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Sceptical Scot - Asking Questions. Seeking Answers. 
Sceptical Scot
Asking Questions. Seeking Answers.
Les enfants de la patrie – but the enduring trap of populism is not unique to France
France is yet again in turmoil after last week's vote by a fractious National Assembly to reject an important part of next year's budget. And the country is now in economic recession. Leading analyst Gerald Olivier reckons there can be no credible plan for a way out, so long as there can be no proper government without an effective majority. And yet, when Emmanuel Macron became … [Read more...] about Les enfants de la patrie – but the enduring trap of populism is not unique to France
UK Budget 2025? Get real. The world has changed
The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) put is it as well as anyone. “Today’s Budget locks in a high-tax, high-debt steady state in a world of low productivity growth and higher interest rates. Even the historically large tax share of GDP now planned is only just enough to stabilise – not reduce – a debt ratio stuck around 100 per cent of GDP for the … [Read more...] about UK Budget 2025? Get real. The world has changed
Enough campaigning. Is the next Scottish government prepared to govern?
Fixing Broken Government, a latest report by Professor Jim Gallagher of Our Scottish Future will no doubt be dismissed by some as a partisan attack on the SNP Government. That would be a grave mistake. If the SNP hopes to govern Scotland after next May then this report will be essential reading. There are some senior SNP figures who will recognise the accuracy … [Read more...] about Enough campaigning. Is the next Scottish government prepared to govern?
Fraser of Allander takes another bite at the Budget
The apparently tireless Fraser of Allander team are still digesting chewy bits of the Budget. Here they offer their latest titbits of learning. That electric vehicle mileage charge. Is it fair? Will the rail fare freeze: bring passengers short-term savings without improving services? (Scottish Government abolition of peak fares could be a better deal?) What will higher … [Read more...] about Fraser of Allander takes another bite at the Budget
#MuscatelliReport: is Scotland ready for radical action on regional economic development?
For Sceptical Scot John McLaren weighs options, opportunities, obstacles and highlights an oddity in the Muscatelli ReportAnton Muscatelli’s report for the Scottish Labour Party on Regional Economic Development in Scotland is, as you would expect from such an experienced economist, a very thorough analysis of what needs to be done to improve the economic performance across … [Read more...] about #MuscatelliReport: is Scotland ready for radical action on regional economic development?
Well tempered steel beneath David Gow’s jovial irreverence
It was typical of David's open-mindedness and intelligence that he was himself somewhat conflicted about which way to vote. 'No', he told me, though he confessed to spending some time agonising in the polling boothJustin Reynolds, a writer now living in Norwich worked with David Gow and Fay Young to set up the Sceptical Scot website in 2015 … [Read more...] about Well tempered steel beneath David Gow’s jovial irreverence
Honest, rigorous and kind: David Gow as mentor
It isn’t an exaggeration to say I owe my career to David.David McAllister, production and associate editor at Prospect magazine, pays tribute to the honesty and generosity of David Gow: kind, forthright, never patronising Almost exactly a decade ago, I sent a pitch to the anonymous enquiries email for Sceptical Scot. I was a recent graduate, had just finished my gap year of … [Read more...] about Honest, rigorous and kind: David Gow as mentor
David Gow’s legacy of friendship
AI, Creativity and Humanity (3): Responsibility
In the third and final part of his series, Dougal Perman argues the case for combining creativity and culture with being fluent in AI - and staying human. When it comes to creativity, AI may be a great enabler but it can’t read your mind (yet) and definitely won’t do everything for you. And nor should it. Like everything, you get out what you put in. Some people disregard AI … [Read more...] about AI, Creativity and Humanity (3): Responsibility
AI, creativity and humanity (2): Obstacles
In the second part of his series Douglas Perman examines the risks AI may pose to a trio of issues: copyright, the environment, and employment. Other issues such as privacy feature in Part 3. I’ve written in Sceptical Scot before about the significant challenges faced by the creative industries in Scotland since the pandemic. The economic challenge has not gone away. Costs are … [Read more...] about AI, creativity and humanity (2): Obstacles
AI, creativity and humanity (1)
Is AI as beneficial or as harmful as we choose to make it? We have to confront the harms and understand how to develop the benefits, argues Dougal Perman in a 3-part analysis for Sceptical Scot In his quest for knowledge Johnny 5 devoured culture and developed humanity. When a lightning strike brought the robot to life it gave him an insatiable hunger for input data. I love the … [Read more...] about AI, creativity and humanity (1)
Two worlds collide or stories Geoff Palmer told
Robert Wedderburn came a long way to find out that his father was a bastard. Born in Jamaica, as a young man Robert made his way to London. He was press-ganged by the Royal Navy, forced to fight for the British in the American Revolution, in 1782. After the war ended a year later, he managed to escape from his ship in Barbados. He returned to London to his wife Elizabeth, who … [Read more...] about Two worlds collide or stories Geoff Palmer told
Israel’s biggest security threat: Netanyahu
Over the past two years, Israel has killed over 66,000 Palestinians in Gaza, the vast majority of whom were civilians, including 20,000 children. Tens of thousands more have been wounded, many with life-changing injuries, or are still missing, mostly buried under rubble. This mass slaughter of Palestinians, which a UN commission of inquiry last month found to be a genocide, has … [Read more...] about Israel’s biggest security threat: Netanyahu
Build, baby, build
Ross Greer MSP, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, thinks I'm "super-rich" as the owner of a small (50m2) second home (lodge) overlooking Loch Earn. “All over Scotland people are being priced out of the communities they’ve grown up in, all while tens of thousands of homes sit empty for most of the year. They are being hoarded by a small number of wealthy people who clearly do … [Read more...] about Build, baby, build
Does Starmer have a vision?
Keir Starmer’s conference speech has rescued him from leadership challenges, for now; such appears to be the consensus opinion. Starmer certainly managed a stronger, more personable delivery than his more typical rabbit-in-the-headlights stance. But one minister told Channel 4 News that the mood amongst MPs was still sulphurous. And former shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, … [Read more...] about Does Starmer have a vision?
Scottish education: genuine partnership or pre-election fix?
It is safe to predict that education will remain high on the political agenda in the run-up to the 2026 Holyrood elections. In recent years, many aspects of educational provision have attracted criticism and all parties will be anxious to claim that their policy proposals will lead to improvements. Among the topics that have featured in hostile press reports are these:the … [Read more...] about Scottish education: genuine partnership or pre-election fix?