Where Does Scottish Labour Go After the Landslide?
Where Does Scottish Labour Go After the Landslide? Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, May 14th 2011 Scottish Labour has a long, rich history, set of traditions and values. It spoke for a wide part of the nation, middle class and working class, old and young, and combined radicalism and realism. It gave a platform to a host of British and Scottish politicians who changed Scotland and shaped much of Westminster in the 20th century. It is now in crisis, decline and hurting from its brutal rejection by voters. It is still going through all the excuses and evasions. ‘We held
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The Age of Independence
The Age of Independence Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, May 10th 2011 Scotland has a very different political landscape. A majority SNP administration. A decimated Labour Party in complete confusion. An independence referendum on the cards. A UK Government intent on making concessions at least for the moment. Things will never be the same again. Scottish nationalism as a broad force beyond party has become the defining force of modern Scotland. It has replaced the once potent Labour story. But there are significant limits to its appeal. Its reach, like Labour Scotland before it, does not take in every nook
Election could be big crunch for Labour and SNP
Election could be big crunch for Labour and SNP Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, April 30th 2011 The Scottish elections have been shaped by two diametrically opposed campaigns, with two different themes and moods, one SNP and one Labour. They have met with very differing responses from voters, with the SNP surging ahead in the polls as Labour have badly stumbled and blown a double-digit lead. Alex Salmond has talked of the SNP offering ‘a positive vision of the future’, one filled with optimism and hope. This is of course the language and rationale that the Nationalists used in the
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What comes after Unionism and Nationalism?
What comes after Unionism and Nationalism? Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, April 23rd 2011 The Scottish Parliament elections seem to be being determined on competence, trust and leadership. The record of the SNP administration, Alex Salmond’s leadership, and who we most trust to stand up and speak for Scotland. Behind this there are competing visions of Scotland. There is Labour’s rather conservative vision of an ordered, deferential, respectful society which might not have much dynamism, but would prioritise law and order. Then there is the SNP prospectus of a more confident, outgoing and generous nation, defined by inclusiveness, but which
The Scotlands of the Mind
The Scotlands of the Mind Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, April 2nd 2011 We once prided ourselves on being a learned nation, a place which gave birth and sustenance to serious ideas and debate. This is a story which still informs much of our sense of ourselves, but is increasingly at odds with reality. In the last decade, what have been the books which have defined and shaped modern Scotland that have enriched our culture? I would like to leave aside the world of Scots fiction which has had a particularly fertile and rich last decade, in part because the relationship
What is Scotland’s Big Story?
What is Scotland’s Big Story? Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, March 26th 2011 What is the Big Story of Scotland: as a nation, society, and politically? Like William Hague’s mojo, we know we once had one and that we have now lost it. Scotland has had a number of big stories over the years: Empire Scotland, kirk Scotland, Red Clydeside, and the nationalist dream of independence. Now we mostly have muddle and confusion. The next few weeks are going to see an awful lot of sound and fury. Politicians will make jabbing points not listening to each other; men will make
How do we stop the Forward March of the New Revolutionaries?
How do we stop the Forward March of the New Revolutionaries? Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, March 19th 2011 Once upon a time we had a powerful left which shaped a large part of 20th century Scotland: Red Clydeside, the rise of Labour, the creation of the welfare state, and part of the home rule movement. What has happened to this politics, idealism and radicalism today, and what do we do without it? The memory, folklore and language of parts of the left still influences a large, although dwindling part of society. These questions and more were touched on by
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The Divine Right to Rule: Power and the Scots
The Divine Right to Rule: Power and the Scots Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, March 12th 2011 Scotland likes to see itself as a land of passion, romance and rebellion: a disputatious society where no one is allowed to get too big for their boots: a permanent ‘diverse assembly’ in Robert Crawford’s telling phrase. At the same time the Scots have displayed a curious attitude towards power, who has it, how they exercise it, and what it means. One could characterise it as an indifference, but it slips over into something much stronger: acquiescence. One account, found in the Scottish Government
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Whatever happened to Scotland’s Salon Society?
Whatever happened to Scotland’s Salon Society? Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, February 5th 2011 One of the early hopes of the Scottish Parliament and the era of ‘new politics’ was that Scotland would awaken to a new age of engagement which would produce a more informed, inclusive politics. A lot of this was wish-fulfilment; certainly much of the talk of ‘new politics’ and an emboldened civil society was just that. Yet at the same time this feeling tapped a sense that Scotland could sustain a kind of salon society – a modern day harking back to the Enlightenment vision of Edinburgh.
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The English Democratic Deficit
The English Democratic Deficit Gerry Hassan The Scotsman, January 29th 2011 What happens in England matters to us north of the border, from its politics and culture to general state of mind. England is by far the largest part of the UK in population, size and wealth, and despite devolution, what goes on in England has enormous consequences for Scottish politics and society. At the same time, England finds itself in the strange position of being the one nation in the UK without a democratic forum in the shape of a Parliament or Assembly. It is also the one nation
