A book about the relationship of a football club to a political decision? On one level this is madness. But in Scotland it makes perfect sense.What do Rangers mean to Scotland and what does Scotland mean to Rangers? What do Rangers mean to Britain and what does Britain mean to Rangers? How does the club and the game interact with the world around it?Questioning how British and Scottish identities fit into supporting Rangers, Born Under the Union Flag provides the first solid exploration of the relationship between sport and national identity.Well-known and informed contributors from both sides of the independence debate, including Harry Reid, Iain Duff, and Will McLeish, all lend their disparate viewpoints this book, showing just how nuanced - and difficult - the discussion really is.A must-read for anyone interested in Rangers, the history of Scottish football, or the independence debate.Like a great football match, when the final whistle is blown, the players will shake hands and move on. If they have any sense, the winners will be magnanimous in victory; the losers will rue the day but accept the result nonetheless. I guess the one thing neither side wants is a draw and a replay. But that's up to the voters.
This book is dedicated to the next generations.World in Chains is a collection of essays from well-reputed experts, all of which deliver engaging and analytical critiques of nuclear warfare.In the past I have often wondered why obviously unethical or inhumane horrors were able to take place, what people were doing at the time to prevent them or what kind of resistance was happening, how many people knew and tried to stop the genocide, slavery, poverty and pollution... I want those who come after my generation to know that, yes, we do know of the dangers of nuclear war, of climate chaos, of environmental destruction. This book will show you that there were many people working to change the structures that keep our world in chains. - Angie ZelterIt is simply very hard to read, or think, about oneself and all of one's loved ones - all of the people one knows - strangers, everyone... being evaporated, or burned alive, being poisoned, blinded, tormented, genetically altered, starved, deprived of all they own and so forth... Thinking about nuclear weapons is just hard. - A. L. Kennedy[Angie Zelter] is committed to working to prevent nuclear mass murder, and by her own personal example and through her organizational skills, she has inspired and empowered many people. - Mairead Corrigan Maguire (1976 Nobel Peace Prize Winner)
Can Gala resist the ties that bind, or will she be drawn once more into a world skewed by fear and suspicion? To avoid being caught in the web of her father's self-delusion, she fled to another continent.Now she has returned, she must confront the unbearable weight of her past. A flawed father is seen clearly at last through his daughter's eyes in a multi-layered narrative that echoes the shifts and loops of memory.Delicately drawn in fragments of memory, Pelmanism is a moving journey of self-discovery. With her father's breakdown, Gala finds herself pulled back into the toxic family dynamics she thought she had eluded. Through ripples of the past, we begin to piece together the reality of a family that has lived a lie for as long as she can remember. But what kind of truth can memory really offer?
'S dòcha dìreach gur e ceist ùine, neo tìm, a bha sin: nam biodh barrachd ùine air a bhith againn, na bhiodh sinn air a dhèanamh 's a choilionadh còmhla. An saoghal a bhiodh sinn air a dhealbh. Nam biodh gràdh da-rìreabh againn air a chèile, cha bhiodh sinn air dealachadh.
B' e samhradh fada teth a bh' ann... chunnaic iad a chèile air aiseag, ach bho nach do bhruidhinn iad, tha cianalas is aithreachas a' gabhail greim.
Ann an sgrìobhadh àlainn ealanta tha An Nighean air an Aiseig gar toirt air ais gu samhraidhean gaoil ann am Muile, an Uibhist is eile.
An Nighean air an Aiseag is the Scottish Gaelic version of the novel The Girl on the Ferryboat and is believed to be the first novel simultaneously published in both English and Gaelic.
