Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
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Scotland’s councils trapped between a rock and a hard place
Does Holyrood have the political will to address the funding problems facing local government, asks GORDON MUNRO
The Scottish Parliament at Holyrood
ANGUS REID explains the significance of Cuba’s egalitarian in letter and spirit Family Code and the pertinent lessons it holds for democracies anywhere in the world
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NICK WRIGHT considers how the isolation of Israel and a new film on the controversial Italian communist leader are creating new reference points for Italy’s left
CARLOS MARTINEZ says Cuba’s achievements in the face of a criminal blockade are startling, but the island’s future if the United States succeeds in crushing it looks bleak
AMNON BROWNFIELD STEIN reports that far-right MPs who mobbed the event organised by Hadash may have helped raise awareness of the brutality of the Israeli right
A ROCK and a hard place. This is the space where Scotland’s councils can be found.
In its most recent report on Scotland’s councils, Audit Scotland (Overview 2020) notes that “demographic and social change is creating demand for services while the strain on budgets continues to intensify.
“National policy commitments are increasing and the stresses on other public services and third-sector partners add to the difficulties in delivering services.”
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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
