Two new books by Scots historian take on British establishment and undervalued Scottish culture

Common Weal head of policy and CommonSpace columnist Ben Wray says the radio silence from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on the Spanish State’s repression of Catalonia is not good enough

SPANISH tennis star Rafael Nadal has spoken out against the Catalan referendum: “Everyone has to respect the laws, and there are some laws that are there and they cannot be skipped because you want to skip them.”

Twenty years on since Scotland voted for devolution, political activist Gary Paterson says younger generations are hungry for Scottish independence

FOR the vast majority of my life, there has been a Scottish Parliament.

I never take it for granted, but at the same time my generation knows it to be nothing other than a political reality – the space where Scotland’s national voice is articulated through popular will and progressive format.

CommonSpace columnist and Common Weal director Robin McAlpine says the independence movement must wake up

I'VE been wondering when to write this. Not everyone is going to like it; some may think it's unhelpful – disloyal even. But I'm going to argue that not talking about things is leading to serious mistakes.

We're a few days away from the third anniversary of losing the independence referendum. It is telling that there appears to be much less appetite for either celebration or commemoration this year. So I think now might be the time to bite the bullet.

“Scotland will always be European”: EU nationals’ plea to the EU

CommonSpace columnist and Common Weal director Robin McAlpine says Scotland's future may just depend on a welcome new programme for government

THERE'S an abiding question that has been in my thoughts since the launch of the Scottish Government's programme for government on Tuesday; where would we be now if this agenda had been set out before or soon after the 2015 General Election victory rather than three years into the new administration?

Commonspace columnist David Carr talks about the so-called 'grievance culture' surrounding oil - and why we must find a constructive way forward

MENTION of oil always sparks an interest in Scotland as the backbone of a strong economy. Historically it has been mismanaged, but what should be done about this? 

Paul J Carnegie, an academic at the University of the South Pacific, says Scotland's Yes movement reflects the right of any nation to choose its own self-determined statehood

I HAVE always been puzzled listening to otherwise educated and levelheaded Scots heap opprobrium on their country’s right to sovereign self-determination just to fit into a concept of a 'united kingdom'. 

Two German parties voice support for independent Scotland in the EU

TWO political parties who may form part of a German coalition government after the election next month have given support to an independent Scotland within the EU.

The Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Alliance 90/The Greens (The Greens) have both made clear that they support the Scottish Government’s position on Brexit, as part of their election platform for the upcoming elections for the Bundestag, Germany’s federal legislative body.

Richard Murphy argues for an independent Scotland’s tax policy to be effective a Scottish currency is needed from “day one”

AN independent Scotland can create a fair and effective tax system if it overhauls the UK approach to taxation, renowned tax expert Richard Murphy argues in a new paper for Common Weal, the most comprehensive of its type to date.