Issue 82
May – Jun 2014
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In this issue, we look at what a Common Weal Scotland might look like. We recognise recent significant losses on the left in Scotland, and hear from Neil Findlay MSP about why he thinks Labour's devolution proposal is what Scotland needs. Jackson Cullinane furthers the debate in responding to a Reid Foundation report on industrial democracy, and Gerry Mooney gives us insight into why independence is our real chance for change.
Prof Stephen Elstub, UWS lecturer in Politics, discusses the advantages of mini-publics in building a Scottish participative democracy.
Prof Paddy Bort, Edinburgh University lecturer in Politics, analyses the problems of Scotland's 'local' democracy and argues that it must be reclaimed as genuine community-based democracy.
The rights of children and young people are inalienable – they cannot be taken or wished away. A new politics in Scotland should lead to the full incorporation of The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child – the most ratified human rights treaty in the world – that addresses a holistic range […]
Paul Spicker, Professor of Public Policy at RGU, looks at the benefits of universalism over selectivity as two distinct approaches to public services
Andy Cumbers, Professor of Economic Geography at Glasgow University, makes the case for democratic public ownership as distinct from top-down state ownership and private ownership.
Willie Sullivan, Director of the Electoral Reform Society Scotland, looks at the principles behind a progressive approach to welfare in Scotland.
Annie Miller, chair of the Citizens Income Trust, makes the case for a citizen's income in Scotland.
Sarah Glynn, housing expert at UWS, outlines how we can achieve affordable social housing for all.
Malcolm Fraser, Edinburgh based architect, explains how we can plan our towns to make them healthy and happy places to live in.
Mike Danson, Professor of Enterprise Policy at Heriot-Watt University, looks at how Scotland can build an economy that puts all of us first through an industrial policy for Scotland.
Iain Cairns, researcher with the Reid Foundation, proposes a new approach to public finance and investment that breaks with the UK's neoliberal dogma.
Gordon Morgan, researcher with the Reid Foundation, makes the case for community banking to build local economies.
Katherine Trebeck, research & policy advisor for Oxfam, looks at what we need to do to create secure and sufficient personal finance.
Gillian Wales, co-author of recent Reid Foundation report on working time, looks at the report and how it could transform work/life balance in Scotland
Dr John McDonald, Director of the Scottish Global Forum, looks at the defence and security challenges that would face an independent Scotland
Isobel Lindsay argues that we need to change the defence discourse
Jackson Cullinane argues that the Reid Foundation report on industrial democracy will not address the problems of capitalism because it does not put trade unions centre stage in all workplace matters
Recent months have seen the loss of four major figures in left politics and policy across Scotland and Britain. Here we collect four appreciations of the lives of Tony Benn, Bob Crow, Margo McDonald and Ailsa McKay
Recent months have seen the loss of four major figures in left politics and policy across Scotland and Britain. Here we collect four appreciations of the lives of Tony Benn, Bob Crow, Margo McDonald and Ailsa McKay
Recent months have seen the loss of four major figures in left politics and policy across Scotland and Britain. Here we collect four appreciations of the lives of Tony Benn, Bob Crow, Margo McDonald and Ailsa McKay
Recent months have seen the loss of four major figures in left politics and policy across Scotland and Britain. Here we collect four appreciations of the lives of Tony Benn, Bob Crow, Margo McDonald and Ailsa McKay
Gerry Mooney argues that the debate about poverty is at the heart of the constitutional question in Scotland - and while the SNP answers may not be convincing, for the first time in a generation real change seems possible
James Foley and Pete Ramand, Pluto Press
Gregor Gal, Scottish Left Review Press