“By the time of the 2021 vote, the greatest share of the damage to Scottish Labour had already been done, and failing to reverse any of this needs to be seen as significant in itself.”
Scottish Elections
“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
Neil Mackay is one of Scotland’s most respected columnists – and one of the most reliably pro-Sturgeon. His scathing assessment of the SNP’s campaign therefore merits attention
Source Direct: An Independence Election?
They’ve elected an affable new leader. They’ve focused on covid recovery rather than the constitution – theoretically, that’s what the aggregate voter demands. And rivals are in turmoil: the Conservatives embroiled in corruption scandals; pro-independence parties suffering an acute identity crisis. Everything should add up to Scottish Labour success
Source Direct Election Profile: Scottish Labour
“Strangely, the SNP leadership haven’t remembered one of the arch lessons of 2014: Project Fear can backfire disastrously.”
David Jamieson: Project Fear over Brexit is receding
With Alba likely to be a sideshow at best, the Greens could move front and centre. If that means coalition, the question will be, have they really thought it through?
Source Direct Election Profile: the Scottish Greens
Sturgeon is renowned for her staid, lawyerly command of briefs. There is no prospect that she would fight a referendum on a platform as flimsy as the Growth Commission.
