thecommongreen

thecommongreen, 3 days ago to random

Yesterday I was at the Parliament to give evidence to the Finance Committee on a governing framework for Commissioners - a slightly arcane topic but one pretty fundamental to how our democracy might be changing without us realising it. I warned about the risk of government pushing responsibility away from elected Ministers and onto appointed Commissioners, for example.

An intense session but one that was received well by the Committee.

You can watch the session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fi5OJXdlLs

thecommongreen, 8 days ago to random

My article in this week's Common Weal Newsletter.

The "economic case" for the 'Green Freeports' is that if we cut corporate taxes, they create jobs and income taxes offset the tax cut.

However, ScotGov hasn't done the modelling to see if this would be the case.

https://commonweal.scot/a-deal-with-the-devolved-part-three/

simon_brooke, 9 days ago to random

Excellent and hard hitting Episode of the Common Weal Policy Podcast on profit extraction from Scotland. Yet another example of the fact that globalised #Capitalism benefits no one but the ultra rich.

The Common Weal Policy Podcast: Episode #209 - Profit and Politics

Episode webpage: http://commonweal.scot

Media file: https://www.buzzsprout.com/264906/14990854-episode-209-profit-and-politics.mp3

thecommongreen, 9 days ago to random

The Vote of No Confidence in the Scottish Government
Yes - 58
No - 70
No Abstentions

The vote fails. Parliament retains confidence in the Government. The SNP shall continue a minority administration.

SNP and Greens voted against.
Labour, Conservatives, Lib Dems and Alba voted for. There were no rebels.

thecommongreen, 13 days ago to random

Given this week it takes some doing to wrestle a newspaper front page away from the party leadership stramash but...it looks like I've done it!

New Policy Paper released tomorrow (and it's not about the kelpies)

thecommongreen, 29 days ago to random

This would mean the UK spending £5 on the military for every £1 it spends on foreign aid.

Tell you what. Flip that ratio, then we can discuss how much "defence" we'd need.

"Boosting" nuclear arms is also discouraged by NPT and outright banned by TPNW.

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/starmer-labour-will-increase-defence-spending-to-2-5-and-boost-nuclear-deterrent-3002947

thecommongreen, 1 month ago to random

Of the three former (and soon to be former) Prime Ministers quoted in this article, the one with the most morally defensible position (as weak as it is) is the one who himself ordered extrajudicial drone strikes on British citizens.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-68751550

thecommongreen, 1 month ago to random

New Policy Paper!

We've developed a Scottish Land Tax that could raise £450 million a year and close the projected budget gaps of many of our Local Authorities.

https://commonweal.scot/policies/taxing-land-in-scotland/

thecommongreen, 1 month ago to random

I've written up some thoughts on the Land Reform Bill for Bella Caledonia

Some potential for some steps forward...but I worry, once again, about the amount of power ScotGov is claiming instead of building better local democracy.

https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2024/03/18/land-reform-or-another-power-grab/

thecommongreen, 1 month ago to random

The Homework Machine
Shel Silverstein - 1981

Not a bad prediction of ChatGPT there...

simon_brooke, 2 months ago to random

My friend Rob made up a jig to try to get the screws out of the field coils on the starter motor. We succeeded on three of the screws, but the second we mangled. We got the remains of it out with a screw extractor, but it means I'll have to source a replacement screw.

Inside the body, a miniature screw jack prevents us crushing it out of round.
The first screw successfully removed. It is a countersunk 3/8" UNC screw, 16 threads per inch, with an unusually steep countersink angle. It is shown lying beside its hole, on the cylindrical body of the starter motor.
Using a screw extractor to remove the remains of the mangled screw.

thecommongreen, 2 months ago to random

Today marks five years of the Common Weal Policy Podcast and this week saw us hit Episode #200!

Thank you to everyone who has listened to and supported the show, especially if you've been with us from the start.

Listen to this week's show at: https://commonweal.scot/podcast/the-common-weal-policy-podcast-episode-200/

thecommongreen, 2 months ago to Europe

My article in this week's @common_weal newsletter.

If, according to a new research paper, the cost of a Universal Basic Income could be less than the cost of the poverty it eliminates, then bringing in that UBI becomes a moral imperative.

#Poverty #UBI #Europe

https://commonweal.scot/ubi-now/

thecommongreen, 2 months ago to random

I've sent a letter as a constituent to my MP asking them to support the SNP motion for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

https://www.writetothem.com

simon_brooke, 2 months ago to random

Just had one of those AHA! moments: we should build houses for the homeless, of course we should, that's obvious. But we build them at FIVE HUNDRED YEAR QUALITY. That is to say, designed so that, with minimal maintenance, they will be good homes for 500 years. Yes, obviously that makes them a bit more expensive in the short term. But it means we develop a building industry with the skills to build 500 year homes. But more...

simon_brooke, 3 months ago to random

OK, suppose we reformed the relationship between central and local government in the UK by switching the proceeds of one major tax from central government to local government, which should it be? Switching income tax (£250bn) would obviously benefit richer areas at the expense of poorer. My hunch is that switching VAT (£162bn) would be a better idea.

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@RichardJMurphy
@thecommongreen