2025.4 – Reflections on #ScotLab25
My reflections on Scottish Labour Conference 2025; the question being asked of us ahead of 2026, and whether we are offering a clear enough answer. Continue reading 2025.4 – Reflections on #ScotLab25
Tag: Scottish labour
You need a Pain in the Arse…
My name is Paul Cruikshank and I am a Rules Lawyering, question asking, “Umm Actually”ing, Pain in the Arse…
…but I think you’ll find that’s a good thing, actually. Continue reading You need a Pain in the Arse…
#MakeItMurray in Glasgow
If you’re a Scottish Labour member in Scotland, you will be very acutely aware you have just over 12 hours left to make you choice for the Regional List Selections for the upcoming Scottish Parliament Elections. I think that this, more than the Scottish Leadership Election, is the vote that will mould the party and decide whether over the course of he next Parliament we … Continue reading #MakeItMurray in Glasgow
Rebuilding Labour
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
The week that was…
…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…
Wealth Tax 2: Revenge of the Blog…
…or why context is everything.
So, my recent blog post on Richard Leonard’s plans for a Wealth Tax had an audience, which is nice. I mention this, not to brag about #numbers, but because at least one of the members of the audience was a senior partner at Thompsons Solicitors, Patrick Maguire. He disagrees with my view, so decided to produce a rebuttal blogpost on Unison’s Dave Watson’s website (albeit without linking to or describing the post he was rebutting). Continue reading “Wealth Tax 2: Revenge of the Blog…”
On Taxes and Turmoil…
…or why reading the interpretation section is always important.
I haven’t blogged (yet) about the Scottish Labour Leadership Race. I probably won’t (until it’s over anyway) – though I did go on a short twitter rant last week about how dreadful the race had been up to that point. It ended with a call for both candidates to improve themselves and their campaigns, and noted that Anas Sarwar had, just that day, released his tax plan, which is the substance that the campaign had long been lacking. Continue reading “On Taxes and Turmoil…”
Thanks Kez
…and how quickly things can change.
This will not be the first Scottish Leadership Election I have written about. When I looked back on Johann Lamont’s leadership I said that there were two things that the Scottish Labour Party had to face up to and change if we were to improve and succeed with going forward: We must be Scottish Labour and we must be Scottish Labour. Under Kez Dugdale, we have done both. Continue reading “Thanks Kez”
Goodbye and Thank You Johann…
…or why Scottish Labour must be both ‘Scottish’ and ‘Labour’. This weekend, Johann Lamont announced she will be standing down as leader of the Labour Party in Scotland. Before I say anything else, as a member I want the thank Johann for everything she did while leading the party. She held the party together after what was a (well-deserved) routing in 2011 and then led the party through … Continue reading Goodbye and Thank You Johann…
Paul Cruikshank 