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.
Culture
Sturgeon’s diminishing timeframe for Scottish indy
August 31, 2016
Nicola Sturgeon is about to launch the SNP's much-delayed "summer" initiative to win over No voters to support independence and, maybe, #indyref2. But two books by two prominent Scottish professors, reviewed here, suggest she has a very steep hill to climb.
David Gow on Sceptical Scot
A running archive of David’s published work on the site.
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
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
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
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
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
Just transition is correct response to Europe’s far right
“In the next EU legislative cycle, to 2029, this greening (plus digital transformation) must continue. But it must come with greater sensitivity towards public readiness, with a much bigger emphasis on informing and educating and, above all, on socio-economic justice. The much-heralded just transition should be the Leitmotif of the next five years. This is… Read article
Swinney a shoo-in? Nae thanks
‘My idea is that one tries to exit this quagmire by staging Scottish (and maybe Welsh and Northern Irish) and UK elections on the same day – or perhaps staggered over several days like the upcoming European Parliament elections on June 6-9. The campaigning could last several weeks or months, enabling a full-scale, profound debate… Read article
Diplomatic largesse is not on the agenda
The First Minister wants to curtail Scotland’s culture of excessive alcohol. But why impose a ban on diplomats you’re trying to woo and offer them meagre fare? Read article
Labour’s green gaffe plays into Far Right hands
Labour is dumping its £28bn “green prosperity plan” like farmers dumping manure outside the European Parliament: no way to save the planet, modernise the economy, take on the Far Right backlash… Read article
Roch the wind: industrial strategy 3 – Scotland and EU
Both the SNP and Scottish Labour are bigging up industrial policy to modernise the economy as a general election issue. Our co-editor argues this won’t work fully outside Europe. Read article
Shared links with Europe suit Scotland’s purpose
Forget David Cameron’s muscular unionism and Humza Yousaf’s sense of grievance: Scottish and UK foreign policy must go through Europe Read article
Humza faces a hard landing
“If Sturgeon’s reputation is already being shredded, he doesn’t have one to defend. A hard rain gonna fall on him. And, more than likely, his party too.” Read article
Scotland needs a new politics – and fresh policy options
As the SNP leadership campaign crawls to the finish post, time for a Big Debate on the political and socio-economic future in Scotland and the UK Read article
A Labour-SNP coalition is the answer to gridlock
“What Scotland needs is something similar: a Scottish Labour-SNP pact – probably after 2024 or 2026 – with or without the Greens to deliver social and economic modernisation, including the just transition, digital transformation and local government reform, plus constitutional change.” Read article
A new Germany?
Germany’s Social Democrats are emerging as the surprising potential winners in the general election of September 26 under Olaf Scholz. Is the EU’s most important member about to opt for seismic change? Read article
The green ascendancy
‘The message for and from Scotland is that the trends in society and the economy favour outward-looking, social democratic, culturally progressive, green (in the widest sense) political movements and this was reaffirmed by last week’s results in Holyrood. Now, more than ever, is the time for these Scottish political forces to reach out to their… Read article
Tributes and reflections
Articles written in tribute to David Gow and his editorial legacy.