Common Weal

A Government For All Of Us

/ Dr Craig Dalzell / 3 Comments

“It’s a Common Weal program for government.” – In an email sent to Common Weal today.

Today saw the return of the Scottish Parliament for the 2017/18 session and the opening speech by the First Minster introducing her program for government. You can watch the full speech below.

After far too long of what seemed like the political doldrums of a couple of fairly drab elections and the ever endless string of intentionally depressing political headlines, this speech was a remarkably refreshing change of pace with some fairly strong statements of intent in several areas.

Notably, Common Weal appears to be finally having a significant influence on the political direction of government with several of our policies now being talked about openly or outright adopted as policy.

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We Need To Talk About: GERS (2016-17 Edition)

/ Dr Craig Dalzell / 10 Comments

“The GERS figures are not meant to be anything other than a way of showing the current position under the present arrangements.” – The BBC 

The annual Government Expenditure and Revenue report is out and, as with previous years, I’ve written an analysis of the report and what it means for Scotland. The GERS report itself can be downloaded here.

GERS banner

A more detailed analysis I have prepared for Common Weal can also be read here.

GERS CW Banner

The UK is a deeply unequal union and London continues to capture a greater and greater proportion of the wealth of the state to the detriment of everywhere else. This single fact has to frame everything we think and say about the finances of Scotland.

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Social Security For All Of Us

/ Dr Craig Dalzell / 14 Comments

“Scotland can, if it chooses to be bold, creative and ambitious, use the opportunity  presented by independence to build a social security system for all of us.”

I’m proud to present my latest report for the Common Weal White Paper Project, Social Security For All Of Us – An Independent Scotland as a Modern Welfare State.

The report can be downloaded here or by clicking the images below. There has also been coverage in The National here and here.

Report CoverExec Summary Cover

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Passing Go

/ Dr Craig Dalzell / 8 Comments

 “Let the children once see clearly the gross injustice of our present land system and when they grow up, if they are allowed to develop naturally, the evil will soon be remedied.” – Elizabeth Magie, inventor of “The Landlord’s Game”, the precursor to Monopoly.

For a game about rampant, exploitative capitalism and a race to deliberately bankrupt your mates, in some ways Monopoly looks remarkably egalitarian compared to modern Britain

Monopoly

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