The Banality of Scottish Politics

Speymouth November 27, 2023

Much of the political debate and coverage of Scottish politics remains utterly banal. We are caught in the stagnant pond of constitutional impasse. The reasons for this are clear. Around 50% of people don’t want to be part of the British state yet there seems no way to alter this reality. Those that champion our […] Source

Family matters

Speymouth November 26, 2023

I’m afraid I’m currently dealing with some family issues so won’t be blogging for a little while. My mother’s health has taken a turn for the worse and she is currently in hospital. I will be back when things settle down a bit.   _______________________________________________ My Gaelic maps of Scotland are…

Shut It Down for Palestine

Speymouth November 25, 2023

Three weeks is a long time in politics – or certainly it is for Glasgow City Council. * As part of an international call out to ‘Shut it down for Palestine’, five Glasgow residents disrupted a Glasgow City Council ‘State of the City Economy’ conference. The event featured a panel with two weapons companies based […] Source

Best Scot at Westminster

Speymouth November 25, 2023

After the Herald’s Scottish Politician of the Year Awards we held a Friday night competition on Twitter asking ‘Can anyone name a single thing he’s done for Scotland?’ There were 22k views of that tweet and the answers included: ‘500 brace of grouse and a couple of beaters’ @haikuthenoo ‘He sells Xmas trees in Dumfries […] Source

Asset-stripping can only be stopped with our independence

Speymouth November 24, 2023

GRANGEMOUTH is closing, leaving oil-rich Scotland with no refinery and reliant on England. We’ll no longer be a manufacturer and exporter of petroleum products and become an importer, which is the point. England, always a huge net importer of manufactured goods, couldn’t bear that Scotland has always been a net exporter, so it has “blown another hole in our industrial base”. Source

Grangemouth closure is serious threat to Scotland’s energy security

Speymouth November 23, 2023

Yesterday energy firm PetroIneos announced the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery and a transition to operations as an imports centre within the next 18 months. Grangemouth is Scotland’s only oil refinery, producing over 70% of all of Scotland’s petrol and diesel. The closure is a worrying development, leaving Scotland without a centre to refine […] Source

For a Ceasefire in Gaza

Speymouth November 21, 2023

This motion from the First Minister Humza Yousaf is to be put before the Scottish Parliament today: It would seem to be fair, even-handed and – urgent. It would seem to be something that all parties could get behind and send a strong message of solidarity from the Scottish Parliament on behalf of the people […] Source

The world reveals itself to those who travel on foot

Speymouth November 21, 2023

“Is this the way to Dean Village?” It was the third person that morning who had asked me for the location of this ‘tranquil village of picturesque charm’.  There’s no doubt it is appreciated by all who plunge into its prettiness. It is, however, just one of a mere handful of places visitors are habitually […] Source

The Break up of Britain?

Speymouth November 20, 2023

The opening session of the Break Up of Britain conference, from Clive Lewis and Caroline Lucas, Jamie Driscoll, Frances Foley, Alyn Smith. This is not about Scottish Nationalism Source