One can hardly argue against the kind of improvements to our existing democratic institutions and processes suggested by Joanna Cherry. However, we should acknowledge the potential difficulty this presents in the fight to restore Scotland's independence. "Use the powers you have!" is a well-worn line used by Unionists. On the face of it, Ms Cherry … Continue reading Our first priority
In her column in The National today Joanna Cherry makes an important point. It is a point that I have been trying to drive home for what seems like many decades - but is really just the one. The name of the British Prime Minister is of no consequence and neither is the name of … Continue reading It’s the Union, stupid!
As one of those 'Yes bloggers' held in such high-handed contempt by Scotland's judicial establishment (Lady Dorrian), such sneering scorn by Scotland's media establishment (David Leask) and such intellect-crippling loathing by Scotland's political establishment (Pete Wishart), I confess to a certain swelling of the heart when my analysis is validated by an establishment figure. Particularly … Continue reading Muscular Unionism
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?
On witnessing the first ever atomic bomb detonation American theoretical physicist and "father of the atomic bomb" J. Robert Oppenheimer is reputed to have said, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds!". He was quoting the Hindu scripture, Bhagavad-Gita and more particularly referencing the Hindu god Lord Shiva, who represents the concept of constant change, … Continue reading The possibility of life
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
THE three questions we need most to focus on are the economic prospectus, our trading relationship with the rest of the UK post-Brexit and the route to accession to the EU. These are the questions which repeatedly come up on the doorstep, which are repeatedly put to our leaders and spokespersons and which they are … Continue reading The fallacy of received wisdom
One of democracy's imperfections is its fragility combined with its appearance of robustness and resilience. Those whose direct personal experience is confined to a broadly democratic society do not easily imagine anything other. The corollary being a tendency to take democracy for granted. If only they realised how tenuous is our grip on the freedoms we assume to be ours by dint of nature, they would fear for those freedoms.
That's the whole story. The Scottish Government wants to address a situation in Scotland with measure tailored to the situation in Scotland. The British government doesn't want that. Not that they actively want more people to die. Just that they actively don't care if more people die. It is not a factor in their political calculations. Other than that it suits the British establishment's agenda if a situation worsens under an SNP administration. The situation worsening bit is a factor. The people dying bit isn't.
There is no plan. There are only more or less evident trends arising out of the chaos as certain imperatives coincide with concentrations of power.
Peter A Bell 