Sceptical Scot

David Gow Memorial Archive

David Gow Memorial Archive

Writing, tributes and reflections from David Gow’s Sceptical Scot archive.

This page gathers David Gow’s work for Sceptical Scot, alongside tributes and reflections published in his memory. Over time it can also expand to include selected work from beyond the site.

Featured from the archive

A different David Gow article is highlighted each day.

International

Latvia: no template for Scotland

March 4, 2015

It’s a commonplace of Scottish political discourse to compare our nation of 5.2m to independent near-neighbours such as the Nordics – Denmark, say, with its 5.6m – or, more recently, the Baltics, with their 6.2m in three countries. 'We could be just like them.' But comparisons can be facile. Latvia, with its 2m people, is a case in point.

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David Gow on Sceptical Scot

A running archive of David’s published work on the site.

  • 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 we need a much more consequential approach to solve the housing polycrisis. Read article

  • A quiet election for a tired and poorly Scottish parliament

    Scottish party manifestos pledge extra spending without addressing huge challenges facing the next Scottish government – likely to be SNP again despite almost 20 years of underachievement in power. John McLaren sets out four lessons to learn from the state we are in. When the last election took place, in 2021, the country was in Read article

  • What’s ‘good for Scotland’ in 2026 election?

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  • Four poems in defiance of an uneasy spring

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  • Mind the (implementation) gap: Neurodivergence in Scotland

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  • 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 left, have allowed Farage and Le Pen to set the agenda, writes Tony O’Donnell Read article

  • 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 be done, further eroding trust in mainstream politicians, pushing voters towards outlying parties making even wilder promises Read article

  • 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 with positive recommendations for a radical re-set in time for the May 2026 elections. But will Scotland wake up in time to avert fiscal crisis? We have to, says, James Mitchell” “we cannot… Read article

  • 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 leaky build up, the 2025 UK Budget raises many questions and uncertainties about fairness, efficiency and effectiveness. The FAI investigates some likely outcomes. Read article

  • #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 an SNP Government – judging from past behaviour how successful would it be? Read article

  • 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 debate. It is a testament to David’s determination that there was never really any doubt that it would do so. Read article

  • 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 politeness, no matter how long you’d been writing…” Read article

  • David Gow’s legacy of friendship

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  • 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 fear it and I encourage you to embrace it. But you should also challenge it, and those who are developing it. Keep an open mind, balance optimism with scepticism and use creativity to… Read article

  • 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 weren’t previously able to do. Ideas I’ve never had the time, headspace or resources to realise are now coming to life.” Read article

  • 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 I can’t stop!” one arts organisation CEO told me. She’s hooked, having discovered the joy of drafting policy documents and analysing big data sets rapidly.”‘ Read article

  • Two worlds collide or stories Geoff Palmer told

    “Geoff worked tirelessly to bring the hidden world of slavery – the subjugation and the struggle – into the light and to make people aware of the connections between the unpaid labour of slaves and three centuries of Scottish history. He wanted people to know about the huge wedge of privilege and prosperity it brought… Read article

  • Israel’s biggest security threat: Netanyahu

    “Perhaps the most damning result of what is happening is the mass radicalisation of young Palestinians and of future Palestinian generations. As Israeli and US security experts have acknowledged, talk of Hamas being defeated is delusional – Hamas is as much an idea as a movement, and that idea will not only persist but will… Read article

  • 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 as the Prime Minister struggles on, the biggest risk is that Starmer will fail and Labour will end up where the Tories were, desperately swapping one bad leader for another. The UK does… Read article

  • 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 take a further decline in public confidence and trust before real change – as distinct from yet another exercise in public relations – can take place.” Read article

  • Make Europe Great Again

    Ultra-conservative central European thinkers among others are joining forces with MAGA protagonists to work for the break-up of the EU as we know it Read article

  • A coalition willing and delivering change

    “That’s why – in the middle of tectonic turbulence geopolitically – a progressive coalition that can see off Reform with or without the shrunken Conservatives in its pockets would be the most desirable outcome of Holyrood 2026. A coalition of the ready, willing and able set on initiating reforms that will usher in transformative change… Read article

  • We’re allowing the Far Right to set the pace

    The rise of remigration rhetoric in Europe, notably from figures like Alice Weidel, echoes past atrocities, while mainstream political discourse adopts increasingly extremist views. A surge in racism and antisemitism is reported, reflecting broader societal unrest. The liberal left struggles to counter these trends, facing challenges in forming effective coalitions against the far-right’s rising influence. Read article

  • Paying the price for net zero

    European nations are retreating from climate commitments, exacerbated by rising costs and societal resistance. The new UK government and Scotland have reduced climate targets amid challenges posed by defense spending and economic demands. Both the UK and Europe face crucial decisions about investing significantly in a green transition, requiring a comprehensive strategy beyond current proposals,… Read article

  • A new way to govern Scotland: co-opposition

    Labour and Plaid Cymru ran Wales pretty successfully for three years (2021-24) without a formal coalition. Could Swinney and Sarwar take a leaf out of the same boat? Read article

  • Welcome to a dark future under Trump 2.0

    Donald Trump said in his White House meeting with Joe Biden “it’s a nice world today” but the incoming 47th US President will preside over a dark world he blackens daily Read article

  • Eurosclerosis makes an unwelcome return

    “Mario Draghi, former central banker turned technocratic premier, is warning the EU of a “slow agony” if it fails to invest in modernisation and catching-up on the US and China. That is no exaggeration. It means renewing its political class and leadership to one that focuses on delivery, not radical surgery. Nor doom and gloom.” Read article

  • An alarming Alternative for Germany

    “There is renewed talk, too, of “Ossifikation” or reasserting a specific east German identity rather than adopting a pan-German One after 34 years of unification. All of these factors but, most notably, xenophobia – the Ausländerfeindlichkeit I reported on from east Germany in the early 1990s and the emergence of a small but ultra-violent neo-Nazi… Read article

  • 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 Read article

  • Political posturing over child poverty

    Over 4m British children live in relative poverty and they are four times more likely to suffer mental health issues than better-off kids. Ending the two-child benefit cap is just one remedy. Read article

  • Blowing up the transatlantic bridge

    The imminent advent of a Trump 2.0 presidency is concentrating the mind of Europeans as they confront more tumultuous instability at home and abroad. More Europe is, with all its attendant risks, the only preferred option Read article

Tributes and reflections

Articles written in tribute to David Gow and his editorial legacy.