• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • blog
  • About
  • Book Publications
  • Other Reading
  • Social Wall
  • Back Pages
  • Contact Me

Sunday National

Scotland on the international stage

March 15, 2021
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

Continue Reading Scotland on the international stage

Scotland already is quasi-independence. It is time to own that and act like that

March 8, 2021
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

Continue Reading Scotland already is quasi-independence. It is time to own that and act like that

Isn’t it time the People’s Game cared about and listened to fans?

March 1, 2021
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

Continue Reading Isn’t it time the People’s Game cared about and listened to fans?

A Different Class: Choose Your Side

February 21, 2021
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

Continue Reading A Different Class: Choose Your Side

Who will speak for a democratic England in the break-up of Britain?

February 15, 2021
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

Continue Reading Who will speak for a democratic England in the break-up of Britain?

How to win the argument, case and vote for independence

February 9, 2021
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;

Continue Reading How to win the argument, case and vote for independence

The state of the union and independence after Johnson’s jaunt

February 1, 2021
The state of the union and independence after Johnson’s Jaunt Gerry Hassan Sunday National, January 31st 2021 Boris Johnson came to Scotland last week: much trailed and talked about but certain to have no lasting effect. This was the week where a once-revered Scottish institution announced it had fallen on hard times. Once popular with Edinburgh ladies of a certain age and the middle classes who believed that they had a refined taste and lifestyle; the similarities between Jenners department store on Princes Street, Edinburgh and the Scottish Tories, are many. This illustrates the long-term collapse of the institutions of

Continue Reading The state of the union and independence after Johnson’s jaunt

Leadership in a Cold Climate: COVID-19 and the Emerging New World

January 27, 2021
Leadership in a Cold Climate: COVID-19 and the Emerging New World Gerry Hassan Sunday National, January 24th 2021 The inauguration of Joe Biden as US President is part ritual, part celebration. At its heart is a reaffirmation of the power of democracy and the belief that even in divided, difficult times leadership can make a difference. This raises questions about the role and expectations of political leadership – not just in the US, but in the UK and here in Scotland. We live in an age where traditional models of leadership and the attitudes around them are discredited, but

Continue Reading Leadership in a Cold Climate: COVID-19 and the Emerging New World

Scottish Labour is the problem, not the leader. And the solution is a genuine Scottish Labour Party

January 18, 2021
Scottish Labour is the problem, not the leader. And the solution is a genuine Scottish Labour Party Gerry Hassan Sunday National, January 17th 2020 The Scottish Labour Party has contributed so much over the past 20 years; not in terms of substantive politics in government or opposition but in the realm of scandal, drama and soap opera. Richard Leonard’s resignation is the latest episode in this long running saga which has increasingly been playing to diminishing audiences and reviews. He has been the ninth Labour leader in two decades; the sixth leader in opposition, and the fifth since the 2014

Continue Reading Scottish Labour is the problem, not the leader. And the solution is a genuine Scottish Labour Party

The Attack on Democracy and Breaking Out of the Empire State in the US and UK

January 12, 2021
The Attack on Democracy and Breaking Out of the Empire State in the US and UK Gerry Hassan Sunday National, January 10th 2021 Democracy is under attack. It is being challenged by the likes of Trump and his fascist supporters and by authoritarians the world over – testing its strength and legitimacy. And it is not in great shape in the UK, with academic David Runciman saying that “American democracy is stuck and British democracy is stuck.” The events of 6th January 20201 and the storming of Congress by Trump’s far right supporters has appalled most of the world. Much

Continue Reading The Attack on Democracy and Breaking Out of the Empire State in the US and UK

< Older Entries
Newer Entries >

Primary Sidebar

categories

  • Blog
  • Events
  • Futures Thinking
  • International Conversations
  • Longer Essays
  • Short Essays
  • What Gerry's groovin' to
  • What Gerry's reading
FacebookTwitter

featured publication

Scotland Rising: The Case for Independence

Click here to buy Gerry’s latest book.

what Gerry’s groovin’ to

My Music Albums of the Year

January 2, 2025

what Gerry’s reading

Books of the Year: Politics, History, Culture and Ideas

December 26, 2024

tags

Scottish politics | Scottish Independence | Scottish Review | British politics | The Scotsman | Scottish Nationalists | Scottish Nationalism | Open Democracy | Nicola Sturgeon | Scottish Labour Party | Sunday National | Scottish society | The British State | Sunday Mail | Brexit | Scottish National Party | Boris Johnson | Social Democracy | British Labour Party | Conservative Party | Bella Caledonia | Alex Salmond | Jeremy Corbyn | Popular Culture | Scottish Parliament | David Cameron | The National | Labour Party | Scottish Media | British Nationalism | British Conservatives | Scottish Independence Referendum | Social Justice | SNP | The Future of the Left | British Society | Scottish Unionism | Scottish Men | 2021 Scottish Parliament elections | Scottish Culture

Categories

Footer

about Gerry

Gerry Hassan is a writer, commentator and thinker about Scotland, the UK, politics and ideas.

More >

recent

  • How to Defeat the Far Right and Fascism in Scotland, the UK and West
  • Britain is Broken: What it means and where are we going?
  • Lonely at the Top: Sturgeon, Leadership and Regrets: Review of Nicola Sturgeon, Frankly, Macmillan £28.

search

FacebookTwitter

Terms of Use | Privacy Statement
Copyright © Gerry Hassan - writing, research, policy and ideas. All Rights Reserved.
Illustration and website design by Infinite Eye