The relationship between Donald J. Trump and Scotland, the birthplace of his mother, Mary MacLeod, has been anything but harmonious. Despite significant investments in two high-profile golf resorts—Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire and Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire—his presence has been a prolonged saga of deep-seated civic and political resistance. This opposition began as a […]
Human Rights
Scottish Political Biographies: Mary Barbour
Mary Barbour, born Mary Rough in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, in 1875, stands as one of Glasgow’s most profoundly kind and courageous champions for the working class. Her life was a testament to the power of community, compassion, and tireless activism, centered on the belief that dignity was a right, not a privilege. The Heart of ‘Mrs […]
Scottish Political Biographies: Ailsa McKay
Professor Ailsa McKay was a leading Scottish feminist economist, renowned for her dedication to challenging and evidencing the impact of economic policies on women. Born on May 25, 1963 (or June 7, 1963 in a separate source), she died on March 5, 2014, at the age of 50. Academic and Professional Career Ailsa McKay graduated […]
Scottish Political Biographies: John Maclean.
John Maclean was a man whose dedication to justice was an act of profound kindness to the working people of Scotland. John Maclean (1879–1923) was a Scottish schoolteacher and revolutionary socialist from the “Red Clydeside” era, who dedicated his tragically short life to educating and organising the working class. A Life Rooted in Empathy Maclean […]
Jane McAlevey: Unions Against Poverty
The Unwavering Backbone: Why Trades Unionists Stand as Guardians Against a Rising Tide… by Karen Orr The forest, in its vast complexity, teaches us that collective strength is paramount. A single tree, standing alone, is vulnerable to the fiercest storm. But a grove, with roots intertwined and branches forming a dense canopy, can weather almost […]
The Musk/Zuckerberg/Bezos Dystopian Novel…
Fucking tech bros; those billionaires who read a bit of sci-fi and think they’re building the future, when really, they’re just building bigger cages. It’s enough to make me fucking spit, for sure. Fucking megalomaniacs, the lot. You have your Musks and your Bezoses, don’t you? Raving about Iain M. Banks’ Culture series and how […]
Indybag: Stop giving our streets over to stupid
I took a walk through Glasgow’s Maryhill area earlier today. Storm Amy had brought down a few trees, some older than my grandads da’, and a few black bins and rubble were in places they shouldn’t be. And many of the flags- the ones the racists put up- the beautiful Inclusive saltires that had been […]
The Burden of Privilege: Why Greta Thunberg is a Model, Not a Hypocrite.
By Karen Orr The jungle is a cruel, magnificent teacher. You see an orangutan, born with the strength and protection of a dominant mother, and you expect her to simply feast on the ripest fruit and rest in the highest canopy. But what if she uses her safe position to warn the whole troupe of […]
Nicola’s Interesting Times by Val Waldron
The backdrop to all of it is laid out very starkly in the first paragraphs. The Nicola Sturgeon story is essentially drenched in personal, familial and societal struggles for hitherto denied opportunities, justice and equality. The Patriarchy will never reach out to feel the truth of this from a woman with a working-class background. Nicola […]
Gateway to Hell
At the root of it all, you’ve allowed yourself to be persuaded down the rabbit hole marked ‘Gateway to Fascism’. There’s no easy way to say this and it’s no real surprise, but we’re way past the ‘sleepwalking’ stage and we’re now galloping towards fascism. The horrors of arms to Israel, deportations, the rise of […]










