Irish President celebrates shared Celtic history as Scotland visit begins 

PRESIDENT Michael D. Higgins of Ireland today [Monday 27 June] began a four day visit to Scotland with a speech in the Govanhill Neighbourhood Centre, Glasgow. 

His tour will include receiving an honorary degree from the University of Edinburgh, and taking part in various cultural exhibits with connections between the two nations.

Scottish Greens and Liberal Democrats raise Snowden leaks in parliament 

SCOTLAND’S JUSTICE SECRETARY has said he is confident Police Scotland follow legal surveillance rules – but any questions on secret service mass surveillance should be directed towards the UK home secretary Theresa May.

Government minister Michael Matheson MSP faced questions from John Finnie (Scottish Greens) and Liam McArthur (Liberal Democrats) over the legality of the secret Scottish surveillance system revealed in recent Edward Snowden leaks.

Issue of spying will be raised with the Scottish cabinet secretary for justice

PRO-CIVIL LIBERTIES politicians have raised concerns over the revelations that policing body the Scottish Recording Centre (SRC) had access to mass surveillance from UK secret services. 

CommonSpace and The National newspaper team up to reveal what we know about Scotland’s place in the UK spy network

SECRET REPORTS leaked by U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden have revealed how UK mass surveillance of phone and internet activity was accessed by Scottish police forces.

The documents confirm that a little-known policing body called the Scottish Recording Centre (SRC) was given access to information logs that includes millions of communications data including phone activity, internet histories, and social media behaviour on Facebook. 

Ongoing investigation upturns investments in world’s leading arms manufacturers

COMMON WEAL SOUTH LANARKSHIRE has released information from a series of wide-ranging Freedom of Information (FoI) requests which unveil the extent of investment in arms companies by Scottish council authorities.

Nine Scottish councils, including Glasgow City Council (GCC), Edinburgh City Council (ECC) and Highland Council are directly invested in some of the world’s leading arms manufacturers.

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.