For the anti-independence parties it’s 2011 all over again. When then First Minister Alex Salmond announced the Scottish Government’s intention to hold an independence referendum following the SNP victory in the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, the Conservatives and Labour immediately denounced it. Westminster would never allow a referendum, we were told,…

Scottish Tory MSP Stephen Kerr has claimed that the 2014 independence referendum campaign was “gruesome” and that the next referendum is going to be even worse. There are indeed many things about the next independence referendum campaign which are going to be gruesome, not the least of which is the appalling…

With the publication of the first in the Scottish Government’s series of papers setting out a renewed case for independence, the second independence referendum campaign has now got underway. As was entirely predictable the usual British nationalist suspects have not taken it well. Kevin Hague of the anti-independence group “These Islands”…

The first in the Scottish Government’s series of papers laying the groundwork for a fresh case for independence has been published. With its publication the second independence referendum campaign has now officially got underway. Today’s paper, entitled : ‘Independence in the Modern World. Wealthier, Happier, Fairer: Why Not Scotland?’ looks at…

Here we go again. The Scottish Government has confirmed that the Conservative Government at Westminster has not shared any of its controversial plans to introduce union busting strike breaking legislation with Holyrood. Not that anyone should be at all surprised by this, as the Tories never shared any of their Brexit…

The UK is predicted to have the lowest economic growth of any of the G20 states with the sole exception of Russia, whose economy is being battered by the severe international sanctions imposed following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The British Government is keen to put the blame on the lingering effects…

While the media’s focus was on the twin circuses of what in Scotland proved to be the platinum jubilee meh yawnfest and the Conservative attempt to unseat the Prime Law Breaker, and despite the constant British nationalist cant about how Scotland is a vital and integral part of this so called…

This is the piece I had originally intended to publish on Monday morning as soon as it was safe to come out from under the duvet and switch on the telly without being assailed by an orgy of sycophantic and self-congratulatory British nationalism wrapped up in flags and obsequious BBC presenters…

It was always going to be inevitable the moment that it was announced that the threshold had been reached and enough Conservative MPs had written to the chair of the back bench 1922 Committee to trigger a formal vote of confidence in the Prime Law Breaker that Douglas Ross would do…

It has now been announced that the Prime Law-breaker will have to face a confidence vote Sir Graham Brady, chair of the back bench 1922 committee made the announcement on Monday morning after reports in the Sunday Times that the threshold of 54 letters to the chair of the backbench 1922…

It’s that time of the year again. I always approach the annual crowdfunder for this blog with considerable trepidation. Although I have a part time side gig with The National, this blog is my main full time job, one which I rely on more than ever since the stroke I suffered…

According to reports, Number 10 has launched a campaign to “save Boris” following the steady upwards ticking in the number of Conservative MPs who have called for his resignation. Government ministers are being trotted out for the TV cameras to give unconvincing interviews about why they continue to believe, despite all…

On Tuesday in the Annual Spending Review, Kate Forbes, the Scottish Finance minister announced that the Scottish Government has set aside £20 million for holding an independence referendum in 2023, a higher sum than was spent on the 2014 referendum, which cost £15.8m, £2.1m more than had been estimated. The extra…

The number of Conservative MPs who have confirmed that they have sent letters of no confidence to the chair of the back bench 1922 Committee continues to tick upwards. Under party rules, if 15% of Conservative MPs write to the chair of the committee to express their loss of confidence in…