The Nationalist Lion Roars at Westminster!
The Nationalist Lion Roars at Westminster! Gerry Hassan Sunday Mail, July 19th 2015 The times are changing in Scotland and Britain: the SNP impact at Westminster; Tory maneouvres to hurt, harm and trap Labour on union reform and welfare, and the vacuum of Labour and Lib Dems post-election defeat. The SNP scored early blood on fox-hunting and English votes for English laws – forcing government postponement on the first and regrouping and redrafting on the second. This has produced Tory anger and fury at the Nationalists, and eventually see the Tories attempt to get their revenge. A significant part of
Making the Debate on More Scottish Powers Real
Making the Debate on More Scottish Powers Real Gerry Hassan Sunday Mail, July 5th 2015 Another week has seen more turbulence and uncertainty across Europe, north Africa and the Middle East. The unprecedented Greek vote on European Union intransigence will, whatever its outcome, have huge continental implications. In this frenetic period, what have Scottish politics been dominated by, since the May general election? From nearly every corner and political persuasion – from the SNP to Labour, Tories, Lib Dems and Greens – the incessant talk has been of ‘more powers’ and whether the Smith Commission and ‘the Vow’ is being
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Clearing the Scottish Fog of War
Clearing the Scottish Fog of War Gerry Hassan Sunday Mail, June 28th 2015 This has been a momentous news week. The Greek crisis; Britain and Europe; the human desperation at Calais; and the related tragedy in the Mediterranean. While this has been going on Scotland has had its own mini-ripples which pale in comparison. There was the controversy over Royal Family funding and the Crown Estate in Scotland, and at the same time, the ongoing problem of cybernat abuse and social media misbehaviour. The Royal story saw a whole range of UK papers run front-page headlines stating ‘Scotland to cancel
The Rise and Fall of the House of Scottish Labour
The Rise and Fall of the House of Scottish Labour Gerry Hassan June 22nd 2015 The story of the Scottish Labour Party was, until recently, one of the defining stories of Scotland over most of the 20th century. First there was its rise - the emergence of ‘Red Clydeside’ and the socialist pioneers, and how radicalism gave way to respectability. Second, there was the ‘golden era’ of action and purpose - of Tom Johnston, and the big ideas and schemes, which began to fade as Labour morphed in the 1960s and 1970s into the political establishment. And finally, there has
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The Greek Crisis matters to Scotland, Britain and Europe – as well as Greece
The Greek Crisis matters to Scotland, Britain and Europe - as well as Greece Gerry Hassan Sunday Mail, June 21st 2015 Europe is not a happy place. The European Union has failed to agree a common stance on the human disaster of Mediterranean immigrants, while Vladimir Putin has used military aggression to alter the boundaries of Russia and Ukraine and annex Crimea, as Europe has stood by. Closer to home, Britain is preparing for a referendum on whether or not to continue its EU membership - the first full member state to ever do so. And then most seriously, there
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The SNP Ascendancy is changing Scotland and the SNP
The SNP Ascendancy is changing Scotland and the SNP Gerry Hassan Sunday Mail, June 14th 2015 The Scottish sun is out, and summer is approaching. This is true not just of the weather but reflects the mood of the SNP, their popularity, and especially that of leader Nicola Sturgeon. In the last week a TNS opinion poll for next year’s Scottish Parliament election put the SNP on 60% and Labour 19% in the constituency vote - a historic all-time high and low respectively. This would give the SNP a second overall majority and more seats than it won in its
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Debating with ‘The Economist’ its Scottish Independence Coverage
Debating with ‘The Economist’ its Scottish Independence Coverage An Exchange between Gerry Hassan and Jeremy Cliffe June 11th 2015 June 10th 2015 17.00 Dear Gerry, Thank you for your letter of May 14th (1). Zanny has asked me to reply on her behalf. On our use of "secession", "secessionist" and "separatist", I refer you to my email of March 24th. On "partition" and "dismemberment", I repeat the points made in that earlier message. Those terms are descriptive and accurate. We use them in other contexts where - unlike that of the United Kingdom - we support the separation in question.
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A Man of Principle and the End of an Era of Liberal Radicalism
A Man of Principle and the End of an Era of Liberal Radicalism Gerry Hassan Sunday Mail, June 7th 2015 Politics and public life in Britain caught its breath this week with the tragic death of Charles Kennedy. MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber for the past 32 years; leader of the Lib Dems from 1999-2006; the youngest MP elected to the Commons in 1983 at the age of 23 - none of these do justice to the talents, principles and wit of Kennedy. He got, as many people have said, many big things right. He was the most successful
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A Letter to the Editor of ‘The Economist’ on Scotland on Scottish Independence
A Letter to the Editor of ‘The Economist’ on Scotland and Scottish Independence Gerry Hassan June 4th 2015 Dear Zanny, I am a long-term reader and admirer of ‘The Economist’. Even when I disagree with the magazine’s position I know that I can trust it to aid myself learning and becoming more knowledgeable on an issue. This is true across the globe, and subject matters, with one consistent exception: the subject of Scottish independence. I am not talking about ‘The Economist’s’ anti-independence stance, which you are perfectly entitled to take. Nor would I wish to dwell on the appropriateness
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The Battle of Europe beckons. It will change Britain and Scotland whatever the result
The Battle of Europe beckons. It will change Britain and Scotland whatever the result Gerry Hassan Sunday Mail, May 31st 2015 Forty years ago next week, Britain entered a new era. On June 5th 1975 Britain held its first nationwide referendum on whether to stay or leave, what was then called, the European Economic Community (EEC). The UK voted emphatically 67.2% to 32.8% to stay; Scotland voted 58.4% to 41.6% in favour. This debate changed Britain in ways that continue to have ramifications. It began the constitutional practice of using referendums for big issues. The first had actually been two
