That Sinking Feeling: England against the World Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, December 4th 2010 The backlash has now begun in earnest about England not getting the World Cup in 2018. This tells us much about our southern neighbours, how they see themselves and the world, and are in turn seen. And about how the new global order of the 21^st century is evolving. First things first. I had wanted England to win the right to host the World Cup because I recognise that England – like Scotland is a nation with deep footballing traditions. I also have impatience with knee

Continue Reading That Sinking Feeling: England against the World

The Strange State of Undemocracy: Calman and the Scottish and British Questions Gerry Hassan Open Democracy, December 1st 2010 The Calman Commission proposals and their enshrinement in the paper, ‘Strengthening Scotland’s Future’ (1) and the Scotland Bill – are meant to be a moment of history and importance: the narrative of ‘the evolution of devolution’, of ‘devolution as a process’, and other questionable clichés. These proposals are important for both Scotland and Britain, revealing a political class and media which mostly does not understand the detail of what is being put forward or the resulting consequences. This is – leaving

Continue Reading The Strange State of Undemocracy: Calman and the Scottish and British Questions

The Beautiful Game No More Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, November 27th 2010 I love Scotland. I love football. With all its imperfections and limitations I am fascinated by football in Scotland: its passions, history, traditions and why it matters so much. The emotional spasm which has gripped Scottish football would be comic, were it not so serious, revealing some of the sore wounds and faultlines of Scottish society. This whole affair, like ‘the tartan tax’ stushie shows part of Scotland loves getting things completely out of proportion. And an even larger section cannot engage in a

Continue Reading The Beautiful Game No More

The Scottish Stalemate and How to Change a Culture of Conservatism Gerry Hassan Open Democracy, November 22nd 2010 Party politics and the wider art of politics are profoundly about tribes. Are you part of my tribe or the opposing tribe? How is my side or camp doing? Are we up or down: making the political debate, or in retreat and on the defensive? At the same time we know our political tribes – Conservative, Lib Dem, Labour – are in major crisis leaving aside the disorientation they all feel as they come to terms with the reality of coalition government

Continue Reading The Scottish Stalemate and How to Change a Culture of Conservatism

Imagine a Scotland Where Thatcherism Never Happened Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, November 20th 2010 ‘It was twenty years ago today ….’ No, not the latest anniversary of the never-ending sixties nostalgia and the Beatles ‘Sgt. Pepper’ album.  Instead, on Monday November 22^nd it is the twentieth anniversary of the fall of Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister. Mrs. Thatcher and Thatcherism have for so long cast a deep, dark shadow over our lives, that the twentieth anniversary of the fall and Tory regicide are an appropriate time to assess what her real impact was on Scotland. What would Scotland be

Continue Reading Imagine a Scotland Where Thatcherism Never Happened

Scotland Before the Cuts and the End of Devolution Gerry Hassan Open Democracy, November 18th 2010 Scotland has just entered a new era: a world of public spending cuts and job losses after a decade of devolution largesse. In this Scotland is just like everywhere else in the UK; some English and even some Scots people will say ‘and about bloody time too’: it was high time to put a stop to ‘the land of milk and honey’ and ‘subsidy junkie Scots’. Such gut, instinctual views miss that something much more significant is going on north of the border –

Continue Reading Scotland Before the Cuts and the End of Devolution

A Nation Rejoices! Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, November 17th 2010 The country might be going to the dogs – with even David Cameron panicking and talking of ‘decline’ and sacking his photographer, hairdresser and what other vital things the No. 10 Vanity Squad did. Yet Britain still does some things well which make you proud and allow you to get out the old Union Jack. No I am not talking about wars. We tried those under Blair and they are damned expensive when the final bill comes in. I am talking of course about that other time-honoured British tradition: the

Continue Reading A Nation Rejoices!

Revolution in the Blogosphere: Tom Harris and Eric Joyce in Controversy Gerry Hassan November 16th 2010 Two significant moments in the British political blogosphere: Tom Harris’s declaration that he is retiring from writing a blog, and Eric Joyce’s attack on voters as ‘liars’ and then subsequent qualification/semi-withdrawal. Harris and Joyce have many similarities: both are Scottish Labour MPs of a fairly undiluted right-wing character, both are identified Blairites, and have attracted and courted all kinds of controversies with their opinions: Harris in identifying himself as an anti-Brownite when Gordon Brown was PM, and Eric Joyce in willingly portraying himself as

Continue Reading Revolution in the Blogosphere: Tom Harris and Eric Joyce in Controversy

Scotland, the Politics of the Centre-Left and the Future of Social Democracy: A Conversation Between Gerry Hassan and Joyce McMillan Open Democracy, November 15th 2010 This conversation was sparked by Gerry Hassan’s Saturday ‘Scotsman’ on the limitations and pitfalls of anti-Toryism in both Scotland and the UK https://www.gerryhassan.com/?p=1414 Dear Gerry, It is right to reject the Tories as long as they continue to promote a destructive, inadequate and wrong-headed neo-liberal ideology. I'm waiting for them to change, and to enter a real conversation about where the policies of the last 30 years have failed. They never do. So really, Gerry,

Continue Reading Scotland, the Politics of the Centre-Left and the Future of Social Democracy

Learning How to Hug a Tory and the Folklore of Anti-Toryism Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, November 13th 2010 It has been a strange old week. Controversial Tory-Lib Dem welfare reforms have been announced. Angry students have protested, some rioted and some taken direct action. The hoary old battle cries of ‘Tory cuts’ and ‘Tory scum’ have again filled the streets and airwaves. Much of this is fed by the potent, emotional and deep-rooted mindset of anti-Toryism. This has a long historical lineage, and was given a powerful fillip by the 1980s and anti-Thatcherism. However, the 1980s did not create this

Continue Reading Learning How to Hug a Tory and the Folklore of Anti-Toryism