A few years ago indy demos hit 60k upwards. Interestingly, these events were never officially promoted by the SNP. Today’s march a shadow of that, with the full backing of the party. Yes - political conditions are different. But big q’s must be asked:

thenational.scot/politics/24255…

Just got out of State Dept briefing.

Asked about this:

“…sound of women screaming and babies crying was heard late at night on both Sunday and Monday. When some of the residents went out to investigate and tried to help, they were shot at by Israeli quadcopter drones…”

And

Some letters sent in to the The National in response to today’s column on the dilemmas facing the independence cause.

thenational.scot/politics/24258…

Join our public meeting
🗓️Thursday 18th April
🕡6.30pm
📍St Patrick’s Church Hall, Coatbridge ML5 3H8
#FightingForFE

Lots of solidarity with Palestine at STUC Congress

Standing ovation for leader of Palestinian federation of trade unions and Ambassador Husam Zomlot

The hall itself is flying the flag 🇵🇸

And a great turnout at our Stop the War fringe #STUC24

Latest column in the The National arguing the independence cause is declining in salience, needs a long period of intellectual rejuvenation and to ask the hard questions. Lots of good comments in response. Debate and disagreement welcome.

thenational.scot/politics/24255…

Latest column in the The National arguing the independence cause is declining in salience, needs a long period of intellectual rejuvenation and to ask the hard questions. Lots of good comments in response. Debate and disagreement welcome.

thenational.scot/politics/24255…

The north is currently being heavily bombed for the past hour, very loud explosions across Northern Gaza . Many have been killed and many injuries with no functioning hospital to treat them .

David Cameron did not expect to be asked by Kay Burley about the bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus. This was telling. Pretending it didn’t happen only encourages the logic of escalation. You also can’t pretend to be a serious diplomatic player with such an approach.

The failure to impose a ceasefire and the lack of serious efforts to prevent a widening war represent a historic, and catastrophic, failure of leadership. As most of the world has argued for months.

Don’t think the level of politics in Scotland has been this dismal for a long time. Think many would agree. Question is why? Attempting to examine some of the potential underlying reasons as part of a relaunch of newsletter in May, which will also pair with a new website.

Tonight: 6pm UK time

Renowned Scholar Michael Buroway puts WEB Du Bois into dialogue with Marx, Weber and Durkheim, in a new exploration of radical thought.

Sign up for free here:
havenswrightcenter.wisc.edu/event/burawoy_…

.World Health Organization (WHO) and partners managed to reach Al-Shifa — once the backbone of the health system in #Gaza , which is now an empty shell with human graves after the latest siege. The team witnessed at least five dead bodies during the mission.

Most of the buildings in the hospital complex

Some good discussion on freeports in The National. Most have no idea what they are, and critically, the projects are already signed off. The Scottish Parliament has no proper oversight on these sub-national tax havens, undermining devolution. Dearth of public debate on issue.

Israel has agreed to open more aid routes after a call with Biden, showing three things. 1) Critical aid paths were shut, contrary to claims. 2) US could have done this months ago, but didn’t. 3) International pressure and protest is working. Slowly - the tide is turning.

It feels glib to say that after months of massacre effectively being live-streamed, an ICJ ruling, images of dismembered Gazans and crushed bodies, it only took the death toll rising to over 30,000 and 3 British aid workers being killed for something to finally properly shift.

It's stunning to me that this administration in particular, the US gov in general, 'the West' by extension, doesn't seem to understand that the credibility they've torched cannot be regained.

Over the years I’ve lost two friends, one Palestinian and one Lebanese, and nearly lost a third, a French cameraman, to the willingness of IDF soldiers to open fire even though they knew perfectly well who they were. But they felt sure their superiors would protect them.

White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby says that Israel has not committed any violations of international human rights law in Gaza. Given the craven role his administration have played: he would say that wouldn’t he.