Peter McColl

Looking forward to conversation with @AdamRamsay on why, at a time of rising populism, we urgently need more diverse & inclusive stories of national identity - please join us if you can #MakeHopePossible

Great to see @ScotNational write-up of our events with @CarolineLucas in Edinburgh and Glasgow: thenational.scot/news/25853718.… Book tickets here: makehopepossible.org/tickets

The good people behind the Tom Nairn conference are setting up an events series called “Make Hope Possible” (after Raymond Williams quote). Very much worth supporting - first talk here with ⁦@CarolineLucas⁩ and ⁦@AdamRamsay⁩. Signs of life… makehopepossible.org/tickets/

What direction for France? democratic-left.scot/post/which-way… / @vincent_boulet @europeanleft @PCF @WalterBaierEL @LeftHeinz @PeterMcColl @socialists4indy @thiourouge @CeeGraham1 @amendlocke @ElsaFaucillon @che_moose @CalumBairdSongs @AnthonyBarnett @humanite_fr

@paulewart23 @jemgilbert @evang3l10n_un1t An unpopular front?

@jemgilbert @evang3l10n_un1t Let’s face it, they’d rather form a grand coalition with the Tories and Lib Dems than cede power to the Left. Wouldn’t be at all surprised if they’d rather work with Reform!

A potential scenario we should be ready for is one in which the Labour right, with Wes at the helm, are actively pursing Pasokification as the only route to them keeping their jobs (even if those are jobs in a party with about 25% of its historic levels of support and funding).

@thelaurendick I published this following our conversation about Belfast, I hope it makes the point I was trying to get at! substack.com/home/post/p-15…

@kevinroose @jonathanvswan @lizpelly Thought you'd be interested in this: heraldscotland.com/news/24922987.…

It's Hard Fork Friday! This week on the show: • What's next for the Musketeers at DOGE (w/ @jonathanvswan) • How Spotify became a land of ghost music (w/ @lizpelly) • And we break down Deep Research, Granola, and other AI tools we're using

My PhD supervisor @adam_tooze belongs among varied intellectuals (Therborn, David Scott, Chakrabarty, Hall etc) seeking social theory after the collapse of dialectical History. I've long thought this is underplayed in his books, which are presented as narrative histories... /1

@_Matt_Kerr There was also Paul Boateng to South Africa and the proposed but never appointed Jack McConnell to Malawi

Since when did the UK appoint politicians as ambassadors? Maybe it’s happened before and I’m not aware, but even setting aside my personal prejudices against the man appointed, this feels like a very, very bad precedent.

NEW: Decentralisation of power could solve the Council Tax problem writes Peter McColl ✍️ thenational.scot/politics/24713…

Sign our declaration: buildlocal.scot @PeterMcColl rounds up our brilliant launch: “We need you to go out and be champions for this. Thank you for coming today. Let’s make the case for a local Scotland.” #BuildingaLocalScotland

The great Bob Fulton has passed away this week at the age of 101. I only got to know him during the last decade of his life, and those years alone could fill up the pages of a wonderfully surreal biography. Bob was larger than life. 1/

Seven ‘local’ councils in Scotland are larger than country of Luxembourg with 12 cantons & 116 councils. Highland is larger than Belgium with a federal gov, 3 regional govs & 581 councils. What Scotland has is not local democracy. Let’s change that.

With all respect, the real experts on NC500 issues & solutions are the locals who live on the route. thenational.scot/news/24552559.…

Our fringe at #SNP2024 is packed out as we reflect on 25 years of devolution and the future of Scottish democracy with @LesleyRiddoch @RobertonEsther and @jamiehepburn. With our friends at Build A Local Scotland.

@adamnolsmcvey popped you an email, wonder if you could have a look?

We see debate as a tool for making decisions, but how we debate truly shapes outcomes. In an increasingly polarised world, our current methods of discussion are hindering our ability to find solutions. So how can we transform our debates: rse.org.uk/event/time-for… @PeterMcColl

Australian legal experts call for swift removal of #ISDS. They emphasise the need to safeguard public health, environmental values, and climate initiatives from future legal challenges. #StopISDS isds.bilaterals.org/?australian-le…