Category Archives: Uncategorized

Honest John?

Honest, competent, transparent, safe… these are just some of the words I would never use to describe John Swinney. Although first minister by default, he is a failure. The loyal consigliere – his role now seems to be a reprise his last stint as SNP leader and take the fall for the next electoral defeat.Continue reading “Honest John?”

Rising Tide

As Populists Rise in Europe, what hope can the UK give to the EU? The 2024 European Parliament election polls suggest a rising tide of populism across the EU, with profound implications for European Union policies and integration. Does this mean that the EU has fallen, and Remainers should abandon the dream of returning? No:Continue reading “Rising Tide”

The Eight Principles of Effective Tax Policy

The UK is a hotbed of tax discussions, from proposed tax hikes affecting households, rethinking of inheritance tax, debates on cutting the welfare budget, uncosted council-tax freezes and even how mythical a meat tax is. Amidst this confusing and complex backdrop, understanding the principles of effective tax policy is more crucial than ever.  Eight fundamentalContinue reading “The Eight Principles of Effective Tax Policy”

Freezer Burn

The Scottish National Party’s (SNP) proposed council tax freeze is criticised for potentially damaging local government finances and services. Critics argue that the short-term benefit to taxpayers will result in long-term losses as councils will have to cut services due to funding shortfalls, affecting mostly those who are reliant on such services. Additionally, the policy is seen as undermining local autonomy by limiting councils’ ability to generate revenue. Various councils and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) have voiced their opposition.

Chinese Whispers

Is the SNPs Scotland a Chinese Trojan Horse?  Is Scotland on the verge of becoming China’s Trojan Horse within the United Kingdom? This question is neither rhetorical nor exaggerated. As the Scottish National Party (SNP) continues to push for independence, there is mounting concern that the party is either naively or deliberately opening the doorContinue reading “Chinese Whispers”

Send In The Clowns

“Scotland: the only country in the world where the artists conspire with the government against the people.” Stephen Daisley Who took the satire out of the Saltire? The following article will delve into the Scottish Comedy scene and its relationship with politics. Looking back to comedy in Scotland before the Nationalists came to power: whenContinue reading “Send In The Clowns”

Creative Writing

The debate surrounding the economic future of an independent Scotland is complex and fraught with uncertainty. Nationalists propose a path that is both difficult and unprecedented, suggesting that Scotland could either use Sterling unofficially or separate its integrated modern economy from mechanisms such as quantitative easing and control of monetary policy.  Critics, such as JohnContinue reading “Creative Writing”

Populists’ Promises

Reviewing if the promises made by Brexiteers have been kept is driving Leaver regret, and acts as a warning to Scottish Remainers.  In the very first article I published on this blog, we looked at “Promising the impossible” – a technique used by Nationalist, Populist Demagogues to signal values to their target voters even whenContinue reading “Populists’ Promises”

Bold Claims

A 2021 article from ‘Briefings for Britain’ is still being shared, where it makes several claims about the impact of Brexit on the UK concerning the economy and trade.   Their claims were over-optimistic at the time and, in the context of the past two years, are not a fair commentary on the impact of Brexit.Continue reading “Bold Claims”

Putting the Con in Constitution

A Constitution for an Independent Scotland: A Populist’s Dream or a Misuse of Public Funds? While the idea of a written constitution for an independent Scotland may seem appealing, the Scottish National Party’s (SNP) proposal is fraught with potential pitfalls, oversimplifications, and a lack of detail that raises serious questions about its feasibility and theContinue reading “Putting the Con in Constitution”

The Lady Doth Protest Too Much

The lady doth protest too much, methinks. Queen Gertrude, Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 2 In politics, the phrase “the lady doth protest too much, methinks” from Hamlet often rings true. This line, uttered by Queen Gertrude, suggests that an overabundance of denial or protestation can inadvertently reveal the truth. Politicians, in their quest to maintainContinue reading “The Lady Doth Protest Too Much”

Pushing the Envelope

When people of influence are caught with envelopes of cash, it rarely ends well for them It’s about as grubby and corrupt a scene as you can find in popular culture; the trope of “envelopes of cash” is often used in films and television shows to depict bribery and corruption. It has become a cliché,Continue reading “Pushing the Envelope”

