Campaigns Disability Rights Equality & Inclusion Health Human Rights Left Politics Stephanie Melnick Ungagged Writing

Disability and the Left By Stephanie Melnick

To win disabled people over, the left needs to change the rhetoric. We cannot mirror the Right’s idea of “useless eaters”. If we truly want to create a better future, we need to find a way to make a world where everyone can live happily – including those who cannot work. A few weeks ago, […]

Brexit Campaigns Climate & Environment Democracy Elections Fascism Immigration Politics of Hate Scotland Scottish Independence Tory Corruption Trade Unions Ungagged Writing Val Waldron

As Close to Federalism As The Moon

If the federalism shills couldn’t see this coming, they really weren’t looking. This move essentially leaves Labour without even the pretence of argument for the reformable UK that we’ve been promised since 2014. We’re as close to federalism as we are to the moon, and thus concludes the centre ground arguments against independence.  Take time […]

Brexit Climate & Environment Conspiracy Theories Equality & Inclusion Fascism Human Rights Immigration Media Politics of Hate Scottish Independence Ungagged Writing Val Waldron

Bad Hair and Bad Faith by Val Waldron

Populism is all pervasive. It’s amusing…has bad hair and tin-foil hats. It has the Flat Earth Society, Covid Deniers and Chemtrails. It also radicalises people to think that transphobia is about women’s rights, that the pandemic is over, that vicious deportation policies are about targeting people smugglers, that the French and other foreigners are responsible […]

Brexit Conspiracy Theories Corruption Crime Democracy Equality & Inclusion Fascism Feminism Human Rights Immigration International LGBTQIAP+ Local Elections Media Politics of Hate Scotland Scottish Independence Trans Rights Ungagged Writing Violence Against Women

Escape Routes by Val Waldron

We are finally getting to grips with the solid fact of the matter: 2014 cannot be repeated. We need to find another way, or ways to move forward towards independence. On the day of the full release of the Sue Gray report and of Nicola Sturgeon’s marking point as longest serving FM I’ve never been […]

Health Mental Health NHS Poverty Val Waldron

‘Take A Drink’ A review of Darren Loki McGarvey’s Addiction series. part 1 Alcohol by Val Waldron

A review of Darren Loki McGarvey’s Addiction series Part 1 Alcohol ‘Take A Drink’ ‘Take A Drink’ the encapsulation in three familiar words our shared history that runs through Scotland’s relationship with alcohol. We’re hooked immediately by the series introduction, which promises a broad spectrum look at addiction; food, drugs, gambling and alcohol. Somewhere along […]

Brexit Climate & Environment Conspiracy Theories COP26 Coronavirus Corruption Democracy Equality & Inclusion Fascism Feminism Holyrood Election 2021 Human Rights Immigration Left Politics Media Politics of Hate Poverty Privilege Racism Scotland Scottish Independence Tory Corruption Trans Rights Val Waldron Violence Against Women

A Snapshot of 2021 by Val Waldron

‘Alexa give me a snapshot of 2021 without mentioning Covid’  Can I help? All of the events below were of course shot through with Covid, antivaxxers, restrictions, opposition and media undermining of the Scottish Government health message, oh, and big shouty businesses. It didn’t stop the world from turning though! In Search of Q We […]

Equality & Inclusion Feminism Health Human Rights Jo Edwards LGBTQIAP+ Privilege Violence Against Women

Supporting Survivors by Jo Edwards

CONTENT WARNING/TRIGGER WARNING – This piece discusses sexual assault and rape, MeToo, Sarah Everard, Harvey Weinstein and transphobia So, here we all are again, another round around the Earth, with only 12 days to the big day, most of us are preparing for another Covid Christmas and all that entails; making the best of it, […]

Campaigns Climate & Environment COP26 Equality & Inclusion International Left Politics Privilege

COP, Cops and Cop-outs by Val Waldron

We’ve stolen enough from our young. The imposed ‘debt’ from two world wars must be dropped. Inequality between generations belongs in the bin with the rest of the culture wars currently raging across the western world. We need each other. We’re as interconnected as the earth and the sea. Who and what are the winners, […]

Brexit Democracy Equality & Inclusion Human Rights Media Politics of Hate Poverty Privilege Racism Scotland Scottish Greens Tory Corruption Trans Rights Val Waldron Violence Against Women

Raging Not Hating by Val Waldron

No-one deserves or asks for violent death because someone else thinks you don’t deserve to live. If that were the case there would be a death penalty for women who walk home alone at night or for daring to pack up your family and meagre belongings and set out across the channel in a dinghy […]