The obsession of ‘freedom of speech’ is in part a smokescreen to disguise our lack of ‘freedom to hear’. This crackdown on web freedom is simply another step towards a world where we can say what we want but only ever hear what we’re given.
Read More »It’s not really free speech that matters – hence the web crackdown
Forget what Ed Milliband says – he will learn nothing from Bradford. But then, neither will anyone else – unless we reform the relationship between money and politics
Read More »No-one will learn anything – unless we stop Big Money
The oil industry is still important to Scotland but that is all the more reason for absolute transparency about what are the real risks involved.
The terrible case of the death of Alison Hume makes clear the tension between regulation which protects us from harm and compassion which reminds us why we have the regulation in the first place.
Read More »Regulation keeps us in the light, but in the dark there must be compassion
Free money isn’t enough for those complaining about being asked to run ‘private’ bus services. They want you to think that they are a business and the state is the customer when it’s the other way round.
For the SNP and Labour to respond to the unpopular bits of the Budget without convincing us this is part of a realistic programme for the transformation of society is simply failure hiding in a sheen of victory.
Read More »Scavenger strategy won’t change Britain or Scotland
Trying to devolve powers over the head of those below is wrong, but so is hollowing out the only layer of government at the local level what would be worth devolving powers to.
A survey of children in Spain suggests that they may be best placed to implement a proper social policy response to the economic crisis.
Read More »Spanish children may have best economic recovery plan so far
Despite our purported love for democracy, the university debate shows that ‘senior people’ consider the idea of democracy to be all threat and no opportunity
The move towards a single police force for Scotland will only make it easier for private cartels to try and start breaking up a public police force so police services can be hived-off for profit