Scotland already is quasi-independence. It is time to own that and act like that Gerry Hassan Sunday National, March 7th 2021 We’ve had a week of huge drama and court politics - from ongoing UK Royal Family splits to the SNP stand-off between Sturgeon and Salmond and their respective camps. The two may compete as theatre, psychodrama and power politics whilst throwing light on gender politics, and the nature and limits of democracy. But there are important differences – with Scotland’s controversy also posing big questions of the SNP, Scottish Government, public institutions, and future of independence. Putting

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The Power of Words and Language in Scotland Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, March 3rd 2021 Words matter. How we construct and share sentences conveys how we see and interpret the world. Language today seems more loaded, layered and open to misunderstanding or challenge than ever before. It does seem the case that more people are making over the top comments; being antagonistic, aggressive and abusive, and deliberately seeking to offend and hurt others - in large parts of politics, public discourse, and on social media. All of this is true in relation to Scotland. The past week has been one

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Isn’t it time the People’s Game cared about and listened to fans? Gerry Hassan Sunday National, February 28th 2021 This weekend sees one of the showcase moments of Scottish football - the Scottish League Cup final between Livingston and St. Johnstone. Yet, the game which so many people care about and love is at a massive crossroads facing questions which will define its long-term future. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant the game has gone nearly an entire year with no crowds in attendance, hence a huge reduction in income for the game and clubs. What, you may ask, is special

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What has gone wrong with Scottish politics and democracy? Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, February 24th 2021 There is a feeling of crisis across Scottish politics and democracy. Partly this is the sense of decay and drift in the SNP with infighting, divisions and lack of trust between senior figures in the party; amplified by the Salmond-Sturgeon implosion. But there is more at play both in the SNP and public life, which points to things not being quite right in politics and democracy. All across political life there is now a hyper-adversarial nature - not just between, but within parties –

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A Different Class: Choose Your Side Gerry Hassan Sunday National, February 21st 2021 Class is one of the defining concepts of life, Scotland and capitalism – but barely receives much informed analysis on our TV screens. Instead, we are offered unstated but loaded assumptions in news, TV documentaries and countless other programmes, with a distinct bias on how success, aspiration and failure are seen and judged. In today’s environment Darren McGarvey’s Class Wars – a new four-part series on BBC Scotland - is a breath of fresh air; the first two of which have been aired. This is in

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How do we talk and listen in an age of noise? Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, February 17th 2021 Scottish public life doesn’t need to look far for controversy and heat at the moment. There is the ongoing Nicola Sturgeon-Alex Salmond saga, the mess of the Scottish Parliament inquiry, the growing sense of drift in the SNP and the Scottish Government; combined with gathering authoritarianism and belief that it knows best. Added to this is a palpable lack of accountability and taking of responsibility of many in power. There is the Crown Office controversy involving Duff and Phelps, and only last

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Who will speak for a democratic England in the break-up of Britain? Gerry Hassan Sunday National, February 14th 2021 The UK is in major flux. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are increasingly in a different political space and marching to their own beats. Westminster day by day underlines its incompetence and unfitness, which leaves us with the huge topic of England - and its place and role in the future. As UK politics increasingly come to resemble ‘four nation politics’ the question of how England is governed, thinks of itself and collectively sees its future, has become one of the

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Labour needs to find a very different story of Britishness and patriotism Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, February 10th 2021 The big question of what the Labour Party stands for and represents has been raising its head again, particularly in relation to the party and Britain and Britishness - including such hot topics as patriotism and flags. The initial hook for this was a Labour strategy document which, in the aftermath of the party’s emphatic defeat in the 2019 UK election, recommended ‘the use of the flag [and] veterans dressing smartly at the war memorial’ – with the intent to

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How to win the argument, case and vote for independence Gerry Hassan Sunday National, February 7th 2021 The SNP are high in the polls, Nicola Sturgeon’s popularity is hugely positive and massively outperforms Boris Johnson, and independence has now been in the majority for 20 polls in a row over the past twelve months. Boris Johnson has not had a good COVID, Brexit or Premiership. He has little political touch, is too opportunist, and looks exhausted. Even Scottish Tories say he is ‘toxic’ here, and only this week Luke Graham was sacked as head of the No 10 Union Unit;

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Joanna Cherry, Andy Wightman and the importance of dissent Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, February 3rd 2021 These past few weeks have not been quiet ones for the SNP and Scottish Greens, the two pro-independence parties in the country. First of all, respected Green MSP Andy Wightman announced he was leaving the party, and this week, Joanna Cherry was sacked from her position on the SNP Westminster frontbench: Cherry, MP for Edinburgh South West commented: ‘Despite hard work, results and a strong reputation I’ve been sacked today from the SNP front bench’. Running through both events are how political parties

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