Empire State

Scotland: Colony or Coloniser?  “The primary aim of propaganda is, of course, to influence contemporary opinion, but those who rewrite history do probably believe with part of their minds that they are actually thrusting facts into the past.” Notes on Nationalism – George Orwell It’s sadly become a nationalist trope to claim Scotland is aContinue reading “Empire State”

The Wrong Good Friday

The Good Friday Agreement is not Justification for the SNP’s Unilateral De Facto Referendum demands  The pub in the film the long good Friday is called “The ‘Lion and Unicorn’ – representing the standards of England and Scotland as united on the banner of James VI of Scotland when he became James I of EnglandContinue reading “The Wrong Good Friday”

The Islanders’ Lament 

Brian Spanner wonders if the Proclaimers, who have gained fame and fortune singing about Scottish deprivation, will sing about the Ferry Fiasco – given their long standing support for the SNP.  To give them a head start, I’ve written the lyrics; but perhaps if Craig and Charlie aren’t willing – is there some musical talentContinue reading “The Islanders’ Lament “

The History of the SNP and the EU: A Tale of Antagonism

This blog post is based on a YouTube video titled “Why is the history of the SNP and the EU actually really antagonistic?” The Scottish National Party (SNP) portrays itself as a pro-European party, especially in recent years. However, a closer look at the party’s history reveals a more complex and often antagonistic relationship withContinue reading “The History of the SNP and the EU: A Tale of Antagonism”

Who were better? Take That, or New Kids On the Block? 

Take That and New Kids on the block were both bands who gained commercial success from the early 1990s. While both groups have had their share of successes and devoted fans, there has been ongoing debate among music fans and critics about which group is superior. In this analysis, used music theory and statistical analysisContinue reading “Who were better? Take That, or New Kids On the Block? “

Interdependence is Normal 

There’s no such thing as a country.  Nation states are a shared figment of the imagination, defined by invisible, imaginary, interim lines on maps. There is no such natural thing as a country: maps, borders, coasts and people have changed over time. That’s one of the facts that highlight the pointlessness of nationalism. Who nowContinue reading “Interdependence is Normal “

How to spot a populist 

A populist is a political leader or movement that seeks or obtains power by claiming to represent the interests of ordinary people and combat what they designate as the “elite” or the powerful. This is the ideational definition of populism I refer to in the prologue to the Populists handbook, which sees populism as aContinue reading “How to spot a populist “

How to deprogram a nationalist. 

Subscribe to get our latest articles into your inbox Disagreement in a debate can be healthy – one definition of politics is how civilised society makes decisions when members disagree. But the online debate is often poisonous, and there are genuine and well-founded concerns about the polarisation of societies; in the UK generally, specifically hereContinue reading “How to deprogram a nationalist. “

Size Matters

What’s the best size for a country? The Scottish National Party make much of Scotland’s population of around 5 million as conveniently the best size for a country – as though simply by being around 5 million nations are predestined to be “wealthier, happier and fairer” but does their claim stand up to investigation?  InContinue reading “Size Matters”

Shunning Sturgeon

Renouncing Nicola  Are the faithful having doubts? The key figure in the push for Scottish independence since 2014 has been Nicola Sturgeon, the current First Minister of Scotland and the Scottish National Party leader. While her position on fossil fuels, feminism, and Europe has changed with the wind over the decades, Sturgeon has always beenContinue reading “Shunning Sturgeon”

Against Nationalism

Why Do I Oppose Nationalism?  Many of the arguments I make are economic, or practical, or based on the fact that the case being made for Scottish independence is inaccurate, dishonest or weak. However, I have a more fundamental opposition to Nationalism as a philosophy.  Nationalism, the belief in the superiority of one’s own nationContinue reading “Against Nationalism”

Computer Says No

Populist’s Playbook asked AI ChatGPT to write an evidence based article arguing both for and against Scottish Independence. Here is what it produced: first the case against… Scottish Independence is a hotly debated topic that has been making headlines for years. While many argue that Scotland should break away from the United Kingdom and becomeContinue reading “Computer Says No”

