Alistair Carmichael: crying abuse is a loser’s argument
Alistair Carmichael is back. Trying to tarnish a whole movement by the acts of a minority. It’s a low form of politics but it’s the only form he knows.
Alistair Carmichael is back. Trying to tarnish a whole movement by the acts of a minority. It’s a low form of politics but it’s the only form he knows.
Holyrood Vote2016 / Scottish Politics
by R J Hainey · Published January 6, 2016 · Last modified April 15, 2016
This is the first part of a two part blog on the system used to decide who is elected to the Scottish Parliament. Here I will try to detail in as simple terms as possible how...
by R J Hainey · Published November 30, 2015 · Last modified April 15, 2016
Watching Michael Fallon on Andrew Marr yesterday I was struck by the frequency with which he used the word “precision” to describe the potential bombing in Syria. He was clearly briefed to do so to paint...
Scottish Politics / UK Politics
by R J Hainey · Published September 18, 2015 · Last modified April 15, 2016
Although interesting, today’s smug and self aggrandising leader by Murry Foote of the Daily Record really highlights some of what is wrong with the functioning of the UK state. It tells the story of how the...
2015 General Election / UK Politics
by R J Hainey · Published May 1, 2015 · Last modified April 15, 2016
Bad for Labour , good for the SNP and great for David Cameron The above lamentation from Jim Murphy on the current position of Scottish Labour in the opinion polls tells us all we need to...
On Purchasing WhatsApp Mark Zuckerberg released a statement which contained the following line. Our mission is to make the world more open and connected. We do this by building services that help people share any type...
by R J Hainey · Published February 13, 2015 · Last modified June 22, 2017
There is at least one a week in the Telegraph and the Daily Mail however they appear occasionally in all of the mainstream English publications. They tend to be written in a paternal tone, and chastise...
2015 General Election / Humour / Scottish Politics
by R J Hainey · Published February 2, 2015 · Last modified January 9, 2016
Yesterday I rose relatively early in anticipation of a bumper day of sport. I had given myself just enough time to cook a couple of bacon/fried egg doublers for breakfast. I went to the fridge for...
2015 General Election / Scottish Politics
by R J Hainey · Published January 28, 2015 · Last modified January 9, 2016
The most ardent group of Yes voters were young, male and working class. I was one of them, although sadly, at least in terms of age, I am drifting out of that category. Many of us...
Scottish Labour / Scottish Politics
by R J Hainey · Published December 16, 2014 · Last modified January 10, 2016
One of things both sides agreed on during the referendum campaign was that the Scottish electorate was energised, that the population was informed and engaged in political ideas in a way that had not been witnessed...
I’m pretty confident Band Aid 2014 would raise a lot more money if they just threatened to do the record unless we all donate. Many would give heartily to put an end to the spectacle of...
Scottish Labour / Scottish Politics
by R J Hainey · Published October 21, 2014 · Last modified January 10, 2016
The most recent YouGov poll shows the SNP on course to steal 20 additional UK Parliament seats from Scottish Labour. In light of this it was announced on Sunday that Margaret Curran was bringing in the help...
All this gibberish a few years back from David Cameron about Big Society seems to be coming to fruition in a way which would horrify him. People all over Scotland have come together in the last...
by R J Hainey · Published September 25, 2014 · Last modified September 7, 2017
The referendum results programme temporarily stole my soul. Slowly, over 8 hours all of my hopes and aspirations for Scotland seeped away from me. Every undecided I had persuaded, every hour I had researched, every word...
Well done to everyone who was involved in the Yes Campaign. The goodwill, hope and determination displayed by you all was awe inspiring. Autonomyscotland was formed on a whim one Saturday morning by a couple of...
A lot of Labour supporters I have spoken to who intend to vote No, don’t see the value of a yes vote because they have been let down so many times by politicians. They can’t see...