I confess to being rather concerned on seeing the reference to "the rules" in the headline over the latest contribution from Scott Crichton Styles in the Sunday National. What rules are those, I wondered. I fervently hoped Scott Crichton Styles wasn't in the business of lending credibility to the idea that Scotland must be bound … Continue reading Lawyers or politicians
I have but one quibble with Richard Walker's excellent article in The National and that is his casual use of the misogynist label without any evidence. It may be true that a significant proportion of those writing in the Scots language happen to be women. It may also be true that the "abuse"/criticism (the words … Continue reading Born to cringe?
I didn't hear Ian Blackford's address to the crowd gathered on Glasgow Green at the end of the Yes march in Glasgow on Saturday (9 October) and I have been unable to find a full transcript of his speech. It might be more accurate to say that I couldn't hear Mr Blackford's address. My hearing … Continue reading Multiple failures of leadership
I am about to break a cardinal rule of semantics, if not grammar. I am going to put the words 'honest' and 'sincere' in a sentence alongside the name Michael Gove. There! I've done it! The things I do for you people! It's not easy even to hold words like 'honest' and 'sincere' in ones … Continue reading Sovereign is as sovereign does!
I did a quick search but failed to find where or when Gordon Brown made the remarks attributed to him by Sir Keir Starmer in his address to the faithful and the fractious at British Labour's conference. Perhaps somebody with more time and inclination will dig it up. Not that it matter. Having repeated the … Continue reading Nasty nationalism
Avid readers of this blog - I hope you're both well and keeping safe - know how fond I am of questions. I wouldn't go so far as to say there's no such thing as a stupid question. But I know for a fact that however many stupid questions there may be that number is … Continue reading A good question
The term "power grab", as favoured by the SNP/Scottish Government, is something of a misnomer. It suggests a sudden snatching or rapid seizing of power. In fact, what we are witnessing is more pauchle than putsch. More an insidious, creeping erosion of our Parliament's capacities than an outright coup. Dictionaries of the Scots Language defines … Continue reading The Great Pauchlin’
The closing paragraphs of James Kelly's analysis of the latest full-scale Scottish poll from Redfield & Wilton Strategies fully explain why we need to be at Holyrood when the Scottish Parliament resumes on the afternoon of Tuesday 31 August to tell the Scottish government that "now is the time". They show no sign of deciding … Continue reading Now is the time!
Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh is confused. She seems to imagine that Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is the enemy. There is no doubt Scotland has cause to regard this odious individual as an enemy. But is he the enemy? Is he the thing that is doing great harm to our nation? Is he the thing we must … Continue reading Know thy enemy
If you are asking what the SNP is going to do about the dismantling of our democracy and obliteration of our national identity by the British state then you are asking the wrong question. To paraphrase John Fitzgerald Kennedy, ask not what a bunch of politicians might do for you, but what you are prepared … Continue reading Defiance! Not compliance!
Peter A Bell 