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In: Political News

Commenting on the appointment of David Mundell as Secretary of State for Scotland, SNP MP Pete Wishart said: “The Tories’ share of the vote in Scotland at the General Election – at under 15 per cent – was the lowest they have ever had, while the SNP achieved 56 of Scotland’s 59 seats. The days of business as usual are over, so it is a pity that David Cameron did not take the opportunity to scrap the post-devolution anomaly that is the Scotland Office, and invest the £7 million that is spent on it on public services instead. “David Mundell is the sole representative ofRead More →

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In: Political News

Introducing Scotland’s 56 newly elected Scottish National Party MPs earlier today, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am absolutely delighted – bursting with pride even – to introduce to you for the very first time as one assembled group the fifty six men and women elected on Thursday to make Scotland’s voice heard. “The people of Scotland have spoken and the people have placed their trust in the SNP to represent Scotland at Westminster as well as at Holyrood – and just as voters in almost every part of this nation of ours chose the SNP – our pledge is that these 56 SNP MPsRead More →

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In: Guest Blogger

Fiscal autonomy, coupled with a comprehensive new economic strategy, could almost double the size of the Scottish economy over 25 years as well as increase Scotland’s public finances, propelling it to become one of the top five wealthiest countries in the world. These are the key findings of a new report published today (4th May) by independent business organisation, N-56 – Fiscal Autonomy: An Opportunity Not a Threat – which aims to support Scotland to become one of the top five wealthiest countries in the world through the delivery of a new economic strategy. This new economic strategy should include measures to boost productivity andRead More →

On:
In: Guest Blogger

THIS election is like no other in modern times. It has seen the power of the Westminster establishment challenged as never before. That means the strength of the establishment parties is ebbing away – and that is a very healthy thing for democracy. In Scotland it means there is a fantastic opportunity to make our nation more powerful at Westminster than we have ever been before. Electing a strong group of SNP MPs to Westminster this Thursday will give Scotland potentially unprecedented power and influence at Westminster. And if Scotland – including those who have still to decide how they are voting – can uniteRead More →

On:
In: Margaret Hamilton

This past week has been huge. Not that you would have seen that from the traditional media. For those of us who live too far from the central belt to attend things, we have really appreciated social media and those who used it to share events with us. The vibrancy from George Square in Glasgow last week just jumped out of the screens at us. Seeing the event from many different people’s vantage points helped to show us just how huge the event was. I still wonder that the community square, in what Scottish Labour consider to be their heartland, has played such a momentousRead More →

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In: Guest Blogger

An open letter to the people of Scotland from 150 business owners and job creators. Opinion polls consistently show significant majority support for home rule, devo max or full fiscal autonomy. Whichever term is used, the definition of devo max is clear: all powers transferred from Westminster to Scotland with the exception of shared monetary policy, defence and foreign affairs. Extensive new powers – as close to federalism as possible – were promised to the people of Scotland by the No campaign during the referendum and, if implemented, would provide the Scottish Government with the powers required to generate strong and sustainable economic growth, createRead More →

On:
In: Margaret Hamilton

Two weeks till the U.K. elections and we are hearing more about what the S.N.P. are about, on the main British news, than we are hearing about what the U.K. parties are offering us. Labour and Conservative parties have become trapped into trying to scare the electorate that the S.N.P. will combine with the other one to make the government from hell. The Lib Dems don’t know what planet they are on and Malcolm Bruce is getting pretty slanderous in his hatred of Alex Salmond. Nicola Sturgeon live on the “national” news programme more than once in the campaign. Who would have thunk it?  Read More →

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In: Political News

SMITH COMMISSION IGNORED AHEAD OF EU MEETING Scotland has been stopped from having a direct voice at the top table in key EU Fisheries talks tomorrow despite the Smith Commission pledge that Scotland should lead when it has the “predominant policy interest”, and despite the UK Minister for the Marine Environment, George Eustice, being unable to attend. The SNP’s Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead had demanded Scotland lead for the UK in the crucial talks at the European Union’s Agriculture and Fisheries Council. However in a letter to Mr Lochhead the UK Government have now confirmed that instead an unelected Tory peer with no involvementRead More →

On:
In: Grant Thoms

Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls, has well and truly slipped from shadow of Gordon Brown, his political mentor and protector. Not content with slapping down Scottish Labour Leader, Jim Murphy, over future public service cuts in Scotland by a Labour-led Westminster Government in the way that Gordon Brown used to put down various Scottish Labour predecessors like Jack McConnell, Wendy Alexander and Iain Gray, the rhetoric of saving the Union continues with Mr Balls.   In response to suggestions that Labour and SNP will strike a deal after 7 May, Mr Balls told the Wolverhampton Express: “I’m not going to do it and Labour won’t doRead More →