The start of the new year brings the prospect of fresh perspectives but not it seems in the world of mainstream news. Across nearly all news outlets, and in particular…
UK government and politics are not in a good place. They have been trashed in ways once unimaginable. Boris Johnson has presided over an administration that is, from top to…
The death of Ian Jack last week at the age of 77 marks a significant watershed in the world of journalism. It seems fitting to muse that not only does…
2022 is the centenary of a year of rebellion. The Irish Free State was born in 1992, the Red Clydesiders went to Westminster; and the year gave its name to…
George Orwell’s influence as a writer has grown since his death in 1950 at the age of 46, particularly in recent decades. He was unashamedly a voice on the left:…
Two Tory PMs have succeeded Boris Johnson but he continues to seek the limelight and make headlines. Having gone to the COP27 summit in Egypt, he is taking some of…
The songs that we sing individually and collectively in our hearts, homes and at public occasions tell us something: about who we are, our relationships with each other, and the…
Tory leadership votes of no confidence come around much more frequently nowadays. This is not a misperception, but rooted in the decline in the authority and quality of Tory leaders,…
We are surrounded by noise and commotion in the 21st century but silence – often underestimated or squeezed out – has power and tells us something about ourselves and wider…
What are the main characteristics of Scottish politics? Fifteen years into SNP Government, the party is still popular; the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has ratings any incumbent could only dream…