Iain Macwhirter
Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond. He’s not gone away, you know.
A week is famously a long time in politics. Alex Salmond who resigned following the defeat of the Yes campaign in Scotland’s independence referendum, had been leader of the Scottish National Party for nearly a quarter of a century. That’s an eternity in politics – as I can testify from personal experience. I … Continue reading
Was Cameron a fascist for supporting the Maidan?
Last week, YouGov recorded its highest Yes vote yet, at 42% after don’t knows were excluded. No has a comfortable lead at 58%. But more worrying for Better Together, YouGov confirmed that many Scots still don’t believe the Chancellor’s claim that” if Scotland walks away from the UK it walks away from the pound”. … Continue reading
One Year to Go. It looks like No.
It’s not exactly been a happy pre-anniversary for the Yes Scotland campaign. Looking at the deluge of one-year-to-go opinion polls, the only sensible conclusion is that very little has changed and independence is set to be rejected by a substantial majority. Yes, the number of don’t knows has gone up and there is a degree … Continue reading
RBS/Libor. If Iceland can prosecute bankers why can’t we?
If you’re shopped by your ex-wife for point switching on a speeding ticket you face prison; if you are in charge of a department responsible for one of the biggest financial scandals in history, you get a £700,000 pay off. Well, that’s what has happened to the Royal Bank of Scotland executive, John Hourican, who … Continue reading
And the Question is: what does independence mean?
From Herald 31/1/13 At last, we have a question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”. Well, you have to agree it’s short and to the point, unlike some other independence referendums. In Quebec, the independence question in 1995 asked: “Do you agree that Quebec should become sovereign after having made a formal offer to … Continue reading
Is the independence referendum already lost?
SCENES from the independence debate: I took my son, Jamie, to the very excellent Stand comedy club shortly after New Year. It was a packed and raucous show, with a mostly young audience. The compere – a tubby guy from Edinburgh whose name escapes me – launched into an obscene rant about Alex Salmond and … Continue reading
Leveson Press Law. Don’t worry, it’ll never happen.
The debate over Lord Justice Leveson’s call for statutory regulation of the press has unfortunately turned into a political bun-fight. Labour are so eager to court popularity by hammering the gutter press that they’ve embraced the Leveson Laws with hardly a moment’s pause. Meanwhile, from the opposing camp comes the din of grinding … Continue reading
Who will be first to be locked up by the Leveson Laws?
Form an orderly queue there, please. Editors are jostling to be the first in the clink if the government moves to introduce press regulation. Already, the editor of the Spectator, Fraser Nelson, has said he will not comply with any such statutory body, and is prepared to suffer the consequences – which could mean spending … Continue reading
Salmond gets the numbers wrong. But it’s all Mike Russell’s fault.
“Facts are chiels that winna ding” is one of Alex Salmond’s favourite Burns quotes, so it was with particular relish that Labour’s education spokesman, Hugh Henry, flung the words in the FMs face on Thursday when it became clear that Salmond had got his facts wrong on college funding. At First Minister’s Questions Salmond … Continue reading
Team GB: is it game over for Scottish independence?
And there is scarcely a dry eye in the house as Sir Chris Hoy, laden with medals, says goodbye to the fans who have followed him so ecstatically through these games. A final victory lap, wearing the Saltire of Scotland, a true national hero retires to take his place in the pantheon of sporting … Continue reading
Iain Macwhirter 