The Nationalists’ dominant position in Scottish politics was built on uniting the 2014 Yes vote. Absent progress on separation, it is fracturing.
David Johnston’s resignation as special rapporteur highlights the invidious position of those who serve, for just a few years, as a proxy head of state.
One can well imagine the public response to any such campaign. We get the political class we deserve.
It indicates that his conduct since stepping down as an MP is why the sanction is so severe – but doesn’t tell us, beyond being sufficient to trigger a recall, what the original would have been.
if there are going to be political peers at all, there needs to be some connection to democratic politics. Allowing the parties to nominate peers is that link.
Our representatives are so bogged down with super-councillor make-work that they don’t have time to focus properly on national issues.
The conference exhibited scepticism about levelling up and widespread enthusiasm for devolution – but less cognisance of the trade-offs it entails.
“He’s quitting as much on his own terms as he can, given the essentially zero political wriggle-room he had left.”
The Government has once again taken on the Nationalists and, contra 25 years of devolutionary received wisdom, won the day.
At the very least, create separate processes for a swift, inquisitorial, ‘Black Box’ investigation to find facts and learn lessons, rather than assign blame or provide catharsis.
This excellent telling of the clash between Francis Bacon and Edward Coke draws out the men beneath the legend.
It is not a coincidence that the only bits of England he omits from his coalition of “progressive values” are those that are net contributors to the Exchequer.
You don’t need to buy the wilder conspiracy theories about a deep state to recognise that it would be irresponsible to ignore the machinery of government.
We need an honest debate about the right balance between transparency and security on the one hand, and the need for quick decision-making and private deliberation on the other.
A staunchly pro-Brexit Tory peer or an ardently Europhile Labour MP agree that it should be the legislature which sets the law of the land.