Category Archives: Politics

Derek Bateman: Open Letter to MEPs on EU

I had intended giving readers of this blog a rest from ear-bashing over this season of good will. That has been scuppered (again) by articulate, pertinent points made by Derek Bateman in his incisive questioning of the loyalties of some … Continue reading

Posted in Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

The Real Britain

This is a reblog. I had been getting increasingly steamed up on the theme that this whole independence debate pivots around the wrong topic. At its root, it is NOT about what the Scots think of Scotland: it’s about what … Continue reading

Posted in Commerce, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Politician: Heal Thyself

Just now, most people are preoccupied with enjoyed the feasts and bounty of the festive season; many of the rest are simply puzzling how to pay for their end of it. As a result, this may not be the best … Continue reading

Posted in Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Winding Us All Up

After being trailed over the preceding weeks so much, there was little that was actually new to report when Osborne made his Autumn Statement last week. Most reporting was on the jousting of the Osborne/Balls protagonists in delivering/rubbishing it. (A … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Fur Coat and Nae Knickers

Seldom can HM Government have been so embarrassed to spend so much and yet be so accurately pilloried for its inefficacy than in Angus Robertson MP, Defence Spokesman and SNP Group Leader at Westminster’s speech on December 3rd. The UK … Continue reading

Posted in Politics | Tagged | 2 Comments

Britain Is Broke

Making that statement does not fill me with great joy. There may be an entirely different social debate about wealth distribution that could equally have headlined “Britain is Broken” but this blog is about fiscal facts—that Brown’s smug ineptitude and … Continue reading

Posted in Commerce, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Enough with Racket Science

Yesterday, my normally chatty barista went all quiet when one of my coffee buddies brought the chat around to independence by speculating on the White Paper due out this coming week. When prodded, she looked awkward, but blurted out “What … Continue reading

Posted in Commerce, Community, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Big Brother in George Street

The Accounts Commission does a fine job. Given that local councils are run by (no offence intended as I’m one myself) a bunch of amateur councillors, as a result of the way they are selected, it is self-evident that some … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

If Britain is So ‘Great’…

…how come it rates only 30th in Education in the 2013 Legatum Profile of 140 countries? Top of the class is New Zealand that has 14.5 (vs UK’s 17.5) pupils per teacher, 3.1 (1.5) secondary and 1.5 (0.7) tertiary education … Continue reading

Posted in Commerce, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment

Stop the World: England Wants to Get Off

Around fifty years ago, the Scottish Nationalist (as it was then) Party was a joke to Labour. Ensconced as their MPs and councillors were in political fortress built out of Clyde shipyards, Motherwell steel mills, Fife coal mines and newly … Continue reading

Posted in Community, Politics | Tagged | Leave a comment