• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Articles
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contribute
  • Contact

Sceptical Scot

Asking Questions. Seeking Answers.

You are here: Home / Archives for Scottish Government

Scottish Government

What’s going on at the SNP?

April 22, 2023 by Jackie Kemp Leave a Comment

SNP supporters on 2015 election night

“History may judge the police search and arrests to be over the top – or justified. We don’t know yet. But I think the interests of justice would be best served by a speedy decision from the Procurator Fiscal on this.”

Humza faces a hard landing

March 27, 2023 by David Gow Leave a Comment

“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.”

Eradicating poverty in Scotland: a long way to go

March 27, 2023 by Emma Congreve Leave a Comment

“Relative poverty needs to move down to 18%  by 2023-24 to meet this target (and then down to 10% by 2030-31). It goes without saying that there is a long way to go!

How sustainable are Scottish tax and spend policies?

March 22, 2023 by Mairi Spowage Leave a Comment

“under current Scottish and UK fiscal policies, if public services in Scotland are to continue to be delivered as they are today, Scottish Government spending over the next 50 years will exceed the estimated funding available by an average of 1.7% each year.”

Prospects for future fiscal devolution?

February 25, 2023 by Graeme Roy Leave a Comment

Winter-flowering spikes of Witch Hasel, yellow against a blue sky: photo Fay Young

“Are current fiscal powers optimal for managing day-to-day and longer-term risks? And do the devolved administrations have the right tools to manage the financial risks they are likely to face now and in the future?”

Scotland’s currency options under independence

February 25, 2023 by Iain Hardie Leave a Comment

“The transition to full use of a S£ would take time, with high use of the UK£ within Scotland even once the S£ is established, whether at independence or soon after. In my view, it should start on day 1 of independence.”

Swinney should use his fiscal powers to the full: Update

December 12, 2022 by Fraser of Allander Institute Leave a Comment

“But there are also flexibilities that the Deputy First Minister has for the next financial year that were not available to him for this year – the Scottish Government does have tax powers that could be used, if he wishes, to raise more revenue.” FAI sets the scene for Thursday’s Scottish Budget

A voluntary union with no exit?

November 25, 2022 by Dr Kirsty Hughes 11 Comments

“Scotland, the Supreme Court says, cannot have a referendum without Westminster’s approval. But what the SNP, and others, put in their election manifestos is up to them. We’re on a path to a quasi-referendum. And Scotland will have its say.” Kirsty Hughes on the political aftermath of THAT ruling. Where do we go from here?

Unhelpful clarifications on #indyref2

November 24, 2022 by Michael Keating 2 Comments

“The way is now open for the UK Government to say that there is no time or way for Scotland to exercise its acknowledged right of self-determination, for no other reason that it has the power to do so. As others have noted, this turns from one of consent to a union of (narrowly interpreted) law.” Michael Keating on Scottish self-determination and UK sovereignty in the light of the Supreme Court ruling.

Can muscular unionism save the Union?

November 3, 2022 by Iain McLean Leave a Comment

“Muscular unionism didn’t work in Ireland in 1921 and there is no reason to expect it to work now. Ignoring the votes, and the people elected, in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, is not unionism. It’s imperialism.”

« Previous Page
Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

About Sceptical Scot

Welcome to Sceptical Scot, Scotland’s premier non-tribal forum for passionate, informed debate. Sceptical Scot is for all who care about Scotland’s future, regardless of how they vote: for party, independence or union, EU or Brexit. We aim to provide an arena that is both broader and deeper than current online/print offers with a rich diet of well-researched, polemical, thought-provoking writing. Read more » about About Sceptical Scot

What’s new on Sceptical Scot

  • What’s in the new Programme for Government? Look in the long grass September 8, 2023
  • Learning from Scotland: what a Labour government would mean for the right to roam September 7, 2023
  • Europe must unite to stop deep-sea resource grab September 6, 2023
  • Energy market reforms must embrace a social tariff August 30, 2023
  • Climate change at the Edinburgh festivals August 21, 2023
  • GERS 2023: uptick in oil revenues narrows the budget deficit August 16, 2023
  • Zombie Scotland must wake up to its future August 14, 2023
  • Let’s make interest rates zero – permanently August 10, 2023
  • Treasury gives Holyrood more fiscal leeway August 3, 2023
  • Ukraine’s recovery will ‘take a village’ of international actors July 28, 2023

The Sceptical Newsletter

The Sceptical Scot cartoon

Categories

  • Articles (678)
  • Blog (569)
  • Books & Poetry (26)
  • Brexit (211)
  • climate crisis (6)
  • climate crisis (33)
  • Covid19 (66)
  • Criminal justice (18)
  • Culture (315)
  • Devo20 (1)
  • Economics (195)
  • Economy (120)
  • Education (77)
  • Elections (192)
  • Energy (2)
  • Environment (76)
  • European Union (264)
  • Featured (42)
  • Federalism (20)
  • federalism (14)
  • Health (67)
  • History (75)
  • Housing (26)
  • Humour (11)
  • identity (19)
  • Independence (288)
  • Inequality (80)
  • International (41)
  • Ireland (10)
  • Ireland (7)
  • Local government (87)
  • Longer reads (75)
  • Media (11)
  • Podcast (3)
  • Poetry (72)
  • Policy (240)
  • Politics (363)
  • Polls and quizzes (2)
  • Reviews (24)
  • Social democracy (85)
  • Trump (10)
  • UK (361)
  • Uncategorized (7)

Sceptical Scot elsewhere

Facebook
Twitter

Footer

About Sceptical Scot

Since 2014 Sceptical Scot has offered a non-tribal forum for passionate, informed debate for all who care about Scotland’s future

Recommended

  • Bella Caledonia
  • Centre on Constitutional Change
  • The UK in a Changing Europe
  • Common Space
  • Gerry Hassan
  • Scottish Review
  • Social Europe
  • Think Scotland

Archives

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in