scotland
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The Long Fall: why the Scottish independence movement faces a decade in the wilderness
Humza Yousaf has endured the weekend with several chronic headaches. It’s party conference season, and that means it’s time to rally the troops, shape the narrative, and set out your stall to voters. Sunak and the Tories had a trainwreck conference of their own, as questions over the fate of a high-speed rail line dominated…
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Sturgeon departs. What now?
When news broke yesterday morning that Nicola Sturgeon was tending her resignation as First Minister, most in Scotland were caught off guard. This didn’t arrive after some great scandal – though the political heat had certainly risen in recent months – but was rather hastened by Sturgeon’s inner sense that it was time for her…
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And There They Were
Last month I managed to steal a weekend away to the Highlands. The weather was balmy for March, with summer feeling as though it had arrived early. Not a cloud in the sky, taps aff, etcetera. The trip seemed blessed by the sun itself, a well-timed getaway destined to be plenty of fun. The journey…
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Book Club – ‘How Late It Was, How Late’
A comedy of errors without much to laugh about, 1994’s How Late It Was, How Late was a second-hand purchase of mine bought on a whim. It stuck out in the Scottish Literature section like a sore thumb as the title rang the bells of familiarity in my head. Counting out my loose change to…
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Movie Mondays – Under the Skin
I always find it a point of total fascination that watching a film or listening to an album can be experiences where your enjoyment of what you’re consuming is not a guaranteed constant. Returning to stuff you used to like can sometimes provoke warm nostalgia, or otherwise make you coldly question what you even liked…
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Pollokshields: Community in Action
The standout Scottish story to come from the previous few days’ newscycle was the amazing display of community from the Southside of Glasgow. Images of an immigration van boxed in by peaceful members of the community have stuck in my head and restored some faith in the power of people. At a time when it…
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The Culture War Election
In some ways, the upcoming Holyrood election is lacking in the drama of an American election night or a nail-biting referendum. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon enjoys approval ratings far higher than any of her opponents. The SNP are almost certain to win the election with even the worst polls for her party giving them a…
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A North Sea Love Lilt
There’s a curious Scottish myth about selkies, shapeshifting creatures who can transform from seals to humans with the shedding of their skin. It’s a story I can recall my mum reading to me when I was a child. I was, and still am, a bookworm; the type of person who will go happily to bed…
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Stuck in the House – Blair
Hello there and welcome back to our new feature, Stuck in the House, where we share personal insights and tales from our contributors about their time during lockdown and their reflections about the past year and concerns for the future. We want to create a safe space where young people can discuss life under lockdown and…
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Stuck in the House: Charlie
Hello there and welcome to a new feature, Stuck in the House, where we share personal insights and tales from our contributors about their time during lockdown and their reflections about the past year and concerns for the future. We want to create a safe space where young people can discuss life under lockdown and…
inertia 