Don’t Panic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR6wok7g7do Some light relief from the tension which sums up the current state of play in the Scottish independence referendum.
Continue readingConquest, Colonialism and the Commons
The above is the audio-video commissioned from myself by Emma Rushton and Derek Tyman as part of their Flaghall installation in the Where Do I End and You Begin exhibition in the City Arts Centre, Edinburgh 1 August-19 October 2014
Continue readingWhy I am voting yes.
On 18 September voters in Scotland will choose whether Scotland remains part of the United Kingdom or becomes an independent country. I am approaching this choice from the perspective of how best to democratise political and economic power and for
Continue readingA school in Cowan Park, Barrhead
On Tuesday this week, the Court of Session published its opinion by Lord Tyre on a petition brought by East Renfrewshire Council (4.2Mb pdf) seeking authority to build a school on common good land in Cowan Park, Barrhead. Given past blogs on
Continue readingTime to Rebuild Scottish Democracy
One of the most welcome recent developments in Scottish democratic reform has been the Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy. which was established in autumn 2013. Chaired by the visionary Councillor David O’Neill, it has bravely gone where no administration at
Continue readingRethink required on ten year land registration goal.
Among the recommendations of the LRRG are that more effort should be made to complete the Land Register and that patterns of rural landownership should be mapped and better understood. In response to publication of the report, the Scottish Government
Continue readingA Thousand Huts
The socio-ecological NGO, Reforesting Scotland launched a campaign in May 2011 to promote the protection and expansion of hutting in Scotland. The Thousand Huts campaign has achieved a considerable amount in a short space of time. Last week the new Scottish
Continue readingLand Reform (Scotland) Bill 2015
Following the publication of the Land Reform Review Group‘s final report in May, the Scottish Government has committed itself to the introduction of a Land Reform Bill in the current Parliament. The report (hard copies of which are now available
Continue readingCity of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill
The Scottish Parliament today passed the City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill. The Bill provides the Council with statutory authority to appropriate part of Portobello Park for the purposes of building a secondary school. Previous blogs on the background
Continue reading1314
Image reproduced with kind permission of Jill Calder. From Robert the Bruce: an illustrated history by James Robertson & Jill Calder published by Birlinn, 2014. Guest Blog Poem by Martin Stepek 1314 ah remember 1314 it was nothin like they
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