“By putting energy into fighting in unison, this deeply unequal Union might yet die a peaceful death that enables each nation to rise from the ashes strengthened, able to shake off the soot of medieval power-hoarding and class conflict in favour of progressive, local democracy.”
UK Government
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?
What should we expect from Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Spending Review today? Not austerity – at least not yet, at least not for most. The hedge fund chancellor was keen to emphasise that point with Andrew Marr on Sunday, that there “will not be austerity” now, but at some point borrowing will “have to be grappled […]
Does Sunak have a plan?
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the largest increase in military spending for 30 years, with an extra £4 billion a year being pumped in to the MoD for the next four years. He said he was announcing the Defence spending boost “in the teeth” of the pandemic because “the defence of the realm […]
Johnson’s prioritising militarism in a pandemic – who will stand against it?
“Those who ascribe sinister character to Scottish devolution say more about themselves than our current or future constitutional arrangement, and little of it is complimentary.”
Sean Bell: Boris Johnson fears political systems can determine political outcomes – with luck, we can prove him right
Devolution has been a “disaster” in Scotland, and was Tony Blair’s “biggest mistake”. Boris Johnson has only said what is almost certainly the quiet consensus in the British establishment, but it’s important that the words are now on record. I would wager that Blair thinks the same. You have to see devolution from the the […]
Johnson’s devolution comments are a sign of weakness
“We could create a National Pharmaceutical Company to secure the supply of essential medicines under greater public ownership and to help manufacture and deliver them to the world’s most vulnerable.”
Anishka Cameron: How Scotland could create vaccines for the world
“I can’t think of very many big government projects where, after the first step of deciding to do something, the second step is not to hand over the planning of how to do it to a big private company.”
Robin McAlpine: Why are Tories sweeping away the web of insider dealing in public life, but not Scotland?
Some Source Direct subscribers may have a vague memory of a huge chicken following David Cameron around the UK during the 2010 General Election. The chicken had a Daily Mirror badge on, and was meant to indicate that Cameron was too chicken to answer tough questions. Fast forward a decade, and the Mirror Chicken has […]
Flew the coop
“This is not a game of who blinks first; it’s the reality of losing the moral high ground in any dispute in which you have to resort to shouting instead of well-reasoned arguments.”