Politics
Too big to be local
The new UK government has made a commitment to devolution within England and to resetting the relationship with the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. At the same time there is a growing…
Who owns the news?
“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…
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…
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…
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…
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….”
Is Scotland heading for an early election?
The parlous state of UK public finances and spillover impact of the October 30 Budget could mean Holyrood refuses to pass next year’s Scottish Budget, triggering the government’s resignation
SNP ‘Company Man’ can’t save the party he loves
“Leadership requires a willingness to confront so much that he turned a blind eye to. A decent, able functionary, as Swinney understood when he stood down as leader in 2014, does not have the qualities…
Labour’s long addiction to nuclear weapons
The prime minister now controls an arsenal capable of killing millions of people. History suggests it should be scrapped.
Is Starmer a socialist?
“Starmer could be putting forward limited policies for the general election, only to then come out as more leftist in office. Active government could be extended to wider social ownership; opportunities for the working class…
Learn from Lady Macbeth’s fate, wannabe Tory leaders
“The body of the (seemingly) outgoing leader is not yet cold, but already thoughts are turning to the post-Sunak future. This is business as usual at Westminster, where an old, macabre joke has it that,…
Can the SNP win on July 4?
“With a cautious, centre-right Labour party offering six lukewarm pledges, any confident, pro-EU, pro-independence, social democrat (if the SNP still is) party should be moving ahead not sinking in the polls. Can the SNP still…