Venezuela's tragedy: the amazing corruption machine

IN 2003 Hugo Chavez implemented a currency control system in Venezuela, which in turn created a black market for foreign currency and the means for corrupt insiders to manipulate these controls to earn huge sums ...

Sturgeon’s dishonesty on the costs of independence is counterproductive

LAST MONTH the campaign group Scottish Business UK set out the costs of independence to the Scottish economy. It didn’t say anything particularly new, except to point out how much more damaging ...

Brexit agreement 95% ready? Pull the other one

THE PRIME MINISTER has sought to dispel the torrent of criticism facing her by claiming that the draft Brexit agreement with the EU is “95% complete”. Here is how we would score it.

Optimism in short supply as Romania marks unification centenary

CELEBRATIONS to mark the unification of Romania, which occurred a century ago this December, are currently going ahead. I'm just back from a conference that examined the breakthrough for Romanian Unionists as well as the ...

The magical mystery Brexit

THERE ARE a sequence of events that create a mystery in the whole Brexit process to date, and is important to solve going forward. 

In January 2017 the Lancaster House speech set ...

My Grandad’s story should remind the PM who’s debt she is in

WORDSWORTH'S remarks about the French Revolution sum up best how I felt on the glorious morning we found out the referendum result. 

“Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,

Ruth Davidson’s speech to Birmingham Tory conference

We thought our followers might like to read Ruth Davidson’s speech to the Conservative conference in Birmingham; here it is as circulated.

Sweden beyond the cliches

A REVIEW of Sweden, Dying to be MultiCultural, the Rise and Fall of the Humanitarian Empire, 2017 edition, Paperback and Kindle.

Pelle Neroth Taylor is a young half-English, writer from Sweden who has ...

Blocking Brexit or backing another referendum would cost Labour at the polls

Labour’s attitude to Brexit and a second referendum could cost them 19 of their 25 most marginal seats, making a Labour government a more distant prospect. Voters want to get a move on with Brexit ...

Venezuela’s tragedy: appalling healthcare going from bad to worse

HUGO CHAVEZ talked a lot about caring for the poor and sick, enshrining the right to free healthcare in the constitution and spending large sums on importing Cuban doctors into new healthcare facilities. 

Those leading the anti-smacking campaign are outside the real world of families

THE DISCUSSION around banning smacking is highly confused. John Finnie who is proposing the bill equates smacking children with domestic abuse. While severe smacking or punishment is already illegal, his bill will outlaw mild smacking ...

No sweet music as government turns a deaf ear to policy failure

THE FUTURE OF INSTRUMENTAL AND VOCAL TUITION in Scotland's schools has been grabbing headlines and occupying the attention of politicians in recent months. Decisions by local councils to end free music tuition, or to greatly ...