The politics of populism in Scotland and the challenge of Alex Salmond and George Galloway
The politics of populism in Scotland and the challenge of Alex Salmond and George Galloway Gerry Hassan Sunday National, April 11th 2021 Once upon a time politics were simpler. Parties stood unambiguously on the left and right; politics was about class and the economy, and there was no such thing as “identity politics”. This is of course make-believe as politics was never so completely clear cut. But in recent decades this has become even more messy and unpredictable, with existing parties open to new challenges across the developed world. Today one of the big stories of politics is the rise
The return of Alex Salmond, Alba and whether it helps independence
The return of Alex Salmond, Alba and whether it helps independence Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, March 31st 2021 That was a week that was. From the Hamilton inquiry clearing the First Minister to a vote of no confidence; to Alex Salmond taking the Scottish Government to court, topped off just before the weekend by Salmond launching his very own personal political force - the Alba Party. The official version spun by Salmond about Alba - or ‘the Ecksit party’ as some wit dubbed it – is that it is all about independence and achieving a ‘supermajority’ in the Scottish
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Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon and Lessons for Politics and Public Life
Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon and Lessons for Politics and Public Life Gerry Hassan Scottish Review, March 24th 2021 Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon’s political relationship has defined Scotland over the past two decades. They oversaw the rise of the SNP and its transformation into a party of power. They achieved and nearly won an indyref - followed by the slow, painful unravelling of their relationship in public; the turbulence of the past three years, and the bitter end of their partnership. We have seen nothing like it in Scottish or UK politics in living memory. No previous political
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Scotland on the international stage
Scotland on the international stage Gerry Hassan Sunday National, March 14th 2021 These are turbulent times domestically and internationally. The UK Government, state and wider reputation of the UK has taken a hit of late through Brexit, the UK threatening to break international law, its record on COVID-19 as ‘the sick man of Europe’, and the latest Royal Family scandal bringing a reality check to how the House of Windsor is seen globally. Scotland needs to think about its image and how it places itself on the international stage in relation to independence. This has not been addressed enough
Scotland already is quasi-independence. It is time to own that and act like that
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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What has gone wrong with Scottish politics and democracy?
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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Joanna Cherry, Andy Wightman and the importance of dissent
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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Independence is a story about all of us – and there is serious work to do
Independence is a story about all of us – and there is serious work to do Gerry Hassan Sunday National, December 6th 2020 2020 has been the year of many striking things. It has been a year of progress for Scottish independence. A raft of polls show a consistent majority for independence and the SNP is polling strongly. Nicola Sturgeon is massively more popular than Boris Johnson; while the SNP’s trust ratings on a range of issues is impressive. All of which points towards the likelihood of a pro-independence majority in seats and votes in the 2021 elections. Some independence
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The SNP, independence and the politics of solidarity
The SNP, independence and the politics of solidarity Gerry Hassan The National, November 30th 2020 The SNP annual conference was, like all party gatherings at the moment, a strange affair conducted through virtual discussions connecting thousands of homes and living rooms. This gave it a decent social media footprint, but restricted what broadcasters had to cover and portray to the wider nation. This conference was the starting gun for the 2021 elections, with the major chance for any cut through being Nicola Sturgeon’s keynote address on St. Andrew’s Day. This was carried by most broadcasters - with the right-wing
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The Pressures of Success: What independence has to do to win
The Pressures of Success: What Independence has to do to win Gerry Hassan Sunday National, November 15th 2020 It has been a historic week, and we are only half way through the month. Trump defeated, Dominic Cummings leaving Downing Street, a COVID-19 vaccine, fourteen polls in a row for independence, and - to top it all - the Scottish men’s football team qualifying for the Euros. Things are looking up. Being in a winning position changes everything. It brings fresh questions, expectations and pressures. There is the cumulative effect of the SNP being in office by 2021 for fourteen years
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