If there is one post-Brexit growth area, it is conferences on how to deal with it! The Centre on Constitutional Change at least does it better than most, and they gathered together a good range of…Read more…
Household income and inequality
As a new Oxfam report has highlighted, the richest 1% of Britain’s population owns almost more than 20 times the total wealth of the poorest 20%. Or put another way, 634,000 of the wealthiest people…Read more…
Stop start for nuclear power
The energy story of the week is the decision to go ahead with the Hinkley nuclear power station. Theresa May’s grand review of the project, turned out to be a case of the Grand old Duke of York,…Read more…
Valuing the workforce is the key to better social care
The key to delivering high quality social care in Scotland is a fairly paid, well-trained workforce that is given the time to care properly.
Today, I was giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament…Read more…
Plenty of vision in government plan, but delivery is more challenging
The Scottish Government’s plan for the coming year is light on legislation, but there is more meat in the administrative sections, if it can move from process into action.
I outlined the key elements…Read more…
Immediate Brexit priorities should be the economy and public services
Oh to be a fly on the wall at yesterday’s UK cabinet away day on post- Brexit planning. Given that most of the ministers around the table were in favour of Brexit – they will no doubt be outlining…Read more…
A modern police force needs a balanced workforce
The Scottish Conservative’s obsession with police numbers misunderstands the importance of getting the right skill mix in a modern police force. For a party that claims to be concerned about…Read more…
Thoughts on the Labour Leadership election
The Labour Party leadership ballot papers dropped on the doorstep this week. Hold the front page, I voted for Jeremy Corbyn! Not that I welcomed this ballot paper. This election is entirely…Read more…
Food safety needs a credible inspection regime
Food safety matters. We need to cut through the jargon in corporate strategies and stand up for properly resourced and independent inspection of the food we eat.
Food Standards Scotland…Read more…
Fracking bribes won’t work
In a desperate attempt to sell more dirty energy to a sceptical public, the UKGovernment is proposing cash bribes to households impacted by fracking.
INEOS has announced the first delivery of US…Read more…
Home care workers say – We care, do you?
Scotland needs a quality home care service to meet the growing demand and also ensures that patients who shouldn’t be in hospital are cared for at home. While there is a welcome commitment to address…Read more…
Municipal energy – time for radical action
Despite the best efforts of successive governments to create an energy market, it remains notoriously uncompetitive. In Europe, municipal energy is commonplace and growing – we should do the same in…Read more…
Federalism, bit like my wardrobe, coming back into fashion
I always thought my interest in federalism was a quirky minority sport. However, it is now beginning to look dangerously mainstream, given recent initiatives.
Some of this has been driven by Brexit…Read more…
Play Nicely!
In my post-Brexit blog I urged, in the words of my old Gran, everyone to ‘cool your wellies’. Sadly, some, most notably the Westminster PLP, ignored that advice. Now we are going to have another…Read more…
Future Energy Scenarios
Keeping the lights on at a reasonable price and meeting decarbonisation targets is a complex business and not without controversy.
The Future Energy Scenarios (FES), launched today, is…Read more…
Education reform – empowerment or centralisation?
The Scottish Government has signalled education as its first priority, most notably by giving the Deputy First Minister, John Swinney the lead role. Possibly shades of Tony Blair’s, education,…Read more…
Education reform – empowerment or centralisation?
The Scottish Government has signalled education as its first priority, most notably by giving the Deputy First Minister, John Swinney the lead role. Possibly shades of Tony Blair’s, education,…Read more…
Christie Commission – Five Years On
In the flurry of post-Brexit excitement it was welcome to hear the First Minister remind Parliament that it must not distract from the business of government. Indeed the Deputy First Minister started…Read more…
‘Cool Your Wellies’ – What next after Brexit vote?
My old Gran used say, when I was overreacting to some childhood event, ‘cool your wellies’. This sounds like good advice post-Brexit, when some calm thinking is required in what is an interesting,…Read more…
Scottish Utilities and the EU
Like so many aspects of our economic life, the EU is an integral part of our energy and water systems. That’s why almost everyone you meet in the industry will be voting Remain on Thursday. They are…Read more…