Glasgow gave Mandela, then a political prisoner, the freedom of the city in 1981, launching a global wave of solidarity — today, with racism still lurking, we need to celebrate the struggle against apartheid once more, writes JOHN STEVENSON

JOHN STEVENSON introduces a new website in tribute to the late Unison general secretary, affectionately known as ‘Bick,’ that will remind people who he was and the importance of the words he spoke

The left faces a great challenge north of the border, says JOHN STEVENSON

JOHN STEVENSON outlines some of the potential problems with this controversial part of new child safety legislation

With Britain focused on Brexit and Scotland obsessing over the independence debate, we are forgetting to organise as a class, writes JOHN STEVENSON

In Scotland, the myriad positions on staying in or leaving the European Union, intersecting with positions on staying in or leaving the UK, can become a major distraction - the socialist position has to be to put a socialist government above all else, writes Unison's JOHN STEVENSON

Fundamental political change at Holyrood and Westminster is needed to save local services, but a modest proposal from trade unions could help keep the wolf from the door in the meantime, says JOHN STEVENSON