In the wake of Ann Widdecombe’s murder, JOHN GREEN wonders whether the government will really get to grips with the root cause of these attacks on our MPs
WHEN Scottish Labour MSPs head back to work next week in Edinburgh, they might be forgiven for having a spring in their step, despite the best efforts of atrocious summer weather to put a damper on everything.
An opinion poll by Norstat for the Sunday Times on August 24 suggests that come the Scottish Parliament elections in 2026, it will be Labour and not the SNP that Scotland’s first minister will come from.
There now follows a flock of caveats. It is a long way to 2026, and the impact of both Westminster and Holyrood announcing a new age of austerity is as yet unclear. Furthermore, the Norstat polling numbers were very close.
Can Andy Burnham’s programme deliver a productive economy – or merely a softer version of capitalism, asks VINCE MILLS
The new Scottish Parliament looks set to continue a cycle of managerial tinkering while public services face the axe, writes STEPHEN LOW
Years of underfunding are eroding Scotland’s local services and deepening inequality in communities, says VINCE MILLS
Cuts are sweeping campuses as cash-strapped universities slash staff and politicians fail to act on a growing funding emergency. VINCE MILLS reports


