News & Articles
Reform rides the wave of poverty and inequality to political power in England
Reform UK has won the by-election in Runcorn near Liverpool and is dominating the English local government election results. The Westminster seat that they won used to be a Labour safe seat. But is this really a surprise? History tells us that poverty and inequality are fuel for right-wing populism.
Cultural Independence - The key to Scotland’s Constitutional independence
Scotland’s journey to independence can’t just be about politics. Politics is tribal and it's divisive. The UK government doesn't want Scotland to have another referendum; it wants to force the independence question to be about voting for political parties. That is because they know it's easier to vote for a nation you believe in than to vote for a political party you don’t.
If Grangemouth was in England, would it be saved?
Westminster has stepped in to save a British steel plant from closure on grounds of national security. But they haven’t done the same for Grangemouth. Even Labour MP for Grangemouth Brian Leishman and many other MPs for the surrounding areas have said if Scunthorpe can be saved, so can the sole Scottish oil refinery. The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has also called for the Grangemouth refinery to be nationalised.Â
Child poverty now 35% higher in England than Scotland
UK figures released last week show that child poverty rates are now 35% higher in England than in Scotland.
Annual statistics show compared with the previous year’s statistics, relative child poverty in 2023-24 reduced from 26% to 22% in Scotland while absolute child poverty fell from 23% to 17%. UK Poverty statistics show compared with the previous year’s statistics, levels of relative child poverty at 31% and absolute child poverty at 26%.
Scottish water bills increase is a third of England's
Water bills in England are rising much more than in Scotland. You would not know that from watching BBC Breakfast as they presented the rise as an average £10 a month for England and 10% for Scotland. The average rise for Scotland is £3.68 - about one-third of the English rise.
Not the price of Net Zero - the cost of the Union
On the 1st of April, the energy cap on domestic energy bills rose by 6.4%. Right-wing commentators like to argue that the push for Net Zero is putting up energy bills. They have got that wrong - it is the privatisation of energy which is to blame for the fact our energy bills are sky high.
Westminster welfare cuts to slash £1 billion from Scotland’s budget
Disabled and chronically ill Scots are worried about the effect the Westminster government’s cuts to welfare are going to have on them. And the uncertainty Scots face is a direct result of devolution.
Scotland's women have been swindled by Westminster pension injustice
Scottish pensioners already face one of the lowest state pensions in the developed world. But the Waspi women (Women against state pension inequality) have suffered pension injustice that means they were short-changed on even that.
Four reasons for Scotland’s women to strive for independence
Women have always been at the forefront of the independence movement and that is because we understand how independence offers a stronger, fairer, more equal future to us and our families.
As mothers, grandmothers, aunties, daughters and friends we are concerned for our own futures but also for our children, old folk, friends and communities.
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UK Government's failure to back Grangemouth shows contempt for Scotland
The UK Government said last week that it will put £200 million towards investing in an alternative future for Grangemouth Believe in Scotland has serious doubts that the full £200 million will actually materialise or be used as anything other than boosts for large companies given the (co-investment with the private sector nature of the funding). But the plant - which made £107 million profit last year - is still closing and Scotland will be left without oil refining capacity is a major oil producing nation which is madness.Â