A Way To Help Scots In Poverty, Now

The spectre of poverty hangs over yesterday’s spring statement. 1.3 million more people will be pushed into poverty as the cost of living crisis bites. The squeeze on the standard of living will be the worst since the 1950s. With families across Scotland facing unprecedented difficulties every penny of support therefore needs to go towards those households which need it most.

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Rise Up Scotland!

Last month marked 100 days since the gavel fell on COP26 in Glasgow. 100 days since the end of a conference that was going to ‘save the planet’ and avert climate catastrophe. Of course, neither of those goals were achieved – not that they were ever going to be. Without popular pressure, our governments will sit on their hands. As it did in Glasgow during COP26, it falls to us to create an environment in which they have no choice but to act, and act radically.

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We Can Help Scots to Recover From Drug Addiction by Working Together

In the wake of figures last year which showed that 1,339 people died from drug-related deaths in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon pledged £250 million to tackle the issue. But Auditor General Stephen Boyle said last week that “it’s still hard to see what impact policy is having on people living in the most deprived areas, where long-standing inequalities remain.” I hate to say I told you so but this is exactly what we were warning about last year when the money was announced.

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Yes, but what has devolution ever done for us?

Why is the level of devolution so misunderstood?  I would argue it’s because politics in Scotland has become mired into a simple binary debate between Yes/No on the issue of Independence. This helps  Nationalists as they have no interest in answering for their record on devolution because they see devolution as the wrong solution.

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Forget Unionists And Nationalists, Nicola Needs A Futurist

If you’re like me, new year’s resolutions are rarely new. They’re the same as last year’s. Here’s a policy resolution which should be kept precisely because it’s not new: the Scottish Government should set up a First Minister’s Strategy Unit. The appeal is that numerous countries have similar units. They blend futures, foresight and strategy work.

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