Just Say No

By Mike Small The start of the No campaign came after a month-long trail of visceral criticisms of the Yes Scotland launch. With a gushing media presence at the ready Continue reading →

Fear, Nostalgia and the British state

The Union has infantalised Scotland, its politics and its people, to the extent that the grievances of the many are rarely articulated and even less frequently heard…

The Beautiful North

Someone much cleverer than I once said Edinburgh is not the Athens of the North, it is the Reykjavík of the south. The southern part of the ‘North’ an area Continue reading →

Walking Away from North Britain

By Phil Mac Giolla Bhain When Rangers went into administration in February I wrote here that “a bastion of North Britain is terminally ill”. The mainstream media, especially the obedient Continue reading →

George Gunn – In Atomic City

Caithness poet – and Bella Caledonia columnist – George Gunn is making a rare appearance in Edinburgh this Sunday 24th June reading at Shore Poets (7.45pm at Hendersons foot of Continue reading →

Sophie Cooke on Ukraine: Behind the facade of Euro 2012

‘Why don’t you visit Euro 2012 and protest for us?‘  Ukrainian novelist Yuriy Andrukhovych by Sophie Cooke The diamond-encrusted presidential toilet is perhaps the most appropriate symbol of Viktor Yanukovych’s Continue reading →

Rio Grand Apathy

By Ross Croall Throw off the shackles of the so-called ‘debate’ on climate change – environmental problems are real, and they are here to stay. Forget about global warming for Continue reading →

The Man from Team 12

Once again the media is failing and the rules of Scottish Football, are being ignored. These are SPL articles… 6. A Share may only be issued, allotted, transferred to or Continue reading →

Catastroika

Bella celebrates a million page views. Thanks to everyone for reading and contributing.

Thought we’d share this with you.  Yesterday Bella Caledonia reached the milestone of a million page views since we launched in 2008.  It’s quite humbling that an off-the-shelf blog run Continue reading →

Britsplaining

By Mhairi McAlpine Feminists among Bella Caledonia readers will be familiar with the concept of “mansplaining”.  Its always gone on, but until recently we didn’t have an actual word for Continue reading →

Social Media and Independence: Opportunities and Traps

by Kevin Williamson If ever there was a need for patient debate and dialogue as well as positive campaigning the time is now.  The official YES campaign is only a Continue reading →

Page 3 Propaganda

This from our friend Tim Ireland over at Bloggerheads. As the Leveson spectacle draws to its politically impotent conclusion it’s worth recalling the cultural impact of the entire tabloidisation process Continue reading →

Better Together

By Mike Small Ed Miliband’s late entry to the independence debate is welcome. It’s impact was so big partly because he says so little. Two years into his leadership and Continue reading →

Candy Floss Unionism

Isobel Lindsay on behalf of the Scottish Independence Convention comments on UK Labour leader Ed Milliband’s speech today (Thursday) defending the union: “Ed Milliband’s candy floss message managed to avoid Continue reading →

Myth No 5 – