Something in the airScotland is shrouded in a muggy haar today, and it feels as if we’ve been cut off from the rest of the world in order to concentrate and exercise our democratic right to vote: for...Posted 18 Sep 2014
Come togetherScotland is alive with an unprecedented level of political debate. In homes, pubs and town halls, that debate is not limited to technicalities; it’s about the way people want to be governed, the society they...Posted 08 Sep 2014
A new ScotlandAs a politically active individual and an elections geek you’d think I would be excited beyond reason about the independence referendum. In actual fact, I have found the debate to be depressingly repetitive, providing few...Posted 05 Sep 2014
How to get excited about local government reformRecent weeks have continued to see all sorts of handwringing and dark soothsaying about the state of representative democracy. Untrusted politicians, growing inequality and low election turnouts are just part of this sorry state. ...Posted 18 Aug 2014
The government is still dominated by menAs the dust settles on the Government reshuffle, you would be forgiven for thinking that the genders are now fairly represented on the front benches. Nothing could be further from the truth. Despite this week’s high-profile...Posted 17 Jul 2014
Not good enoughAs the dust settles on the Government reshuffle, you would be forgiven for thinking that the genders are now fairly represented on the front benches. Nothing could be further from the truth. Despite this week’s high-profile...Posted 17 Jul 2014
The ailing dragon – healing Welsh democracyThere’s a crisis of confidence in politics, which cannot be allowed to continue. After countless scandals and inquiries, people are left thinking that politics isn’t working for them. The Hansard Society’s audit of political engagement found that...Posted 09 Jul 2014
Women and Scottish independenceThis blog was first posted on Engender As the date of the referendum draws ever nearer, and the gender gap in the polls shows no sign of closing, there seem to be more events targeting women...Posted 03 Jul 2014
Women and indyrefAs the date of the referendum draws ever nearer, and the gender gap in the polls shows no sign of closing, there seem to be more events targeting women and their opinions. Which is great: women’s...Posted 03 Jul 2014
A true democratToday marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Rivonia trial, and the sentencing of Nelson Mandela to life imprisonment on charges of sabotage, and acting to ‘further the aims of communism’. It goes without...Posted 12 Jun 2014