The Scottish Political landscape at the end of this week is, in some ways, unpredictably different from the start of it. In others – in perhaps the most predictable of ways – it is not. And, for once, it seems to have touched the 4 main parties in Scotland – while Willie Rennie has had, I’m sure, a lovely time. The Greens You may have … Continue reading There’s been a lot of Politics, huh? (Part 1)
The Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been risible in the UK. This has been viable for all to see, has been explored by the media in great detail – and in that press conference, the UK Government sold it’s last shred of self-worth down the river to protect the Prime Minister’s brain. The result of this has been a Conservative polling lead of … Continue reading Scotland’s Coronavirus
…or why Human Rights are always Human Rights. It is often said that it is in times of crisis that we show our true selves. The selfish care for themselves first, while the caring going about looking after the most vulnerable. During the lock-down period, we’ve seen that, both in our local communities and at the national scale. Take the Scottish and UK governments, for … Continue reading Of Landlords and lawLords
After the devastating 2019 General Election result both in Scotland and across the UK, what does this tell us about 2017 and 2019, what challenges must Labour face, and how should it approach them in the future? Continue reading Rebuilding Labour
…or what seems like the end of the beginning of the end of Scottish Labour. It seems that whenever there is news coverage of the Scottish Labour Party it is always negative. Some would be inclined to blame this on media-bias or an anti-Corbyn-agenda (the focus on Corbyn, perhaps, being part of the problem), but when you see what we give them…I don’t think there’s … Continue reading The week that was…
The European Elections were a disaster for Labour in the UK – and more so in Scotland. What are the reasons, and what do I think need to happen?
Continue reading Up to the Nines
…this piece was originally posted on LabourHame on 8th September 2018. I am a child of the Labour Party. My Mum was CLP Secretary and my Dad was CLP Chair, and they spent their honeymoon leafleting for Donald Dewar in Glasgow Garscadden. So I suppose it was inevitable that politics would be in my blood. But it was my decision, not theirs, when I joined the … Continue reading On 10 years’ Membership…
What works about Education?
There are some things in the current school-age education system that work. Local Authority delivery with National Co-ordination works.
Universities’ educational independence needs to be fiercely protected and the current model does that. Continue reading “Paul-itical Ideas: Education”
…or why it’s still worth fighting for Labour
Now is not a great time to be a Labour Party member. Yes, we are ahead in the polls – though nowhere near as ahead as we should be given this shambolic government – but it is still a difficult time to be a Labour Member.
The Party now is markedly different from the party I joined almost 10 years ago (my 10th Anniversary is 8th September 2018). That Party was committed to fighting all forms of inequality and discrimination, of whatever kind, where it existed, as fully and as forcefully as it could. Recently that difference has shown itself clearly in the Anti-Semitism row, and the NEC’s decision not to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Association (IHRA’s) Working Definition and Examples of Anti-Semitism in full.
…or how we lost the Windrush in 2010. “I’m not a racist”, it begins. It always begins that way. A Statement of being. If you misunderstand what the meaning of what I am about to say, that is your fault, because I am not racist. “…but…”, of course, there is a but. ‘But’ means I am about to say something contrary to what I just said, but … Continue reading Your Concerns are not Legitimate…
Paul Cruikshank 