Contributions
Articles from 2008
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Train sets should be off the Tory list this Christmas by Brian Monteith
Labour is proposing to find £30 billion savings from UK spending as its borrowing soars and tax revenues drop like a stone – meanwhile the …
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The Speaker’s ignorance is no defence by Brian Monteith
Two men, Alex Fergusson MSP and Michael Martin MP, have the task of presiding over their respective Parliament’s affairs. Brian Monteith says Speaker Martin should …
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Labour is haunted by the seventies by Brian Monteith
“We used to think that you could spend your way out of a recession and increase employment by cutting taxes and boosting government spending. I …
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Should American conservatives copy Cameron? (Part 2) by Brian Monteith
In the second of a two-part review of the issues facing American Conservatives Brian Monteith considers if they should copy David Cameron’s British Conservative Party. …
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Where now for American conservatives (Part 1) by Brian Monteith
Fresh from a trip around the USA during the Presidential election, Brian Monteith considers, in a two part article, where American conservatives go from here. …
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What should the Tories do about Calman? by Brian Monteith
While the rest of the world has been watching with wonderment at the spectacle of the US Presidential elections - and the Glenrothes by-election becomes …
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What can Conservatives gain from Glenrothes? by Brian Monteith
Despite all the bluff and bluster at the launch of the Conservative campaign in the Glenrothes by-election nobody, surely not even the candidate, can think …
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An External Foreign Policy For Energy by Struan Stevenson MEP
If the EU is to develop an external foreign policy for dealing with energy, then the first hurdle we have to overcome is Russia. The …
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Can the banking crisis be contained? Lessons from the 30s by PaulRiddell
“It happens that every man in a bank hates what the bank does, and yet the bank does it. The bank is something more than …
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Defeat Salmond and you defeat the SNP by Brian Monteith
Is the honeymoon over? Is the tide finally beginning to turn against Alex Salmond? These questions are no longer wishful thinking as the First minister’s …
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Labour should forget the pork barrel and find some ideas by Brian Monteith
Wendy Alexander’s humiliating resignation has been and gone. The devastation of defeat at the Glasgow East by-election is now history. The Scottish Labour Party leadership …
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Can Tavish steer his party to a new Valhalla? by Brian Monteith
Scotland always has been a traditional stronghold of Liberalism. Be it the election of the many mainstream Liberal MPs that helped form nineteenth century governments, …
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Time for Tories to sharpen their knives by Brian Monteith
In my last piece about the Scottish Conservatives I explained how the party does not have a long term strategy for recovery, but rather, plays …
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Airline etiquette by Nemesis
With the holiday season in full swing as people return from or prepare to leave for their vacation, the many irritations that plague airline passengers …
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Minnesota Mumblings - Day 4 by Struan Stevenson MEP
MINNESOTA MUMBLINGS by STRUAN STEVENSON, MEP Day Four of the National Convention - Thursday 4th September The anarchists and peaceniks have been held at bay …
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Minnesota Mumblings - Day 3 by Struan Stevenson MEP
MINNESOTA MUMBLINGS by STRUAN STEVENSON, MEP Day Three of the National Convention - Wednesday 3rd September The Republican National Convention in full flight is a …
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Minnesota Mumblings - Day 2 by Struan Stevenson MEP
MINNESOTA MUMBLINGS by STRUAN STEVENSON, MEP Day Two of the National Convention - Tuesday 2nd September Hurricane Gustav has blown over and there has been …
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Too late to change the Tory Captain by Brian Monteith
Over the next four weeks I’ll be reviewing the prospects for the four main parties in Holyrood, looking at their prospects for the next year …
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Minnesota Mumblings - Day 1 by Struan Stevenson MEP
Straun Stevenson is writing a daily blog from the Republican National Convention in Minnesota for the Scotsman. Here is his Day 1 assessment of proceedings …
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A New And Improved Think Scotland by Richard Cook
Welcome to the new and improved Think Scotland website! Regardless of your age, sex, religion or indeed place of residence, we invite you to help …
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Carry On Regardless – but the joke’s on the EU by Nemesis
Confusion abounds about what should or can happen next if the EU is to solve the problems it faces due to Ireland’s rejection of the …
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When Club Med is not what it seems by Nemesis
When you think of Club Med, you think of warm clear turquoise waters rippling in a summer’s breeze that cools the intensity of a hot …
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Europe – the Deep Fried Mars Bar of geopolitics by Nemesis
Be afraid, be very afraid. It’s that time again. Thankfully, due to European Union enlargement, it occurs less often, but the French - and Nicholas …
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European Monster refuses to die by Nemesis
“It’s Alive, It’s Alive!” Like the famous words of Doktor Frankenstein Jose Barroso the European Commission president insists the Lisbon Treaty still has a pulse. …
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Irish No reveals ambiguity of Scottish political elite by Nemesis
The collective vote by the Irish people that said NO to the Lisbon Treaty – against all the odds – is seismic in itself. The …
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Irish Referendum by Struan Stevenson MEP
IRELAND LEADS THE WAY ON EUROPE The rejection of the Lisbon Treaty by the Irish provides us with a great opportunity to re-invent Europe. We …
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Tory referendum inconsistency leaves Stevenson exposed by Nemesis
As the memories of the Scottish Tory conference at Ayr evaporates like an early morning mist it is worth noting that the Scottish Conservatives had …
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European embassies – the truth will out! by Nemesis
One of the stratagems employed by the European Federasts to suggest that all is as it was, that we’re not losing our national identities and …
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The growth of the EU is relentless by Nemesis
There is possibly a case to be made that Eurosceptics are there own worst enemies. The difficulty they face is that when something like the …
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Thatcherism the key to peace, prosperity and a bright future by Brian Monteith
The Daily Telegraph has been on a nostalgia trip. In a smart piece of marketing it ran a promotion offering daily, over a whole week, …
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One jet or two, Mr. President? by Nemesis
Actions speak louder than words, and in the case of the European Union federalists, the arrogant proposals for further aggrandisement and opulence never seem to …
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Why Ireland may determine the Eurovision by Nemesis
There’s little doubt now that those British politicians that wanted to deny the public a say in their destiny - and the destiny of the …
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Euro-mince! Whatever next? by Nemesis
There are some times when even the most ardent supporters of greater integration across the European Union must wince, times when they pick up their …
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Murphy’s Law exposes Labour’s hypocrisy by Nemesis
There is a law of chance that often govern our lives, we know it as Murphy’s Law – and sometimes call it Sod’s Law. Put …
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Role reversal makes MSPs look idiots by Nemesis
Watching Thursday’s Holyrood debate on scrapping the Graduate Endowment reminded me of that nonsense verse from that great Genesis epic “The Last Supper” when Peter …
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Scrutiny at Holyrood, you’re having a laugh! by Nemesis
There was a very sound, but depressing and worrying article in the Daily telegraph last week. Written by Philip Johnston, the paper’s Home Affairs Editor, …
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ESU Debate by RCMarrs
Dear All, Just a brief reminder that tomorrow night sees the next Atholl Crescent Debating Society (13th February 7pm). The US National Team is coming …
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Tories must find their balls if they are to succeed by Brian Monteith
The Scottish Parliament has just witnessed the passing, in principle, of the SNP minority Government’s Budget Bill with the help of the Scottish Tories and …
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Are the Liberals still democrats? by Nemesis
Westminster politics is back on the agenda but will the fifteen-hour debate programmed to scrutinise the Lisbon Treaty end with a bang or a whimper? …