Clik here to view.
The effect of the new government in Scotland
Act of Union_stamps Originally uploaded by CowGummy If I haven’t blogged very much about the new UK government, it’s mainly because it’s so hard to blog about from a Scottish perspective. Most of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What will the Unionists do after we vote Yes?
Saltire Originally uploaded by drgillybean I think there’s a tendency to ask the SNP to come up with solutions for all questions about how to split up England and Scotland. However, if we think about...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Two options: Independence or Devo-Max
Independence Referendum Originally uploaded by Scottish Government So now David Cameron is promising more powers after a No to Scottish Independence: And let me say something else about devolution....
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Unionists’ plans for an independent Scotland
Scottish Parliament III Originally uploaded by Graeme Pow The SNP are often asked to provide detailed plans for what to do after independence — which currency would Scotland use, would there be...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How Thatcher destroyed the coalition of nations
Anti-Margaret Thatcher badge, a photo by dannybirchall on Flickr. Did Margaret Thatcher create the current independence movement in Scotland? I was intrigued by a blog post on the pro-independence blog...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Thatcher on Scottish independence
Baroness Thatcher portrait, a photo by Downing Street on Flickr.In Margaret Thatcher’s “The Downing Street Years”, she has this to say about Scottish independence: If [the Tory Party] sometimes seems...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tories for Independence?
Conservative inspiration?, a photo by willumhg on Flickr.In general, winning the independence referendum is about convincing the people who don’t support the SNP or the Green Party. Because of this,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What will happen to the Scottish political parties after independence?
Everyone leads a party, a photo by WordShore on Flickr.The Scottish political scene is rather odd when compared to the political spectrum one tends to find in independent democratic countries. Firstly,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Move to London if you want a promotion
Yes, Minister by D Huw Richardson, on Flickr.I used to work in the Scottish branch of multinational corporation that — like so many others — has its UK HQ in London. During my years there I observed...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The election of Juncker means we must vote Yes
Eu Council: President Van Rompuy welcoming the British PM David Cameron by President of the European Council, on Flickr.It’s now certain that Jean-Claude Juncker will become President of the European...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Better Together Party
The Better Together Party logo.At the moment the front-runner to take over the leadership of Labour’s Scottish Branch Office appears to be Jim Murphy. Mr Murphy is my local MP, so I’ve taken a certain...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The decline of the Party of Necessity
Referendum Eve in Glasgow by Phyllis Buchanan, on Flickr.Before the fall of the Iron Curtain, left-wing parties in Europe typically had left-wing policies, such as being in favour of universal...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Between Scylla and Charybdis
Lord Ashcroft’s 16 constituency polls today confirmed that the national opinion polls are correct (if anything, the swing is larger in traditional Labour seats), and Labour and the LibDems are likely...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The SNP would have won 221 seats in England and Wales
The 2015 results if the SNP had decided to stand in England and Wales, too.The SNP’s huge victory in the General Election saw some truly incredible swings. It made me wonder what would have happened if...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Cameron wants the UK to leave the EU
PM attends European Council by Number 10, on Flickr.David Cameron has said in the past that he intends to campaign to remain in the EU provided that he achieves a satisfactory deal before the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Changing the debate
Anti-Margaret Thatcher badge, a photo by dannybirchall on Flickr.Margaret Thatcher was once asked what she considered her greatest achievement. She replied, “Tony Blair and New Labour. We forced our...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tax credits and the self-employed
22nd Sept: Taxing.When challenged about the cuts to tax credits, the Tories typically reply that most people will be compensated by a higher minimum wage. This is not entirely true (as far as I can...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Friend or foe?
Cain interficit Abelem.Some of the infighting amongst the Yes parties sometimes reminds of the Danish proverb “Frænde er frænde værst”. Literally it translates as “friend is friend worst”, and the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Trying to understand the Tories
Into the Abyss.Westminster politics often makes me feel foreign — the fact that it doesn’t make any more sense now than it did when I arrived in Scotland 14 years ago just shows how completely divorced...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity
EU referendum result: Prime Minister’s statement. I used to think that David Cameron was secretly trying to engineer a Leave vote. There were so many signs, e.g., (1) making demands from the EU that...
View Article
