No political party with a record as poor as the SNP’s should be assured a fifth successive victory at next year’s Holyrood election. And yet, here we are. But why? Me on ‘Caledonian paralysis’ for Tribune Magazine.

In August, almost two million Vietnamese people donated to a major crowdfunding campaign for Cuba. It's the latest act in a long history of solidarity between the two peoples. I've written about that bond for the latest issue of Cuba Sí.

In this month's Conter column, I've written about Nicola Sturgeon's memoir and the reaction 'Frankly' received in a country still grappling with its author's departure from frontline politics. Link below.

"Today, MSPs can be brought to blows by seagulls, but never spurred to act against a system that strips power and control from their constituents." My column in today's @scotnational.bsky.social.

This week, I was on the @theskotia.bsky.social podcast discussing the privatisation of Scotland's assets including offshore wind and our civil service infrastructure. Listen on Spotify here: open.spotify.com/episode/6pzD... Or most other places where you'd prefer to get your podcasts.

Excellent-well worth a listen

In this week's episode of Nest of Fearties, James Foley and Craig Dalzell discuss how Scotland became one of the most foreign-owned economies in the world. 🎧 Listen to 'Scotland's Not For Sale' now: buff.ly/2J7NGM7

As the Keir Starmer roles out the red carpet for Isaac Herzog, I’ve written for Jacobin about Jeremy Corbyn’s Gaza Tribunal — where Britain’s participation in Israel’s genocide was exposed by dozens of expert witnesses.

Following in the footsteps of the USA, the British state has privatised its role in Israel’s war crimes. My piece in today’s Morning Star.

“The objective of Israel’s genocide is to deny the Palestinian people even the hope of a homeland. This week, the British state served that aim, conferring the right to decide Palestine’s future to the land’s illegal occupier.” My column in today’s @scotnational.bsky.social.

MBDA UK Ltd., is a partner of University of Glasgow. Israeli airstrikes in Gaza using GBU-39 bombs made with MBDA components, killed Palestinian civilians, including 34 people in Al-Buraq school Nov 10, 2023.

NEW 🇵🇸 My article in today’s Herald on Glasgow University’s links to MBDA, the missile group complicit in killing dozens of children in Gaza. The institution is “benefitting from the proceeds of genocide,” says Rector Ghassan Abu-Sittah.

Twelve months on from Labour's landslide, Matt Kerr and Chris Stephens return to Nest of Fearties to discuss the government's welfare bill, the proscription of Palestine Action and the prospect of a new left-wing party. 🎧 Listen to 'One Year On' now: buff.ly/rQjBAx9

"The old world will not go quietly." My remarks at last week's International Forum for Peace in Belgium via @progintl.bsky.social's Wire.

Bathgate no more. Lindwood no more. Grangemouth no more. Now, Larbert no more? After the news of Alexander Dennis' closure, @rosiehampton.bsky.social and @ewangibbs.bsky.social ponder whether Scotland is witnessing another unjust transition. 🎧 Listen now: buff.ly/MwMNRCJ

Reading regular news sources about what's going on with the Ferries is insanely mud-slingy and unhelpful. This episode is so good because you can actually figure out the root of the problem. Unsurprisingly, the problem isn't public ownership. The problem is not enough public ownership.

When you hear coverage of John Swinney's speech today promising a new road map for Scottish independence, the biggest question to ask is who has power in Swinney's vision? Is he promising a radical overhaul of corporate dominance over our resources and economic life?

In the latest episode of Nest of Fearties, Jeanette Findlay and Brian Reynolds discuss the costly, delayed and error-strewn delivery of the MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa. ⛴️ Listen to 'Behind The Ferry Fiasco' now: buff.ly/rRbYFnu

We are doing everything we can to get responses from as many potential MSPs as possible - including getting support from @mccailcoll.bsky.social for the next couple of weeks to ensure the process is fair. Read about Green Left Scotland's plans: greenleftscotland.substack.com/p/msp-candid...

Was a pleasure to talk politics with Coll McCail and Jonathon Shafi during the Nest of Fearties on Skotia. 🗳️ Hamilton by election 🌹 Labour's first 10 months 🗑️ Where austerity belongs 💷 A wealth tax on multi millionaires ✊ The need to redistribute power An hour well spent 👇

NEW: In a special episode of Nest of Fearties, Brian Leishman and Jonathon Shafi discuss the results and wider implications of this week's Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election. 🎧 Listen to 'After Hamilton' now: buff.ly/3s8Hwb1

Ethan Shone on the revolving door between the Labour Party and the City of London.

