Antifa Brexit Corruption Democracy Fascism Holyrood Election 2026 Human Rights Hungary Political Correspondent Scotland Ungagged Writing Writers Writers & Contributors

Reform and the Billionaire Dictator

By our political correspondent. The smell of shit is never contained by borders; it drifts, settles, and eventually coats the lungs of those of our common weal. For years, we have watched Nigel Farage and his fellow travellers in the Reform Party pose as the champions of the “left behind,” but the mask is slipping […]

Campaigns Education Equality & Inclusion Health Homelessness Housing Human Rights Left Politics Political Correspondent Political Philosophy Poverty Scotland Socialism Ungagged Writing Writers Writers & Contributors

​A Radical Charity Model: Social Bite

By our Political Correspondent   It began not with a grand manifesto or a flurry of corporate white papers, but with a humble sandwich shop in the heart of Edinburgh. In 2012, Josh Littlejohn and Alice Thompson looked at the jagged edges of our society and decided that “business as usual” was no longer an […]

Campaigns Climate & Environment Corruption Culture Wars Democracy Economy & Finance Equality & Inclusion Fascism Feminism History Human Rights International Left Politics LGBTQIAP+ Neoliberalism Political Parties Politics of Hate Poverty Privilege Racism Scottish Independence Val Waldron

The Bad and The Ugly by Val Waldron

    It wasn’t quite the reaction I expected to my comment; So, Thatcher’s deid at last. The polite response that evening of 8th April 2013 could be summed up by a gently dismissive nod and patronising grimace. It told me what I already knew, that the death of this elderly person in the advanced […]

Campaigns Culture Wars Damien Donnelly Democracy Education Equality & Inclusion Feminism Green Party Holyrood Election 2026 Human Rights Labour LGBTQIAP+ Liberal Democrats NHS Racial Justice Racism Reform Scotland Scottish Greens Scottish Independence SNP Tory Party Trans Rights Ungagged Writing Writers Writers & Contributors

For me… A clear winner…

By Damien Donnelly Tory/Reform No-Show… Almost exactly ten years ago (March 2016), I attended the first ever ‘LGBTI+ hustings’ for Scottish Parliament elections in Edinburgh. It was at this event that Nicola Sturgeon stated the SNP’s intention to reform gender recognition in Scotland, including recognition of non-binary identities. The legalisation of same-sex marriage was just […]

Corruption Crime Democracy Elections Equality & Inclusion Fascism Human Rights Hungary Immigration Political Correspondent Politics of Hate Ungagged Writing Writers Writers & Contributors

Why Hungary’s Soul is on the Ballot

By our Political Correspondent. There is a chill settling over the Danube that has nothing to do with the spring air. As the people of Hungary prepare to head to the polls this coming Sunday, 12 April 2026, they aren’t just choosing a government. They are deciding whether the concept of truth still has a […]

Culture Wars Damien Donnelly Equality & Inclusion Fascism History Human Rights LGBTQIAP+ Trans Rights Ungagged Writing Writers Writers & Contributors

When ‘Allies’ Weaponise Queerness and the Closet

By Damien Donnelly A great deal of political discourse involves calling out hypocrisy and there’s no doubt that this is important, as long as it’s rooted in fact. It would be ludicrous for us not to point out that Nigel Farage’s wife is an immigrant and two of his children hold dual citizenship, with German […]

Art Climate & Environment Conspiracy Theories Corruption Crime Democracy Disarmament Fascism Film Film Club Health History Human Rights Jock Mulligan Left Politics Mental Health Political Philosophy Politics of Hate Reviews Satire Scotland Socialism Ungagged Writing Writers Writers & Contributors

’70’s Movie Warnings of a Dying Century

Jock Mulligan on ’70’s Sci-fi masterpieces we ignore at our peril” ​I have been sittin’ here in the house with Dave lashing against the glass and the wind howling like a banshee through the eaves, for these November to April storms seem to have become the new normal as the world is titim-ing toward the […]

Climate & Environment Corruption Democracy Fascism Health Human Rights Labour Left Politics NHS Political Correspondent Scotland SNP Ungagged Writing USA Writers & Contributors

Tech Bro is Watching You

​by our Political Correspondent There is a particular kind of chill that settles over the soul when the machinery of war and the ledgers of a private healthcare system begin to merge. We are talking about the commodification of our most intimate secrets, the records of our births, our cancers, and our mental collapses, and […]

Campaigns Democracy Film History Human Rights Immigration Left Politics Reviews Scotland Ungagged Writing Val Waldron Val Waldron Writers Writers & Contributors

Review: Everybody to Kenmure Street

By Val Waldron The gang were there, cheering on the big screen appearances of themselves and their pals. At the end a massive chant of Refugees are welcome here. I always thought applause in cinemas was a bit unnecessary, but it wasn’t, I did it, for them, the community activists. I played a bit-part that […]

Campaigns Democracy Education Equality & Inclusion Human Rights Left Politics Scotland Trade Unions Ungagged Writing Writers Writers & Contributors

EIS Strike off. A Scottish Teacher Reacts.

“The news emerging today regarding the latest victory by Scotland’s largest and most formidable teaching union is a staggering testament to the power of collective action. It is a reminder of what happens when we refuse to be silenced and instead stand together as the singular, strongest voice for educators in Scotland. ​The headline is […]