There is only one argument for Scottish independence: the cultural argument. It was there long before North Sea oil had been discovered, and it will be here long after the oil has run out.How have perceptions of Scottish culture been shaped by its role within Britain? What would be different about culture in an Independent Scotland? Why is culture the key to the independence debate?ALEXANDER MOFFAT and ALAN RIACH take a hard look at the most neglected aspect of the argument for Scotland's distinctive national identity: the arts. Their proposition is that music, painting, architecture and, pre-eminently, literature, are the fuel and fire that makes imagination possible. Neglect them at your peril. For Moffat and Riach, jobs, health and trade are matters of material fact that need to be enlivened by imagination. How can we organise society to help us approach what the arts have to give. Why have we been so poor at representing our arts comprehensively, both within Scotland and internationally? What can be done? How might things be different? The arts are of paramount importance in the modern world. Moffat and Riach take the argument out of the hands of politicians and economists and beyond the petty squabbles of party politics.Praise for Arts of Resistance An inspiration, a revelation and education, as to the extraordinary richness and organic cohesion of twentieth-century Scottish culture, full of intellectual adventure and openness to the wider world... full of passion and intelligence... This is a landmark book. THE TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT
Small northern European states have been a major point of reference in the Scottish independence debate. For nationalists, they have been an 'arc of prosperity' while in the aftermath of the financial crash, unionists lampooned the 'arc of insolvency'.Both characterisations are equally misleading. Small states can do well in the global market place, but they face the world in very different ways. Some accept market logic and take the 'low road' of low wages, low taxes and light regulation, with a correspondingly low level of public services. Others take the 'high road' of social investment, which entails a larger public sector and higher taxes. Such a strategy requires innovative government, flexibility and social partnership.Keating and Harvey compare the experience of the Nordic and Baltic states and Ireland, which have taken very different roads and ask what lessons can be learnt for Scotland. They conclude that success is possible but that hard choices would need to be taken. Neither side in the independence debate has faced these choices squarely.
Great Britain, (abbreviation: UK) England, Wales and Scotland considered as a unit. The name is also often used loosely to refer to the United Kingdom. reboot, ri-bu:t , verb to restart or revive... give fresh impetus to... federal, fed ar-al, adj. having or relating to a system of government in which several states form a unity but remain independent in internal affairs.Would federalism work in the UK? Wouldn't England dominate a British federation? How would powers be distributed between federal and home Nation level? What about the House of Lords?In the run up to the historic referendum on Scottish independence there has been a plethora of tracts, articles and books arguing for and against, but there remains a gap in the literature: the case for Scotland becoming part of a 'rebooted' federal Union. It is an old, usually Liberal, dream, but one still worth fighting for.It is often assumed that federalism is somehow 'alien' to the Scottish and British constitutional tradition but in this short book journalist David Torrance argues that not only has the UK already become a quasi-federal state but that formal federation is the best way of squaring the competing demands of Nationalists and Unionists.He also uses Scotland's place within a federal UK to examine other potential reforms with a view to tackling ever-increasing inequality across the British Isles and create a more equal, successful and constitutionally coherent country.
The history of parliament in the UK has a consistent theme: the refusal to accept any binding contract with the people. This unacceptable status quo goes for Holyrood as much as for Westminster. The time has come for people to challenge the power of the ruling class.We want to see the Scottish Parliament become an institution that it has so far failed to be: an institution committed to the sovereignty of the people. We want the people of Scotland to lead the rest of the UK by example, and ensure that the actions of a government are bound by shared political and ethical values.And we propose the first step: a modest proposal, for the agreement of the people.Are you with us?'ANGUS REID and MARY DAVISWe need a common ground, and this is a brave attempt to create that in simple and universal language ... DAVE MOXHAM, Deputy General Secretary, STUCThis fascinating project has the seed of revolution in it ... GEORGE GUNN, writer and broadcasterCONTENTS Prologue Call for a Constitution Introduction CHAPTER 1 The Words CHAPTER 2 The Journey Map Responses Schools CHAPTER 3 The Past The English Revolution, 1647 to 1649 The Workers' Story, 1910 to 1918 For Women, 1914 to the present day CHAPTER 4 Considering a Constitution A socialist view A view from a former Government insider A view from Iceland A view from the Red Paper Collective A view across the Meadows CHAPTER 5 Epilogue: The White Paper Acknowledgements Contributors Bibliography Petition
