Category Archives: Scottish Independence Referendum

In my essay ∗The Sorrow and the Shame (∗ the link is at end of this piece) I discuss some of the issues that caused and helped protract the infamous Highland Clearances, an attempt at ethnic cleansing in any dictionary, … Continue reading →

Open a newspaper any day, any week and you’ll read any number of right-wing inspired news smears of the SNP claiming it an authoritarian party, so right-wing it’s fascist. Since newspapers are predominately right-wing you’d think they be very happy about … Continue reading →

Daniel Defoe left his mark on the world in two ways. Among many novels mostly forgotten with the exception of ‘Moll Flanders’, and an entire recycling plant of political pamphlets largely forgotten, he wrote the much filmed novel Robinson Crusoe. More’s the pity … Continue reading →

To the perceptive the briefest study of Scotland’s history will throw up remarkable similarities to our current predicament, the same abuse hurled by colonial Brits, the same threats from Westminster if Scotland goes its own way, the same divisions among … Continue reading →

INTRODUCTION A constitution guarantees liberty and citizen rights under the law. It is the foundation of civil liberties. It tells other nations of our values and standards. It sets out the principles by which we hope to live. It bedevils … Continue reading →

Murray Foote former Daily Record editor – 3-times Newspaper of the Year Truculence is a lovely word. I have other favourites such as somnambulant and wind – not the intestinal kind – and confluence, words that slide off the tongue. ‘Truculence’ … Continue reading →