In the fifth episode of Nest of Fearties, Paul Dobson and Ethan Shone investigate the network of PR firms, lobbyists and private consultancies quietly influencing our politics at Holyrood and Westminster. 🎧 Listen to 'Who Really Runs Scotland?' now: spoti.fi/3FBuENW

Wrote about the British state's campaign against Kneecap for Bella Caledonia. Read here: bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/05/27/b...

👉 @mccailcoll.bsky.social puts the attempts to repress dissenting cultural voices in historical context | Behind the British State’s War on Kneecap bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/05/27/b...

For our rulers, working-class life is disposable. Humanity is expendable. That makes the struggle for life, and all that it can give, all the more important. This month's column for Conter.

On this day in 1973, El Wali Mustapha Sayed and other Sahrawis founded the Frente Popular de Liberación de Saguía el Hamra y Río de Oro (Polisario Front) — the movement to liberate Western Sahara from Spanish colonialism.

For the latest edition of Scottish Left Review, I spoke to Calum Baird about how the Cuban Revolution uses culture as a means of resisting the violence of the US blockade. Online and in print now.

Why does Fifa refuse to sanction Israel? | Coll McCail | MEE Opinion

For the Easter weekend edition of the Morning Star, I wrote about the ineptitude of Scotland’s political class through the prism of chocolate eggs. morningstaronline.co.uk/article/east...

After 14 years of austerity, the UK government is gearing up for more. In the latest episode of Nest of Fearties, Gerry McCartney and David Walsh detail just how harmful 'Austerity 2.0' will be. Listen to 'Social Murder?' now: bit.ly/4js1yPm

In the third episode of Nest of Fearties, Sophie Johnson and David Jamieson discuss Scottish nationalism’s pivot away from the anti-war tradition. 🎧 Listen to ‘Bombs Not Bairns?’ now: bit.ly/3QSEKfy

Civic Scotland can’t stop Reform UK. My piece in today’s @scotnational.bsky.social.

"While football's governing body continues its decades-long commitment to legitimising the crimes of imperialism, the world's terraces wave the Palestinian flag." My column in @middleeasteye-rss.bsky.social on FIFA and Israel.

BREAKING 🇿🇦 More than 100 parliamentarians from around the world stand with the South African people against US President Donald Trump's executive order, calling it "an assault on their right to self-determination."

Are BlackRock rebuilding Scotland too, asks @mccailcoll.bsky.social.

The Scottish Greens are a substantial and influential political party but not one who attract much coverage. It was interesting to hear from two left wing members on their views of the party’s culture and limitations.

Are the Scottish Greens ‘wine-bar revolutionaries’, neoliberals on bikes or the natural home for the progressive left in Scotland? Enjoyed discussing this with @elliebgomersall.bsky.social and @niallchristie1.bsky.social last week. Worth your time this weekend.

Great to take part in this very important discussion, thanks to @mccailcoll.bsky.social and @theskotia.bsky.social for sitting down with myself and @elliebgomersall.bsky.social. . Give this a listen and support the podcast as we need all the left media we can get in Scotland. 👏

Richard’s principled interventions will be a sore loss to a Parliament increasingly allergic to politics. (After all, how many other MSPs can claim to have quoted Mahmoud Darwish in Holyrood?)

In the inaugural episode of ‘Nest of Fearties’ — Skotia's new Scottish election podcast — Matt Kerr and Chris Stephens discuss this week's Scottish budget, the rise of Reform UK and much more. 🎧Listen now: bit.ly/4h2uLic

The anti-war movement, stirred to life again by Palestine, must grow - resisting war and militarisation at home and abroad. @mccailcoll.bsky.social on military-industrial complex in Scotland and the anti-war tradition. jacobin.com/2025/01/scot...

Blindsided by Washington's retrenchment, Keir Starmer promises to put 'boots on the ground' in Ukraine and raise defence spending. Dangerous posturing from a deeply unpopular PM in search of the slightest polling bump but ultimately content to remain latched to the US.

"Through the prism of Palestine solidarity, the anti-war movement plainly illustrated that the interests of British imperialism were beyond the remit of representative democracy." My latest for Conter on state repression of the anti-war movement.

I have a piece in the latest edition of Cuba Si on the historic relationship between the Cuban and Palestinian peoples — and their shared fight against imperialism. Online here: cuba-solidarity.org.uk/news/article...

“The Hague Group’s formation sends a clear message: no nation is above the law, and no crime will go unanswered." — Ronald Lamola, South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation

It’s time to defend the right to protest, argues Coll McCail.

I’ve written about the US military’s return to Scotland and what it means in the developing context of the New Cold War as Scottish nationalism embraces of Atlanticism. For @jacobinmag.bsky.social.

This month's Conter column: These are the weeks when decades happen.

Went to Arran for the first time today to speak at a packed out public meeting for Palestine 🇵🇸 with Katy Clark. Stunning setting, great meeting and the ferries ran smoothly!