Just a few days ago we took note of the first reputable poll ever to have identified a clear majority of Scots in favor of Scottish independence (Bletherskite September 3). Our takeaway, like most others, was well, that is very interesting and definitely worth watching. We asked questions like, is it an aberration that will be erased […]
In the last Watching Scotland blog we took a look at the Scottish Conservative Party, or (from an American point of view) the somewhat unfortunately nicknamed “Tories”. From a right of centre perspective we now swing over and investigate what is going on over on the left with Scotland’s fourth largest political party (out of […]
Many of you may have seen David Leask’s excellent commentary on the increasingly popular pastime of Gael bashing in Scotland (The Herald Scotland, March 25, 2015). Still, for those of you who have not read this piece, it is well worth the few minutes it will take to gobble it up. Especially for the Diasporrans […]
A Gaelic storm has been blowing around Scotland for the last week. Typically, Gaelic language revival suffers from a distinct lack of attention and interest but for several days now, Scotland’s best known indigenous language has unfortunately and undeservedly been at the heart of several different political stooshies. Things began to heat up on August […]
Something notable was announced today in Scotland, but it may not be as notable as it might at first seem. Nearly a year on from last year’s Scottish Independence Referendum, Scottish television station STV announced the findings of a national poll that examined an array of political issues on the minds of Scottish voters. Tops on […]
These days Scottish politics seems to be all about the left. Indeed there is a lot of energy and a smorgasbord of political choice left of Scotland’s “centre”. Meanwhile it can be hard to find signs of life over on the right. Yet there are living breathing “right of centre progressive conservatives” in Scotland. Many […]
A most amazing thing has been happening in Scotland in the year since the Scottish people rejected independence. The Scottish National Party has emerged from its Independence Referendum defeat to dominate the Scottish political world and it is on a trend toward a practical exclusivity that has some Scots a wee bit concerned. SNP membership is up by […]
BBC Scotland is on the lookout for Scottish-Canadians descendant from two 1920s emigrant ships for a new documentary series looking at the aftermath of the First World War. Within two weeks in 1923, two ships carried approximately 600 people from the Outer Hebrides of Scotland to their new home in Canada. At the time most […]
Construction workers have discovered a 121 year old time capsule buried in a bridge near Kingussie in the Highlands. The tin box, roughly the size of a shoe box, was deeply buried inside the Ruthven road bridge, and contained what appears to be a bottle of whisky, a paper scroll, and a newspaper dated Saturday, […]
A few weeks ago I posted the Scottish news that 16 and 17-year-olds will be voting next May for the 2016 Scottish Parliamentary elections. As noted, next year will be a big year in Scottish politics, potentially including an up or down vote on whether Scotia should schedule a second independence referendum. Over 100,000 16 […]
