As a fitting end to Source, we wanted to introduce an independent community magazine that is presenting news at the hyper-local level – Greater Govanhill magazine.
Democracy
“Infamously, there are 339 local authorities across the UK, and only 32 in Scotland – making us the most centralised polity in Europe.”
Analysis: Beyond ‘SuperThursday’ – where next for the democratic crisis?
This year, the 70th anniversary of the year of the UN Refugee Convention, refugees have been given the right to vote in the Scottish Parliamentary elections for the first time.
This Election Sees Refugees Given Right to Vote For the First Time
“The Scottish electorate, like the people of Liverpool, have voted against Conservative rule for generations now. There is absolutely no sound argument for democratic deficiencies to be remedied by a government mired in its own corruption scandals, in jurisdictions where it cannot win elections.”
Analysis: Direct Rule for Liverpool should worry Scots
Be wary of politicians who speak on behalf of “democracies”. All the laws of history say they will give democracy a kicking.
Source Direct: War Pigs and “Democracies”
“Taking swipes at democratic social movements, like the one in Catalonia, or Syriza’s drive to resist EU-backed austerity measures, are some of the only decisive action ever taken by the European Parliament.”
David Jamieson: The EU is helping Spain crush democracy in Catalonia
After the coronavirus, many optimistically predicted that Boris Johnson’s “Red Wall” hegemony would be swept away by waves of resistance. However, Keir Starmer has been in charge for a year, and Labour is now back down at 32 percent.
Source Direct: Steer Kalmer
“How firm do we all think support for independence is, and what bearing might this have on this coming election – apparently believed by some, but seldom ever announced to be an ‘independence referendum’.”
Analysis: Is this the ‘independence election’?
“Faced by the humiliation of Scottish democracy, we can choose either to hope that the Tories and the central British state will fail to press their advantage, or we can demand change in Scotland.”
David Jamieson: Tory attacks on Scottish democracy are cynical, but point to real problems
How does indyref 2039 sound to you? Or indyref 2054? Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has sought to harden the UK Government’s position on opposing the right to decide on independence. Asked by the BBC if he was ruling out an indyref regardless of the Scottish Parliament election result, Jack said: “It’s no for a generation”. […]