The Scottish Nationalists, Alex Salmond and the Slur of Fascism Gerry Hassan Open Democracy, September 30th 2009 It is not often that you come across an essay so wrong-headed, opinionated and inaccurate that it is worth drawing attention too – in part because the writer is one with an influential past, and because it validates English and centre-left xenophobic traditions of Scotland and these isles. That sadly is the fate of Tom Gallagher’s ‘The Scottish Piazza Echoes to the Liberation Beat’, published on Harry’s Place (1). Gallagher has written several books on Scottish society over the years, albeit all of

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Scottish Labour Changes its Position Yet Again on the Independence Vote! Gerry Hassan Open Democracy, September 28^th 2009 Just as British Labour is gearing itself up as best as it can for the forthcoming election, without money, resources or much hope - the Scottish Labour Party is doing the same. The attack lines are being drawn and the old battle cries dusted off and rehearsed. The Monday of Labour Party Conference saw addresses from Jim Murphy, Scottish Secretary of State, and Iain Gray, technically, ‘Leader of the Labour Group of the Scottish Parliament’ lay out the ground of Labour versus

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Labour's Deep Crisis and Brown’s Road to Brighton Pier Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, September 28^th 2009 The Labour Party meet this week in a strange mood, partly nervous of what is to come, but realising they have closed off nearly every possible escape route. It is some ways like the gathering of a collective death cult, amazed that despite everything they are still alive! Gordon Brown, touring the TV studios undertaking his latest ‘fight-back’, was interviewed by Andrew Marr - live on Sunday morning. Two great Scots locking horns. In between them, on Brighton seafront, could be seen the shimmering

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Gordon Brown’s ‘Fightback’ and the Wreck of Brighton Pier Gerry Hassan Open Democracy, September 27^th 2009 Gordon Brown’s latest ‘fightback’ began with his interview with Andrew Marr this morning on the opening day of Labour Conference. It was fitting that as the two Scots sat in one of the Brighton seafront hotels the main backdrop between them was the withered wreck of the Brighton West Pier. A more fitting symbol of post-war Britain it would be hard to find. The West Pier was damaged in the Second World War, had a seedy post-war afterlife, was finally shut in 1975, and

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The Difficulties of a Pan-British Conversation on Independence: Michael Portillo’s Table Talk Gerry Hassan Open Democracy, September 18^th 2009 Michael Portillo, once arch-Thatcherite and now permanent member of the chattering classes and the world of TV luvvies, themed an episode of his ‘Dinner with Portillo’ series on ‘Why Should We Care About Scottish Independence?’ (1). Drawing together seven middle-aged, middle class men like himself for some fine food and wine and the occasional conversation, the group hardly embodied ‘social inclusion’ - ranging from members of the British establishment such as Timothy Garton Ash and Vernon Bogdanor to media wannabees such

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The Slow Demise of Labour Britain: New Evidence From Wales Gerry Hassan Open Democracy, September 17^th 2009 Another indication of the unravelling of the British political system as we have known it is the crisis Welsh Labour has found itself in – along with Scottish Labour. Both of these were two of the main pillars of the British Labour Party and hence the Labour story of Britain, and with it of course, ‘the British dimension’ of Labour. The crisis of Welsh Labour is the subject of a short, revealing piece by Martin Kettle in Wednesday’s ‘Guardian’ (1). He explores the

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The Tale of Two Leaders: George Burley and Gordon Brown Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, September 15^th 2009 Two embattled leaders, both bedevilled by crisis and calls for their heads, with talk of mutiny and rebellion all around. One of these leaders is George Burley, ill-fated manager of the Scotland national team who last week failed to qualify for their sixth international tournament in a row. The other is Gordon Brown, leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister, who has survived several coups and assassination plots, and struggles on despite his inability to inspire people or set a positive direction.

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September 14th 2009 Two powerful comments – one specific to Scotland and its debate about self-government and self-determination – but which has wider impact on the relationship of formal power to cultural change; the other a wider truism. Here is Naomi Mitchison, writer, campaigner, radical writing in 1953 about the debate on Scotland’s constitutional status: It seems to me that you are bound to assume that a self-governing Scotland is going to be immediately morally better, and I don’t see it unless there has also been a revolution. I cant see how the people who are likely to govern

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Here is a wee selection of some of the things I have been reading: Momus: The Book of Scotlands An imaginative tour de force from the idiosyncratic and fabulous singer-songwriter. Momus outlines one hundred and fifty fictionalised Scotlands of the past, present and future. Some are no more than a line or two, some are short, crazed essays. There is so much to choose from here that is hilarious and revealing; in particular I like the 1950s story of Alan Lomax and Alfred Kinsey touring the land studying the sex habits of the Scots fiddler; it all sounds so plausible!

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A selection of the things I have been groovin’ to. I was touched by the person who said they had looked at my music lists for inspiration for a gift for their partner and bought one of the albums on my recommendation! Prefab Sprout: Let’s Change The World With Music Finally released and little known to most of us – the intended follow-up to ‘Jordan the Comeback’ was meant to see the light of day in 1992 and rejected by Sony. This is after a couple of listens an inspirational album, full of Paddy McAloon's gorgeous melodies, hooks and lyrics.

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