Scottish Soothsaying 

Prophecy is a staple trope of mythology, and if Nationalism is anything, it’s an emotional appeal to mythology, often of an idealised past. The mythology of Scottish Nationalism has included a prophecy of the inevitability of victory, the surety in the collapse of the union, a glorious day coming where real or imagined wrongs willContinue reading “Scottish Soothsaying “

Separation Anxiety

The separation of the legislature and the judiciary is an indication, not a failure, of a healthy liberal democracy. It is the defining behaviour of populists to claim that they speak with the will and the authority of ‘the people against some defined elite. Independent courts must be able to hold the people’s representatives toContinue reading “Separation Anxiety”

Debasing the Unicorn

Much has been written and will be shared again on Scotland’s currency options. Where I’ve written about our currency before, I’ve shown the evidence proving that Sterlingisation literally makes meeting the EU entry criteria impossible and that unilateral adoption of the Euro ( like Montenegro) isn’t a path to EU membership. My contribution to theContinue reading “Debasing the Unicorn”

Deficit Denial

Scotland’s Democratic Deficit Unionists and Nationalists are in deficit denial – but about different Scottish deficits. Unionists, quite correctly, highlight the challenges of Scotland’s nominal deficit – which would become structural, and therefore problematic, upon independence. Many nationalists downplay it or even deny it exists at all. In contrast, Nationalists highlight what they see asContinue reading “Deficit Denial”

A Moment of Clarity

Liberal Democrat finance spokesperson John Ferry recently said of the SNP’s de facto referendum gambit-  “It would be entirely reasonable to request a UK constitutional convention with one aim being to secure a defined legal route to secession. What is not reasonable is re-writing the constitution of the state on the fly & in lineContinue reading “A Moment of Clarity”

Serious as Cancer

Humans are poor at intuitively assessing risk: leaving us vulnerable to being manipulated into acting against our best interests. In their book “Merchants of Doubt”, Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway outline how, in the mid-20th Century, tobacco companies developed a nine-point public relations playbook to cast doubt on the increased risks of cancer fromContinue reading “Serious as Cancer”

Last Exit to Brigadoon

All political careers end in failure: What if Nicola Sturgeon is looking to snatch an exit strategy from the jaws of defeat? We often assume that Nicola Sturgeon, a life-long Scottish nationalist, wants independence at all costs and frames her decisions to that end. What if we assumed instead that her top priority is herContinue reading “Last Exit to Brigadoon”

The Politics of Parchment

The Scottish and American reactions to school shootings have been worlds apart. The Dunblane Massacre shocked, shamed and scared Scotland: on 13th March 1996, Thomas Hamilton shot dead 16 pupils and one teacher and injured 15 others before killing himself. The almost immediate reaction by the Government in Westminster was a UK-wide tightening of gunContinue reading “The Politics of Parchment”

Self Determination or Self Integrity?

It is a  jus cogens (generally accepted)  principle established in international law that ‘a people‘ have a right to ‘self-determination‘, and it’s surely one liberals and democrats should support. It has been a key factor in creating the stability of the post-war settlement. It is recognised as a principle in the UN charter. Unhelpfully inContinue reading “Self Determination or Self Integrity?”

Eurotrash

Unlikely, Unsafe, Unprecedented & Unpopular. “An independent Scotland should consider joining the Euro if it becomes a member of the European Union, according to a leading expert.” Herald 17th Feb Kirsty Hughes proposal is: unlikely, unsafe, unprecedented and unpopular. Kirsty has stated elsewhere an Independent Scotland seeking to join the EU would need to goContinue reading “Eurotrash”

Textbook Disinformation

All Quiet on the SNP Front? In Scotland we see two, literally, textbook disinformation strategies from the Scottish National Party. The textbook in question being “Propaganda & Persuasion – Garth S. Jowett, Victoria O’Donnell”. As a communication process ‘disinformation’ is described by two models developed by Jowett and O’Donnell. The deflective source model, and theContinue reading “Textbook Disinformation”