A different Scotland is possible.Caledonian Dreaming: The Quest for a Different Scotland offers a penetrating and original way forward for Scotland beyond the current independence debate. It identifies the myths of modern Scotland, describes what they say and why they need to be seen as myths.Hassan argues that Scotland is already changing, as traditional institutions and power decline and new forces emerge. He outlines a prospectus for Scotland to become more democratic and to embrace radical and far-reaching change.REVIEWS An intelligent, brave and much needed contribution to the debate around the referendum in Scotland. This, along with other great contributions, like Lesley Riddoch's Blossom, are hugely important to the general discourse and much needed research into the country we have been, the country we now are and the country we could become. ELAINE C. SMITH, actress and campaignerThis is a remarkable book - balanced and brave, insightful and incisive,intelligently blending the personal and the political. Whatever the referendum result, if Scotland really wants to be 'the best place in the world to grow up', Gerry Hassan's suggestions for 'a new democracy' would be an excellent starting point. SUE PALMER, author, Toxic ChildhoodGerry Hassan sets out to challenge the lazy presumptions that are around about Scotland and its future. He invites the reader to think and think again. STUART COSGROVE, broadcasterUnderstanding that the old stories we tell ourselves influence the new stories we go on to write, Gerry Hassan has crafted a brilliant book unpacking the political narratives that have shaped modern Scotland in order to create a space to imagine anew. A book about Scotland important to anyone, anywhere, dreaming a new world. STEPHEN DUNCOMBE, author, Dream: Re-imagining Progressive Politics in an Age of Fantasy The independence referendum changes what is possible regardless of its outcome. It forces people in Scotland to confront far more directly the nature of their country rather than continue to accept the myths that build up when there is no option to go it alone. In Caledonia Dreaming Gerry Hassan skillfully traverses these key myths to show that, if Scotland were to gain independence, it would have to confront internal realities that were hidden when Westminster could be blamed for so much. If the Scots prove the bookies wrong, if events over the summer of 2014 turn so that independence is achieved, then this book demonstrates that the new Scotland will be further from many possible idealised European utopias than many nationalists had ever imagined. It is a key contribution to the debate no matter where you stand. DANNY DORLING, author, Injustice: Why Social Justice Persists, Professor of Human Geography, Oxford UniversityWith one bound Scotland could be free! How tempting that looks to the progressive-minded on both sides of the border. If only it were that easy. Gerry Hassan drills down to deeper reasons why the many dysfunctions of British democracy could dog an independent Scotland too. With a non-partisan but beady eye on society both sides of the border, in this clever book here are tougher questions to consider than a mere Yes/No. POLLY TOYNBEE, writer and journalist, The Guardian
After more than 300 years of union with its larger and wealthier neighbour, Scotland has the opportunity to be independent. It is a chance that well-known Scottish cultural and political commentator Paul Henderson Scott firmly believes should be taken. In Scotland: A Creative Past, An Independent Future, he looks to Scotland's vibrant literary and cultural heritage to envisage an independent nation.Revisiting aspects of Scotland's political and cultural past, from the Union of 1707 to literary figures including Robert Louis Stevenson and Alasdair Gray, this is a passionate and eloquent exploration of Scotland's past, and its potential future - a future where national confidence, culture and identity can flourish. Scott's provocative book persuasively argues the case for Independence, considering a variety of topics, both historic and current, cultural and political. But in every case, the benefits of Independence are clear. Scotland has the opportunity to become more confident, prosperous and contented - an opportunity that even the most sceptical reader will be persuaded that they should take.
At the height of the Scottish Independence debate, After Independence offers an in-depth and varied exploration of the possibilities for Scotland, from both pro and anti-independence standpoints. Drawing together over two dozen leading minds on the subject, After Independence offers a comprehensive and balanced analysis of Scotland's current and prospective political, economic, social and cultural situation. Brought together in an inclusive, accessible and informative way, After Independence asks and answers a range of questions crucial to the Independence debate and invites its readers to become involved at this crucial moment of Scottish history in the making.
Spanning four politically and socially tumultuous decades, Stephen Maxwell's writings explore the origins and development of the modern Scottish Nationalist movement. As an instrumental member of the SNP and a life-long socialist, Maxwell's work provides an engaging contemporary insight into the debate over Scottish independence, setting out a clear ideological and practical arguments for a socially just Scotland.The Case for Left Wing Nationalism - Maxwell's seminal 1981 pamphlet - considers the historical and cultural roots of Scottish national identity and stresses the importance of a realistic understanding of the past as the basis of a more prosperous, independent future. It concludes with Hugh MacDiarmid's prescription for a Scottish renaissance: Not Traditions - Precedents.
