Free by 23? Considerable doubt has been raised as to the likelihood of a referendum by the end of 2023, and as to how far even those claiming it actually believe it. Contrast with 2014, when work on the White Paper ‘Scotland’s Future’ began in 2011, culminating in a 650-page document which was published a… Read More »The Week In Scotland – Week 44
Tik Tok and Tourette’s Shona Craven highlighted a new trend in the online diagnosis of disorders and syndromes via the internet (‘Diagnosing disorders with TikTok is a dangerous trend’, National, 22/10/21). Girls have suddenly presented in vastly increased numbers with nervous tics, coinciding with the rise in popularity of a German TikTok artist who has… Read More »This Week in Scotland – Week 43
What is the point of university? The University of Sussex is facing calls to sack Kathleen Stock from their Philosophy Department. Her crime is having gender-critical views which in the world of student politics translates as ‘transphobia’. The protests have taken a more menacing tone with masked protesters apparently allowed to deface University of Sussex… Read More »This Week in Scotland – Week 41
Pandora Papers Following on from earlier revelations about the use of tax havens around the world, the so-called Pandora Papers recently revealed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) showed more than 330 politicians from 90 countries taking advantage of tax regimes to reduce their liability to domestic taxes, including stamp duty, for example… Read More »This Week in Scotland – Week 40
Women aren’t women anymore The Lancet’s editor-in-chief Richard Horton apologised, sort of, for giving the impression that they ‘dehumanised and marginalised’ women in their latest cover story by referring to ‘bodies with vaginas’, although he did not apologise for actually saying it. Then he lumped women together with anyone who has ever menstruated, reinforcing women… Read More »This Week In Scotland – Week 39
Gas Price Rise/Winter of Discontent With the news that another two gas supply companies have gone bust, leaving thousands of people with probably higher bills from new suppliers, the post-Covid failings of the ‘just in time’ supply model are laid bare. Pre-pandemic just-in-time was a way to keep costs low, avoid keeping supplies too long,… Read More »This Week In Scotland – Week 38
The Queen’s Privilege Not content with being exempted from laws which don’t suit the monarch’s aspirations, we learned this week that she is also in receipt of over £34,000 in taxpayer subsidies for her Balmoral estate via forestry grants, less favoured area support scheme (did this legislation envisage subsidising the property of one of the… Read More »This Week In Scotland – Week 37
Trident While the SNP has belatedly named a vague, possible date for indyref 2, the SNP conference next week will debate a timeline for Trident removal on independence. Great. But isn’t this putting the cart before the horse? We can’t remove Trident without independence. We can’t get independence without a referendum. We can’t get a… Read More »This Week In Scotland – Week 36
It’s GRA All the Way The SNP/Green coalition and its priorities became clearer this week. GRA reform was top of the agenda with the government identifying it as a priority in its legislation programme. This was followed by the Marion Millar case on Tuesday, which ‘coincided’ with an announcement that the sex question on the… Read More »This Week In Scotland – Week 35
SNP/Green coalition Greens at Holyrood. Despite disagreement on a number of policy areas, thereseems to be broad agreement particularly on climate and gender reform. Bothparties are pushing for the UK Government to withdraw the licences to exploitthe new Cambo oilfield off Shetland, although this is unlikely to happen. energy, setting up a Scottish Energy Company… Read More »This Week In Scotland – Week 34
