Aedan MacRae, researcher with Common Weal, looks at Barclays prosperity index published and heavily covered by the UK media on Tuesday 30 August. He finds flaws in the way the findings were presented, in the data sets used and in the choice of indicators selected
Ben Wray, head of policy & research at Common Weal, reviews a recent article by Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale after her recent trip to Washington, where she identified investing in education as the key to challenging right-wing populism. Wray argues a generation of Scottish politicians brought up on a diet of ‘Education, Education, Education’ need to go back to school
New Common Weal report argues that an independent currency pegged to Sterling likely to be most advantageous initially for the purposes of confidence and stability, but over long-term flexibility needed
THE first major analysis to be published of an independent Scotland’s currency options post-Brexit has found that a range of options are viable, but only with an independent currency would a Scottish Government’s monetary policy have the capability of adapting flexibly to global economic circumstances as they change.
Common Weal Policy bring together five key graphs which reveal the depths of failure of the Cameron-Osborne years, as they come to an ignominious end
IT’S the end of an era, a very bad one, which has ended in disgrace. The resignation of David Cameron as Prime Minister and, hours later, the disposing of Chancellor George Osborne from government brings to a close the Cameron-Osborne years: 74 miserable months that will surely be remembered by historians as one of the biggest failures in the long history of Westminster government.
Dr Mark McNaught, Assistant Professor of Law, Philosophy, and US Civilization at the University of Rennes, argues that the prospect of new nation-states emerging out of post-Brexit UK means that we should re-start the debate about constitutions. He outlines a number of “basic principles” for going forward. Let us know what you agree and disagree with in the comments section below.
Laurie McFarlane gives his take on the big economic issues facing the case for Scottish independence, issues which are suddenly urgent in the post-Brexit context
THE United Kingdom has voted to leave the European Union. David Cameron has resigned. Sinn Fein have raised the prospect of Irish Reunification. Sterling has fallen off a cliff. Scottish independence is back on the agenda.
Common Weal Policy look at a new report on The Glasgow Effect – the excess mortality that comes from living in Glasgow as compared to cities with a similar socio-economic profile – and find the role of politics and activism at the grassroots level to be influential in public health outcomes
Report by Dr Craig Dalzell finds that the aviation industry’s analysis has not accounted for the impact of a fall in domestic tourism from the APD cut
A NEW Common Weal report argues that the case made by the Airport lobby for a 50% cut in Air Passenger Duty omits key facts, and in reality the tax cut could damage the Scottish economy while reducing funding for public services.