GE2017
Bypassing Barnett
.’.the allocation of an additional £1bn funding to Northern Ireland over two years represents a particularly large financial settlement to have bypassed Barnett. To secure an equivalent funding increase via the Barnett Formula, the UK…
International law could scupper Tory/DUP deal
‘Strangely, the most internal domestic matter for any state – the democratic formation of its government – in the UK now could have implications in international law. Just one of the many unforeseen consequences of…
How to keep young people engaged in politics?
Young people responded in what seems unprecedented numbers to Jeremy Corbyn’s campaign but will a hung parliament curb their enthusiasm? Gemma Baird outlines three options for keeping young people engaged with special responsibility for academics.
Scottish voters rewrite a well-worn script
“If we remain fixated on the constitution and neglect to debate properly the record of the Scottish (and UK) government, why would people vote for anyone except the SNP and, to a lesser extent, the…
Why I’m voting SNP
‘When I vote tomorrow it will be for the party which will do the most to stick up for my EU friends who have made their lives here; which will argue for my children’s horizons…
An independent Scottish foreign policy
‘Over time, in contrast to the UK where the twin foundations of foreign policy have recently been shaken (its ability to influence policy formulation in Washington and as a leading shaper of EU policy in…
Trident: a very British yearning for Empire bling
‘Trident is a weapon designed for the past. Britain’s willingness to squander billions on a technology which may well be redundant before it’s been fully installed would be absurd if it were about military strategy.…
Standing up for Scotland in Europe
“But as good as nobody is speaking out loud for what has always been the preferred option: EU membership as an independent country on a par with Denmark, Latvia and Slovakia.” How Scotland’s GE2017 campaign…
The SNP’s conservative agenda
“As in 2015, the main slogan is ‘Stronger for Scotland’. The manifesto repeats the trick of running this alongside a tartanised version of the famous green leather seats in the House of Commons.” “In fact,…
Economic benefits of immigration
“As far as the UK is concerned, the facts are absolutely clear. Those of us who believe in the economic and social benefits of an open, welcoming society should not be shy about using them.”
Mayism or Maybe not
Theresa May promises a post-Brexit Britain that will be unfettered, united in joint enterprise, thriving – and fair for those able and lucky enough to thrive in it. How does she intend to get us…
What kind of Scotland?
“Yet we all still need to ask and find answers to these questions: is Scotland genuinely more egalitarian? How does Scotland tackle early mortality, poor health outcomes, rising poverty, educational under-achievement – and with what…