Shortlisted for 'Polemic of the Year' at The Paddy Power/Total Politics Political Book Awards 2013!Following an introductory chapter exploring why political argument deals in probability and plausibility across interdependent areas of social activity not certainty in individual areas, this book offers a case for independence under six main headings – the democratic case, the economic case, the social case, the international case, the cultural case and the environmental case. Under each heading, the case is assessed against both the supportive evidence and the hostile evidence, from a variety of sources, concluding with a judgement of where the balance of the evidence points. The book concludes with a selection of populist objections to independence answered by summary rebuttals from the independence file.ReviewsMaxwell has done his homework assiduously. The key historical, social science and political sources on the subject have been marshalled with skill and to good effect... The author writes in coherent and lucid prose so even complex economic arguments can be reaily understood and absorbed. SUNDAY HERALDThis is a book of profound thought, intelligence and wit. To my mind it is the best book on the need for Scottish Independence and it certainly should be read and cherished by all of us who hope to contribute to the campaign. Stephen stimulated many of us for years, but this is his final and most powerful work. As Owen Dudley Edwards says in his Preface: “This book lifts the entire debate on Scottish independence to a new intellectual level. PAUL HENDERSON SCOTTBack CoverIndependence: a nation's right to effective government by its people or for its peopleEvidence: interpretation of factsRisk: likelihood that outcomes will not be as predictedWicked issues: problems perceived to be resistant to resolutionWhat sorts of arguments and evidence should carry the most wight in assessing the case for and against Scottish independence? Given the complexity of the question and the range of the possible consequences, can either side in the argument protend to certainty, or must we simply be satisfied with probability or even plausibility? Are there criteria for sifting the competing claims and counter-claims and arriving at a rational decision on Scotland's future?In Arguing for Independence author Stephen Maxwell opens with a chapter on The Ways We Argue before exploring the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments for independence under six main headings:the democratic casethe economic casethe social casethe international casethe cultural casethe environmental caseHe also provides his own concise answers to some of the most frequent 'Aye but' responses to the case for independence.By offering an assessment of the case for independence across all its dimensions, Arguing for Independence fills a longstanding gap in Scotland's political bookshelf as we enter a new and critical phase in the debate on Scotland's political future.
Scotland: The Growing Divide is the follow-up to Scotland: The Road Divides, which was released in 2007 to significant media interest across the UK. A book ahead of its time, several of the conclusions and predictions in The Road Divides have now become a political reality.Five years on, and now facing a referendum on Scottish independence in autumn 2014, the authors focus on the changing face of politics and what that means for both Scotland and the UK. With a thorough discussion of the arguments reaching several provocative conclusions, this is a must-read for anyone with an interest in the future of this country.REVIEWS: As a response to the 'national conversation' initiated by Salmond this is an important book, and coming from a former Labour heavyweight it is, in its way, remarkable. It virtually concedes that the party that has dominated Scottish politics for the past 30 years, has lost its way, and that the old ideologies no longer count. THE TIMES[McLeish] has emerged as an advocate of a much bolder approach to devolution than many in his party seem ready for. EDINBURGH EVENING NEWSThey are particularly scathing of Westminster's response to the debate... The authors note that the initial response was to point out that Westminster could take back powers from Holyrood. THE HERALD
Blossom: 1. A term given to flowers of stone fruit trees and some other plants that flower profusely in Spring. Blossoms provide pollen to bees, and initiate cross-pollination necessary for trees to reproduce by producing fruit. 2. A peak period or stage of development. Covering topics including housing, health, language and culture, Riddoch looks at the way in which Scots identify themselves and how this needs to change in order for the country to blossom "€“ as an independent nation or a strongly devolved one. Arguing that limited access to security and wealth has left Scots feeling like outsiders in their own country, this book tackles fundamental and personal issues of identity that matter to ordinary Scots. Designed to incite discussion and debate, this book will appeal to those who believe larger issues of self esteem and power lurk beneath the complexities of the independence debate and want to delve deeperBACK COVER What will it take for Scotland to blossom? Imagine Scotland as a beautifully-knitted, warmth-providing sweater caught on a snag. Its wearer tries to move forward "€“ but cannot. A pause is needed to lift the garment clear. Scotland is thus snagged. And no amount of tugging will free it from the stubborn, progress-inhibiting three-headed hook of inequality, distant control and top-down governance. Weeding out vital components of Scottish identity from decades of political and social tangle is no mean task, but it's one journalist Lesley Riddoch has undertaken. Dispensing with the tired, yo-yoing jousts over fiscal commissions, Devo Something and EU in-or-out, Blossom pinpoints both the buds of growth and the blight that's holding Scotland back. Drawing from its people, history, and the author's own passionate and outspoken perspective this is a plain-speaking but incisive call to restore control to local communities and let Scotland flourish.
