Capitalism, our system, is ageing, inept, bilious and barely able to rise from its sickbed. Economic news does not determine the constitution, but it does ask questions about what type of independence might be possible or desirable.
Scottish economy
As furious statements from the trade unions go, the latest from the STUC on the demise of Bifab is right up there. “The Scottish Government trumpets its support for ‘Fair Work’ and ‘workers voice’ at every opportunity, but when it comes to key issues such as the future of hundreds of workers at BiFab they […]
‘Just Transition’ no more?
Lockdowns don’t hit all businesses equally. That’s a point that Andrew McRae, the Federation of Small Businesses policy chair, made following the latest announcement of tougher restrictions. He said that small businesses like retailers had to shut their doors for the next three weeks, “when many big businesses face few operating restrictions”. If you can […]
Small businesses are suffering – and it’s the banking system that’s the problem
“Findlay’s Devo Max option is wildly ill-conceived, taken from the perspective of his own political commitments to a more egalitarian, democratic and just society. His own Devo Max option is the perfect vehicle for elite interests.”
David Jamieson: ‘Devo Max’ might be the surest route to elite capture
When we talk about regional inequality, we usually talk about the chasm between London & the South-East and the rest of the UK, including Scotland. On that scale, Britain is one of the most regionally unequal country’s in Europe. But regional inequalities matter within Scotland too, have been growing for a long time, and are being […]
Inverclyde, and why we should worry about Scotland’s regional inequality
“The renewables failure is purely a result of horrendously bad policy decisions and the cause of the failure is an obsession with inward investment. Inward investment is what is destroying our industrial base.”
Robin McAlpine: The renewable jobs failure is the disaster of our era, and inward investment is the problem
“We also need to make some serious choices. You can keep financiers and corporate lobbyists happy or you can build a stronger indigenous industry base, but not both. Scotland has to choose the latter.”
Robin McAlpine: As the government sleeps at the wheel, this is how we could save the economy
The Scottish Household Survey has just been published. This data provides the most detailed account of the demographic make-up of Scotland’s communities, and how it has changed over time. It also provides information on people’s views and beliefs on a number of issues, from climate change to religious belonging. Here, we will focus on what the […]
Scotland’s communities: divided by money
Some good news – kind of. The Royal Bank of Scotland’s latest Purchasing Managers’ Index report suggests things are starting to get built and sold again. A PMI rate above 50 suggests activity is expanding rather than contracting, and Scotland’s August PMI was 55.8, ahead of Northern Ireland and Wales but behind all English regions. […]
Scotland’s looming financial storm
“This is the perpetual lesson from GERS – you get screwed unless you’re London. It is this in particular that angers me; year after yer GERS shows that this problem is nothing to do with Scotland, but no-one in the Scottish Government will take this on properly.”