotland’s Finance Secretary has created a false narrative which has now become an outright falsehood being…
GERS and what it tells us about the de-prioritisation of health spending in Scotland
“At face value, this does seem like another area where the Scottish Government is not being adequately held to account for its…
Independence, GERS and how not to have a debate
“If the fiscal shortfall were only a few billion then fair enough, it’s not that important and we can deal with it…
GERS 25: making Scotland pay for Starmer’s wars
The latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland report, GERS, came out this week. Within it lies a fiscal trap that will hit…