• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • blog
  • About
  • Book Publications
  • Other Reading
  • Social Wall
  • Back Pages
  • Contact Me

Sunday National

The state of the union and independence after Johnson’s jaunt

February 1, 2021
The state of the union and independence after Johnson’s Jaunt Gerry Hassan Sunday National, January 31st 2021 Boris Johnson came to Scotland last week: much trailed and talked about but certain to have no lasting effect. This was the week where a once-revered Scottish institution announced it had fallen on hard times. Once popular with Edinburgh ladies of a certain age and the middle classes who believed that they had a refined taste and lifestyle; the similarities between Jenners department store on Princes Street, Edinburgh and the Scottish Tories, are many. This illustrates the long-term collapse of the institutions of

Continue Reading The state of the union and independence after Johnson’s jaunt

Leadership in a Cold Climate: COVID-19 and the Emerging New World

January 27, 2021
Leadership in a Cold Climate: COVID-19 and the Emerging New World Gerry Hassan Sunday National, January 24th 2021 The inauguration of Joe Biden as US President is part ritual, part celebration. At its heart is a reaffirmation of the power of democracy and the belief that even in divided, difficult times leadership can make a difference. This raises questions about the role and expectations of political leadership – not just in the US, but in the UK and here in Scotland. We live in an age where traditional models of leadership and the attitudes around them are discredited, but

Continue Reading Leadership in a Cold Climate: COVID-19 and the Emerging New World

Scottish Labour is the problem, not the leader. And the solution is a genuine Scottish Labour Party

January 18, 2021
Scottish Labour is the problem, not the leader. And the solution is a genuine Scottish Labour Party Gerry Hassan Sunday National, January 17th 2020 The Scottish Labour Party has contributed so much over the past 20 years; not in terms of substantive politics in government or opposition but in the realm of scandal, drama and soap opera. Richard Leonard’s resignation is the latest episode in this long running saga which has increasingly been playing to diminishing audiences and reviews. He has been the ninth Labour leader in two decades; the sixth leader in opposition, and the fifth since the 2014

Continue Reading Scottish Labour is the problem, not the leader. And the solution is a genuine Scottish Labour Party

The Attack on Democracy and Breaking Out of the Empire State in the US and UK

January 12, 2021
The Attack on Democracy and Breaking Out of the Empire State in the US and UK Gerry Hassan Sunday National, January 10th 2021 Democracy is under attack. It is being challenged by the likes of Trump and his fascist supporters and by authoritarians the world over – testing its strength and legitimacy. And it is not in great shape in the UK, with academic David Runciman saying that “American democracy is stuck and British democracy is stuck.” The events of 6th January 20201 and the storming of Congress by Trump’s far right supporters has appalled most of the world. Much

Continue Reading The Attack on Democracy and Breaking Out of the Empire State in the US and UK

Making our own collective future in Scotland

January 5, 2021
Making our own collective future in Scotland Gerry Hassan Sunday National, January 3rd 2021        Until it arrived, 2020 was seen by many as a symbol of the future. It was a benchmark and distant date with destiny – aided by phrases like ‘2020 vision’. But 2020 didn’t feel like the future that had been predicted - or like any other year. This is a salutary lesson. Much of the future is always surprising, unimagined and unpredictable - while other parts are predictable or ‘inevitable surprises’. To think, dream and conceive of the future is part of what

Continue Reading Making our own collective future in Scotland

More than ever we need to come together and celebrate collective joy

December 28, 2020
More than ever we need to come together and celebrate collective joy Gerry Hassan Sunday National, December 27th 2020 These are not exactly the happiest of times the world over - with crises, worry and anxiety all around us. In such circumstances never more have we needed to find light and hope, optimism and joy. As important in an age of loneliness and isolation is reaching out to others, recognising that we are more than mere individuals and are part of something bigger than ourselves – whether it be different communities and places. Over a decade ago the American writer

Continue Reading More than ever we need to come together and celebrate collective joy

