-
Ravenscraig steelworks
Near Craigneuk in Lanarkshire. Was the largest hot strip steel mill in Western Europe until it closed in 1992. One of 4 in the UK. At its peak, steel production in the UK employed about 300 000 people. Iron ore was brought in to the Clyde at Kingston until 1978, when it moved to West…
-
The Battle for Adam Smith
Statue on the Royal Mile, commissioned by Adam Smith Institute, unveiled 2008. But the ASI, established in 1976, is a think tank promoting neoliberalism. Others eg Margaret Thatcher also claim Adam Smith as a father of free enterprise economics. Gordon Brown has said that Adam Smith would be happier in the John Smith Institute rather…
-
Ethnic minorities and Scottish nationalism
Aspirational pluralism in Scotland – all political parties see ethnic/racial minorities as essential to Scottish society. Minorities find it easy to feel Scottish, and are more likely to identify as such than minorities in England. This is in part because Scotland is smaller, also because language is not key to Scottish identity cf Catalunya, Quebec.…
-
Livingstone
The David Livingstone centre, bless, will always try to paint him in a positive light. His biographer Tim Jeal, however, makes clear that he was imperfect, obsessive, perverse and often misguided man. He wrote lovely letters to his wife, but it was probably a marriage of convenience, at least to begin with. He risked their…
-
Compensation for slavery?
The abolition of slavery in 1833 included £20m compensation to slave owners. The Glasgow West India association claimed the equivalent of £16 billion in modern terms. [Stephen Mullen, Univ Glasgow researcher]
-
Neds rule
Neds (self identified) more widespread than might be expected for what is usually a perjorative term. In fact, often perceive themselves as popular and respected in schools! Disengagement from education is more important than class – middle class Neds not uncommon! Although minority groups may reclaim perjorative term eg queer, negro as a means of…