Christina McKelvie (SNP) speaks to CommonSpace about how Scotland is setting human rights standards and what more could be done 

CHRISTINA MCKELVIE, SNP MSP and convener of the Equalities and Human Rights Committee in the Scottish Parliament, has said that Scotland has long pushed the boundaries to play a positive role in human rights, and that with all powers over international affairs, Scotland could lead the way in adopting a diplomatic, humanitarian approach.

War, terrorism and the far right to feature as topics at conference

SCOTLAND’S expanding foreign policy scene is set to benefit from the launch of a new think tank in Glasgow this weekend.

The New Foreign Policy group will launch at the CCA on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall street tomorrow (Saturday 5 August), and feature a range of expert speakers speaking on international issues such as war, terrorism and security, the growth of far right movements and the UK’s global position from a Scottish perspective.

CommonSpace columnist Jonathon Shafi says the establishment fears a Jeremy Corbyn who isn't frightened to turn the tables on foreign policy

THIS COLUMN has dedicated a number of articles charting the relationship between terrorism and the far-right. Ive argued that there is a relationship between the two, in that they feed directly from each other and accelerate one another's objectives. 

“Brutal” Saudi regime benefiting from Tory weapons support 

WARNINGS THAT SAUDI fuelled extremism is endangering the Middle East and Britain’s security interests can be confronted by cutting off weapons support, according to anti-arms sales campaigns. 

The Campaign Against the Arms Trade (CAAT) has reignited concerns that funding of extremism is linked to the Gulf Kingdom. 

Labour hit out at Tory link to Saudi extremism and under-funding of police 

LABOUR LEADER Jeremy Corbyn has called out alleged Tory weakness on the issue of national security in the final few days of the General Election campaign.

Following horrific attacks in Manchester and London, Corbyn has called on the public to sack Theresa May for her role in cutting police number while Home Secretary. 

CommonSpace looks at the five big takeaways from the First Minister’s speech to Stanford

NICOLA STURGEON gave a speech at the Californian campus of the University of Stanford yesterday (Tuesday 4 April) where she laid out Scotland's vision of itself in the world within the context of a Tory Brexit and the rise of the “popular right”.

In a speech aimed at alumni, students, business figures and press she focused on explaining the political chaos in the UK post-Brexit and her political logic for wanting another referendum on Scottish independence. 

Anti-war whistleblowers wins freedom after seven year campaign 

CHELSEA MANNING, the acclaimed whistleblower who leaked crucial evidence on the brutality of the Afghan and Iraq wars, will be freed from jail this year. 

Manning, who has been imprisoned since her arrest in May 2010, was behind one of the largest intelligence leaks in human history - which revealed the true scale of massacres and chaos in the US Middle Eastern wars.

Pro-independence thinktank releases white paper with new ideas to build a new country

A RADICAL and new report has been released by the pro-independence thinktank Common Weal revealing its vision to redefine and rejuvenate the institutions and governing bodies of an independent Scottish state.

Questions over use of covert missions without parliamentary scrutiny

PEACE CAMPAIGNERS have raised concerns over reports of an ongoing secret UK war in Libya.

The campaign organisation Stop the War told CommonSpace that it is "absolutely certain" that UK special forces are taking part in military operations in the war-torn North African nation of Libya, after years of fall-out following the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime.

As a teenager, Conor McAllister joined the navy for adventure, but his three tours left him sceptical of the military system. He explains why he had to get out

I JOINED the navy in 2009. I joined as a warfare specialist. It seemed interesting at the time. I was on my way to a job interview at Debenhams, and I didn't want to work there.

I went on three operations, one in the Falklands, one in the Middle East and another in the Caribbean.