As the Scottish people prepare for their biggest ever collective decision with a proposed referendum near at hand, The Independence Book forcefully sets out the Case for Independence. The Imperative of Independence is demonstrated by varied distinguished authors, including contributions from Neil Kay, Tom Nairn and Betty Davies. Each author tackles the subject in a different way - personal, political, historical or academic - but the key denominator is clear: Independence Must Come.BACK COVER: If you believe in the Case for Independence, this book will provide you with a stirring endorsement of your view. If you are sceptical, it might well persuade you to convert to the cause. If you are downright hostile, this book could be dangeroud - it could prompt you to rethink.Suddenly Scottish Independence is within grasp. Is this a frivolous pipedream, a romantic illusion? Or is it, as the writers of this dynamic and positive collection of essays insist, an authentic political option, feasible and beneficial?As the Scottish people prepare for their biggest ever collective decision, this book forcefully sets out the Case for Independence. The distinguished authors, from a variety of different perspectives, argue the acase for the Imperative of Independence.The case is made in various styles - personal, political, academic, historical, philosophical. But the key denominator is clear - Independence Must Come: it will be good for Scotland (and England too).REVIEWS: If anyone were to ask me if there's a handy wee book which effectively argues the case for Scottish independence and, just as importantly, counters the main Unionist objections, then this is the book I'd recommend. It does what it says on the tin.
They'll all be crow bait by the time I'm finished...Jail was hell for Davie McCall. Ten years down the line, freedom's no picnic either. It's 1990, there are new kings in the West of Scotland underworld, and Glasgow is awash with drugs.Davie can handle himself. What he can't handle is the memory of his mother's death at the hand of his sadistic father. Or the darkness his father implanted deep in his own psyche. Or the nightmares...Now his father is back in town and after blood, ready to waste anyone who stops him hacking out a piece of the action. There are people in his way.And Davie is one of them.Tense, dark and nerve-wracking... a highly effective thriller. THE HERALDThis is crime fiction of the strongest quality. CRIMESQUAD.COMA gory and razor-sharp crime novel from the start, Douglas Skelton's Crow Bait moves at breakneck speed like a getaway car on the dark streets of Glasgow. THE SKINNYSkelton has been hiding from his talent for long enough. High time he shared it with the rest of us. QUINTIN JARDINEPRAISE for Blood CityThe city's dark underbelly complete with knives, razors, guns and gangs... DAILY MAILYou follow the plot like an eager dog, nose turning this way and that, not catching every single clue but quivering as you lunge towards a blood-splattered denouement. DAILY EXPRESSThe Glasgow of this period is a great, gritty setting for a crime story, and Skelton's non-fiction work stands him in good stead... he's taken well to fiction... the unexpected twists keep coming. THE HERALD
What is Generation Scot Y?Born in the 1980s and 1990s and comprising primarily of the children of the baby boomers, Generation Y is often perceived as being the generation that wants it all.Think you know what makes Scotland's 20-somethings tick? Knowing who Generation Y in Scotland - Generation ScotY - is, matters for our economy, our society and our political culture.Generation ScotY has grown up with devolution: are they ready to embrace full nationhood? How has Scotland's independence referendum affected them and what does it mean for their future?In this book, political blogger at Burdz Eye View, Kate Higgins explores all this and more - Generation ScotY's identity, influences, values, voting behaviours and aspirations. Far from being frivolous, this is a serious generation for serious times.This book only skims the surface but dip in and you'll discover something you never knew - I did and I'm the mother of one. And ultimately, you'll find that far from wanting to have it all, they just want a little of all that we've had. KATE HIGGINS
On 18 September 2014, everyone in Scotland aged 16 or over will be asked the question: 'Should Scotland Be An Independent Country?'As the referendum approaches, the debates over whether or not Scotland should be an independent country are becoming more heated. This guide, produced by respected Scottish journalists and authors, Jamie Maxwell and David Torrance, covers everything you need to know in advance of deciding which way to vote.Maxwell and Torrance summarise the main arguments for and against before delving into the central issues at the heart of the debate, including economics, welfare and pensions, defence and foreign affairs, and culture and national identity.They outline the way that Scotland is currently governed and review where the parties stand on the debate before concluding with speculative chapters on what happens after the vote, whether YES or NO.The referendum on 18 September 2014 is the most significant democratic event in Scotland's history. Get engaged. Be informed. Whatever you do, don't NOT vote!
