Category European Union
SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS 2021
Political Priorities In the last Scottish Parliament elections (2016), most voters in Scotland (53.5%) did not vote for the Scottish National Party (SNP). Listening to the SNP minority-government’s political pronouncements over many years, one could be forgiven for thinking that Scotland was defined by Scottish nationalism. Sure, the SNP is defined by Scottish nationalism (not […]
CORONAVIRUS | POLITICS (STILL) GOING CRAZY
This Covid-19 crisis is certainly flushing out who and what we are as a nation – with an awful lot of road to travel yet. Douglas Ross probably had no choice in resigning as a junior government minister and I respect his decision; he’s a dyed-in-the-wool constituency MP and I admire him for that. However, […]
CORONAVIRUS | MICROECONOMICS
The Crisis Hasn’t Started It’s always been such that one of the wild cards which could shake our complex, fragile, globalised civilisation would be a pandemic disease. Indeed, the threat of a pandemic like the one we’re experiencing now has always been a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’. Here’s Bill Gates making just such a […]
CORONAVIRUS | WHERE’S THIS HEADING (PART 3)?
A Long Read This post is the final one in a series of what’s turned out to be four parts (1, 2A, 2B and 3) contemplating the economic, political and social implications of the Covid-19 pandemic. The perspective I’m sharing here is held by people whom I refer to as ‘alt-economists’; I suppose I’m one […]
CORONAVIRUS | WORST CASE PLANNING
This is an in-between post, breaking up the series of three posts I’ve been writing on the economic implications of the Covid-19 pandemic. Incidentally the two main reasons I write are (a) to shape my understanding of subjects and (b) because I enjoy the pleasure of prose. That’s it really. If I can share these […]
CORONAVIRUS | WHERE’S THIS HEADING (PART 2A)?
This post is Part 2A of what will now be a three-part series. The thrust of my argument from here on is that for nations to strive to return to globalised business-as-usual post-Covid-19 would be a mistake; indeed, it may not even be possible. Some of us argue that life won’t and, indeed, shouldn’t be […]
BREXIT – THE MADNESS CONTINUES
My dear wife and I have been sat here this dark, Scottish autumn evening in the company of a village friend watching Parliament TV with a couple of bottles of vino (a Rioja and a chilled Pinot Grigio as it happens). Some might argue that we’re a bit sad, but there ya go. We’ve a […]
BREXIT | OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER
Following the extraordinary events of the past 24 hours, this morning I wrote to the Prime Minister as follows: Dear Prime Minister As one of the proverbial silent majority, I’m writing to encourage, nay implore you to stand firm and take the United Kingdom out of the European Union lock, stock and barrel by no […]
BREXIT | STANDING AS A GENERAL ELECTION CANDIDATE
Standing Up For What You Believe In This is about standing up and being counted. A number of my friends, good friends, are dismayed at my decision to join The Brexit Party, still more dismayed at my decision to stand as an election candidate – which I have done. Nigel Farage called me at home […]
BREXIT | AN APPEAL TO THE ‘DON’T KNOWS’
Dedication This post is dedicated to my dear friend and Remain voter, Doctor A and his wonderful, feisty partner, J. Doctor A believes from his heart that the decision of the majority of British voters – that the UK should leave the European Union – was a dreadful mistake; one that we’ll live to regret. […]
Moraymint Chatter 