There needs to be a root and branch look at Police Scotland’s budget next year. We can no longer paper over the cracks caused by badly managed centralisation.
Police Scotland’s finances got off to a…Read more…
Eliminating fuel poverty by Nov 2016? I think not.
Given the short term thinking that bedevils much political thinking, we can be forgiven for looking cynically at government targets that stretch long ahead of the political cycle. However, sometimes…Read more…
Let’s not fry the planet to oblivion
The monsoon rain that hit Scotland in recent days should be a stark reminder that we need to take responsibility for climate change. As today’s Scotsman editorial elegantly puts it; “It’s time we…Read more…
Taking the Trade Union Bill into the Scottish Parliament
We took the Trade Union Bill campaign to the Scottish Parliament today. Scottish Labour used their time to ensure that MSPs had an opportunity to debate this legislation.
UNISON General Secretary…Read more…
Why we should vote to scrap Trident today
Trident is an expensive status symbol that has no military value and drains resources from conventional defence and socially useful investment.
Today, the Scottish Labour conference in Perth will…Read more…
The Labour Party – catching up with devolution
One of the finest and lasting achievements of the last Labour government was devolution. It is simply impossible to imagine a Scotland without a devolved parliament, able to devise Scottish solutions…Read more…
Health Inequality Commission – a transformative agenda for Scotland
Persistent health inequalities in Scotland is a scandal and our foremost national shame. We are experts at describing health inequality, but dismal at fixing it. A new report by the Health Inequality…Read more…
Blog Action Day – defending human rights.
As a trade unionist in a country like Scotland I take communicating with others and expressing myself freely for granted. It is central to living in an open and fair society. However, across the…Read more…
Cruachan Power Station and those who died
On the 50th anniversary of the opening of Cruachan Power Station, we should remember not just the amazing engineering achievement, but also the 36 men who died building it and many others who…Read more…
Scotland’s public sector water contract privatised. Confused? You should be!
A £350m contract to provide water and wastewater to Scotland’s public sector has been awarded to a privatised utility firm in East Anglia. Confused?
Scotland has a public water corporation, Scottish…Read more…
Creating better jobs starting with those who care for others
If we are to create better jobs in Scotland we need to recognise and take action on job security, worker control, appropriate demand, fair pay and opportunities for training and development.
I was…Read more…
In defence of the Human Rights Act
Abolishing the Human Rights Act would diminish the UK’s standing in the eyes of the world, and Scotland should use every means at its disposal to resist these Tory plans.
I was at yesterday’s…Read more…
Ruth Davidson should focus her fire on Cameron if she really wants to save the UK
If Ruth Davidson was really concerned about maintaining the UK, she would be better advised having a conversation with David Cameron, rather than moan at Kez Dugdale. He has done more to undermine…Read more…
Dragging university bosses out of the Middle Ages
The university principals’ campaign against the very modest proposals to modernise university governance in Scotland is now bordering on the hysterical.
The Scottish Government’s Higher…Read more…
Can more legislation raise care standards?
Effectively tackling harm, abuse and neglect in health and care settings is vitally important, but is more legislation the best way to address this issue?
I was giving evidence to the Scottish…Read more…
Why the Trade Union Bill is especially wrong in Scotland
The Trade Union Bill weakens our voice at work, and weakens our campaigning voice. It undermines the right to strike, union organisation and aims to make it harder for unions to win a fairer deal at…Read more…
What would Keir Hardie say – Jez We Did?
The campaign that led to the election of Jeremy Corbyn has many resonances with the life and work of James Keir Hardie. Like Corbyn, he sought to present an understanding of socialism that was…Read more…
Corbyn’s energy policy is not a throwback to the 1980’s
Jeremy Corbyn’s energy policy proposals have caused some excitement in the sector, even if those reacting haven’t always read it properly.
The headlines scream that Jeremy Corbyn is in favour of the…Read more…
Workers of the world unite to save your pensions!
Workers pensions across the world are facing similar challenges and we need to learn and act together.
I was at the 2015 Workers Capital Conference today, meeting with union pension negotiators and…Read more…
Scottish Government Programme 2015-16
The Scottish Government’s final programme for this parliament is a modest affair in terms of legislation, while seeking to address administratively some recent criticisms of its performance in…Read more…