Scottish think-and-do tank says Welsh Government plans to launch community bank could create a system that serves people before profit

AN ANNOUNCEMENT by the Welsh Government that it aims to complete its proposals to launch a community bank by 2022 has been welcomed by Scottish think tank Common Weal.

The Welsh Labour Government last year proposed the establishment of a Community Bank of Wales, to be owned by members on a one-member-one-vote basis, with the aim of ensuring the availability of banking services across the country, including in rural areas.

First minister says “inhumane asylum system” to blame for Serco lock-change crisis following court ruling 

Solicitors acting on behalf of asylum seekers brand Scottish court ruling “disturbing” and will seek to appeal to UK Supreme Court 

Equal representation campaigners welcome Scottish Parliament debate on tackling abuse and intimidation in politics - but say more can be done

Tory child poverty record condemned by opposition parties on the campaign trail

CommonSpace considers the prospects for a 2020 referendum in light of the passage of the Referendums Bill at stage one 

THURSDAY (7 November) saw the Scottish Parliament pass the first stage of the Referendums Bill, which was first announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the SNP’s spring conference.

With the announcement closely following Sturgeon’s April pledge to push for an independence referendum before the 2021 Holyrood election, this was seen by some SNP supporters as a meaningful step towards a goal which appeared to have been put on hold.

Children’s commissioner urges MSPs to recommend creating statutory guidance on “restraint and seclusion” in schools

MSPs invite academic who brands “transgenderism” as a “masochistic sexual obsession” to speak in parliament on International Transgender Day of Remembrance

Living Rent urges a new approach to tackling the worst effects of Universal Credit

Caitlin Logan argues that including an “other” option in the Census sexual orientation question is no threat to LGB people - but challenging people’s right to define their own identity is

WHAT’S IN a name? Thus goes the age-old question to which the answer has always been: quite a lot, whether you like it or not.