John Ferry

Humza Yousaf fails to make the economic case for independence

14 March 2024 5:00 pm

Try to start a speech with a joke to warm up your audience. That’s always good advice. And so Scotland’s…

The SNP ferry fiasco has become even more of a disaster

24 August 2023 9:21 pm

In retrospect, the computerised boat in the movie Titanic looked more believable than the one Nicola Sturgeon stood in front…

Even high oil revenues can’t fix Scotland’s deficit

17 August 2023 2:16 am

It’s Scotland’s annual Gers shenanigans this week. If you don’t already know, Gers stands for ‘Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland’.…

The FOI response that exposed the SNP’s EU delusion

12 August 2023 11:17 pm

Tony Blair famously regretted his government’s introduction of freedom of information laws. ‘You idiot. You naive, foolish, irresponsible nincompoop. There…

The Nato summit is a blow to the SNP’s nuclear plans

12 July 2023 10:21 pm

The Nato summit in Vilnius has been an eventful one already. Even though no clear timeline for when the country…

Does Kate Forbes support austerity?

22 February 2023 10:07 pm

Watching Kate Forbes this week struggle to reconcile her social conservatism with her ambition to be First Minister of Scotland…

Nicola Sturgeon’s disastrous economic legacy

18 February 2023 7:30 pm

When Nicola Sturgeon looks back on her economic legacy, what will she feel most proud of: the big industrial plants…

The SNP’s colonialism myth

6 December 2022 3:05 am

There have been strange goings on in Scotland. A few weeks ago, the Supreme Court clarified that the Scottish parliament…

The SNP’s misinformation campaign on Scottish renewables

13 November 2022 12:48 am

SNP MP Stephen Flynn was emphatic when he used a certain statistic in Parliament last month: ‘Scotland’s potential in this…

Trussonomics shows that Scottish independence doesn't add up

28 September 2022 2:48 am

As the pound fell to a record low on Monday on the back of Kwasi Kwarteng’s ‘mini-budget’, the pings on…

The prospect of an independent Scotland is fading away

12 March 2022 6:00 pm

Whisper it, but the dream of a separate Scotland could be fading for Scottish nationalists. A new poll shows that…

How long can the SNP ignore Scotland's looming fiscal timebomb?

28 January 2022 9:39 pm

A new report from Holyrood’s finance and public administration committee is unusually blunt in its assessment. But is the SNP…

Independence would completely derail Scotland’s green revolution

22 January 2022 8:30 pm

In some ways it was refreshing to see the radical left brought to heel by the realities of government. Having…

Scotland's 2022 constitutional courtroom drama will be pure theatre

27 December 2021 7:59 pm

This is the time of year when economists and political scientists make their predictions for the upcoming 12 months. Will…

Sturgeonomics would have crashed an independent Scotland

23 December 2021 7:20 pm

The Omicron variant is upon us, which means the return of the Scottish First Minister’s news conferences. These can be…

Nicola Sturgeon’s desperate new misinformation drive

25 November 2021 8:13 pm

Less than a quarter of Scots believe Scotland is likely to leave the UK within the next five years, according…

Will Scottish independence really be 'Brexit times ten'?

18 September 2021 4:00 pm

Scottish civil servants are to start work on a ‘detailed prospectus’ for independence so the Scottish government can hold another…

Does Nicola Sturgeon care more about oil revenue or climate change?

12 September 2021 6:45 am

‘Now, as I’ve hopefully made clear throughout all of my remarks, the North Sea will continue to produce oil for…

The SNP-Green alliance is a victory for the cranks

13 August 2021 4:13 pm

The SNP’s nationalist outriders, the Scottish Green party, are reported to be within touching distance of agreeing the terms of…

Are we dangerously addicted to Quantitative Easing?

23 July 2021 8:57 pm

For such a radical change to our monetary system, the lack of understanding of quantitative easing (QE) and its impacts…

Sturgeon’s economic council is a fig-leaf for independence

18 July 2021 4:00 pm

This month’s announcementof a new economic advisory council formed by the Scottish government came with the usual flow of superlatives.…

Nicola Sturgeon isn't serious about IndyRef2

27 June 2021 3:30 pm

The announcement reeked of desperation. Nicola Sturgeon is‘delighted’ that the SNP National Executive Committee has approved her nomination of retired…

Prince William won't save the Union

13 June 2021 4:15 pm

Can the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge save the Union? Officials at Buckingham Palace are reported to be drawing up…

The SNP's latest separation blueprint is pure project fantasy

30 May 2021 4:00 pm

‘A SNP MSP has claimed an independent Scotland could guarantee a couple with children a minimum income of more than…

Scotland's next constitutional fight won't be over a referendum

23 May 2021 4:00 pm

Get ready for a constitutional rammy during the first half of this, the sixth session of the Scottish parliament. Just…