As mankind strives to rebuild society in the wake of climate change, over-population and global food shortages, every day is a struggle for people like Sid and his younger sister Lo. They are 'runners'- people whose very survival the government has outlawed. As they move west, trying to find family or somewhere they can call home, they must work out which of the people they meet on the way can be trusted, and which want to cut their adventure short. Encountering people on both sides of the law, as well as those who seem to exist outside it, Sid and Lo make and lose friends as they fight for their lives and each other.
Is Scottish independence incompatible with ‘Labour values'?
Are ‘Labour values' being realised within the Union?
How much really divides Yes campaigners from Labour voters?
Why Not? Scotland, Labour and Independence is a passionate and often personal appeal to Labour voters (and other progressive Scots) to consider the social, economic and political gains that could be won with Scottish self-government. Bringing together a range of diverse voices – some from within the Labour Party, some from within the SNP, some from the non-aligned Left – it presents the social justice case for a Yes vote and argues that independence offers the clearest route forward for socialist and centre-left Scotland.
Urgent, original and provocative, Why Not? is a vital contribution to the independence debate – and essential reading for all Scots.
As the Scotland electorate wakes up in the day after the referendum, everything has changed and nothing has changed. Scottish and UK politics is broken, it desperately needs fixed. The future of Scotland will be centre stage, but so will our democracy and the future of a Union in decline.Our politics once again needs to inspire, enthuse, educate and be relevant to the needs and aspirations of the public and reconnect with the values that underpin our society. There are urgent issues that we need to deal with now - the most important of which being rampant inequality. We have to move away from the mindless tribalism and partisanship that too often dominates much of what passes as political debate.Over the past year it has become clear that regardless of their stance on the referendum debate, the Scottish people are united on one front, the yearning for change for the betterment of their nation, their institutions and their politics. For McLeish, the referendum debate is merely the beginning. It is a symptom of the need for a more fundamental shift in the way we engage with politics in the UK and Scotland today.Former First Minister of Scotland, Henry McLeish is well placed to diagnose the crisis at the heart of Scotland and UK politics. In Rethinking Our Politics McLeish looks critically at the conditions which have created an increasingly divided and alienated public and forged Scotland's yearning for radical change. He rails against the stagnation of the union and makes a rousing and persuasive case for a complete overhaul of our political thinking, demanding that instead of making decisions on the basis of fear and insecurity, we rediscover the founding moral purpose of government.This is a must read for those who care about the future of our nation.
If a majority of us decide to vote YES on 18 September 2014, then that divorce from the rest of the UK is easy to do. No expensive lawyers. No cost except the travel to the polling station… No need to lift a finger. Just a cross on a ballot paper. But before you say, that's great, think on… This is a decision we will live with for the rest of our lives, and our children's and grandchildren's, for maybe centuries to come.
MARIA FYFE
It's been noted over and over again that women are more likely to vote NO in Scotland's Referendum 2014. There has been endless speculation as to why this may be, but until now little expression of their views has been heard.
In a series of essays arguing for a NO vote at the forthcoming Scottish independence referendum, 14 women varying in age, ethnicity, political views and life experience – including Maria Fyfe, Johann Lamont MSP, Sarah Boyack MSP and Fiona O'Donnell MP – come together to make a positive case against independence.
With contributions from leading current and former politicians and citizens, Women Saying No presents the arguments against independence, from a female perspective, in an attempt to widen the debate.
Praise for Maria Fyfe
The book she has written is a gem. It zips along on a skilful mix of genuinely funny anecdotes, telling vignettes and perceptive political analysis. It serves future historians well too, for it will serve as a necessary counterbalance to the leadership-centric books and diaries which have followed the Tony Blair – Peter Mandelson years. But it has a more immediate attraction than that. The Nats gets a good pre-referendum kicking from Oor Maria. Recalling that the Nats used to call the Scots Labour MPs ‘the feeble fifty' she points out the SNP were nowhere to be seen the night a last ditch Tory filibuster failed to halt the Minimum Wage Bill.
ALASDAIR BUCHAN, TRIBUNE on A Problem Like Maria
A feisty, irrepressible, red flag idealist… the only woman Scottish MP in a gang of fifty. She could not be bullied, bamboozled or bribed. She did not fit comfortably in to the Procrustean bed of a biddable Blair babe.
PAUL FLYNN, THE HOUSE MAGAZINE on A Problem Like Maria
