Why is the British Army’s equipment procurement so shambolic?

GENERALLY SPEAKING, the British electorate doesn’t take much interest in defence matters. There are obvious exceptions to this statement – Battle of Britain Day, Remembrance Sunday, and various other anniversaries like Arnhem and D Day ...

A British Premiership? It's a match-winner

THE BIGGEST SINGLE THING that could be done to cement the union between Scotland and England would be for Celtic and Rangers to join The Premiership. I have pressed this case upon every Prime Minister ...

A better rule of six – to help see Scottish nationalism for the mirage it is

SOME NUMBERS have given me pause for thought recently about Scotland’s future.  The first is the small poll that suggested that more than 65 per cent of Scots youngsters would vote for independence.

Polling claims of secessionists are inflated, there is no consistent lead for leaving the UK

THERE HAS BEEN a lot of loose talk over the last few months about nationalist polling, but don’t forget, the headline results of over fifty per cent for leaving the UK exclude undecideds. 

Further, ...

Student unionism is broken, but Scotland could provide the solution

ASK TEN Edinburgh University students milling around Bristo Square about their university experience. According to the National Student Survey, eight will say they are satisfied with their course. Nine will praise the staff. But ask ...

We must Bulldoze Scotland's love of the planning approach

WHAT POLICY APPROACH can support the advance of post-Brexit Scotland? 

While our nation is being forced to disappear up its own secessionist rear end through the Neverendum Tendency, that basic economic question does ...

Hell hath no fury like a partner scorned

THE RESPONSE of the Johnson Government to blatant EU bullying has been one of moderation in the extreme. Far from being an outrageous breach of international law it is a cool, reasoned response to unacceptable ...

The logic of devolution requires reviving local democracy

THE SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT has undoubtedly brought power and democracy closer to Scots while enabling greater time and focus to be given to our specific circumstances and priorities. 

However, while devolution transferred power ...

Does the Treasury really want a death spiral?

WELL PLACED LEAKS suggest HM Treasury is indeed looking at the ‘traditional response’ to try and plug a £350bn plus covid-19 induced hole in public finances by raising taxes. According to reports the Treasury is ...

Thanks to the SNP the partition of Scotland is no longer as far-fetched as it used to be

EVERY INDYREF needs its eve of poll “just to make sure” Vow. In 2014 it was tax powers, transport police and new welfare powers.  Imagine if, on the eve of an Indyref2, the British Prime Minister’s ...

The Scottish lottery of Covid lockdown easing

A DEAR FRIEND of mine died recently, a very active man who was in so many committees and had so many hobbies that under normal circumstance, the church would have been packed.  I, along with ...

Why Covid-19 shows secession is a leap of faith in the dark

HAVING BEEN GIVEN the opportunity to write a defence for the Union, for me there was only one topic to look at – the one area that affects everything from the welfare provision for the ...