The British Royal State is in terminal decline but still holds all of us back

December 15, 2020
The British Royal State is in terminal decline but still holds all of us back Gerry Hassan Sunday National, December 13th 2020 The Royal Family have been in the news of late with Kate and William’s three-day, whistle-stop ‘Royal Train Tour’ making just nine stops in Scotland, Wales and England. This marks an end to a very uneasy year for the Royals, defined by personal difficulty, crisis and continued scandal. In terms of supporting their subjects, the Royals have effectively been invisible this past pandemic year. There was the Queen’s TV address in early April; she commented in May

Continue Reading The British Royal State is in terminal decline but still holds all of us back

Independence is a story about all of us – and there is serious work to do

December 7, 2020
Independence is a story about all of us – and there is serious work to do Gerry Hassan Sunday National, December 6th 2020 2020 has been the year of many striking things. It has been a year of progress for Scottish independence. A raft of polls show a consistent majority for independence and the SNP is polling strongly. Nicola Sturgeon is massively more popular than Boris Johnson; while the SNP’s trust ratings on a range of issues is impressive. All of which points towards the likelihood of a pro-independence majority in seats and votes in the 2021 elections. Some independence

Continue Reading Independence is a story about all of us – and there is serious work to do

Boris Johnson and the Tory attack on Devolution is about more than Johnson

November 24, 2020
Boris Johnson and the Tory attack on Devolution is about more than Johnson Gerry Hassan Sunday National, November 22nd 2020 Thirty years ago today Margaret Thatcher resigned as UK Prime Minister and yet still casts a shadow over British politics and the Tories. Fast forward to this week, with Boris Johnson revealing his true feelings about Scotland and devolution – saying that ‘devolution has been a disaster north of the border’ and that it was ‘Tony Blair’s biggest mistake’ - a bit of a tall statement given the Iraq war over which Johnson called for Blair’s impeachment. Cue lots of

Continue Reading Boris Johnson and the Tory attack on Devolution is about more than Johnson

The Pressures of Success: What independence has to do to win

November 16, 2020
The Pressures of Success: What Independence has to do to win Gerry Hassan Sunday National, November 15th 2020 It has been a historic week, and we are only half way through the month. Trump defeated, Dominic Cummings leaving Downing Street, a COVID-19 vaccine, fourteen polls in a row for independence, and - to top it all - the Scottish men’s football team qualifying for the Euros. Things are looking up. Being in a winning position changes everything. It brings fresh questions, expectations and pressures. There is the cumulative effect of the SNP being in office by 2021 for fourteen years

Continue Reading The Pressures of Success: What independence has to do to win

< Older Entries
Newer Entries >

Primary Sidebar

categories

  • Blog
  • Events
  • Futures Thinking
  • International Conversations
  • Longer Essays
  • Short Essays
  • What Gerry's groovin' to
  • What Gerry's reading
FacebookTwitter

featured publication

Scotland after the Virus

Click here to buy Gerry’s latest book containing fiction, poetry and non-fiction from over 40 contributors

what Gerry’s groovin’ to

My Favourite Music of 2020

December 20, 2020

what Gerry’s reading

My Favourite Books of 2020

December 19, 2020

tags

Scottish politics | Scottish Independence | Scottish Review | British politics | The Scotsman | Scottish Nationalists | Open Democracy | Scottish Nationalism | Scottish Labour Party | Nicola Sturgeon | Scottish society | The British State | Sunday Mail | Sunday National | Brexit | Social Democracy | Conservative Party | Boris Johnson | British Labour Party | Alex Salmond | Jeremy Corbyn | David Cameron | Scottish National Party | Popular Culture | Scottish Media | Social Justice | British Nationalism | Scottish Men | Scottish Parliament | The Future of the Left | Bella Caledonia | British Society | Scottish Culture | CoronaVirus | Scottish Unionism | 2016 Scottish Parliament Elections | Football | Labour Party | Scottish Independence Referendum | The Guardian

Categories

Footer

about Gerry

Gerry Hassan is a writer, commentator and thinker about Scotland, the UK, politics and ideas.

More >

recent

  • The crisis of unionism has become the death of the union as we know it
  • The UK is not a fully-fledged democracy: An alternative history of Britain
  • The politics of populism in Scotland and the challenge of Alex Salmond and George Galloway

search

FacebookTwitter

Terms of Use | Privacy Statement
Copyright © Gerry Hassan - writing, research, policy and ideas. All Rights Reserved.
Illustration and website design by Infinite Eye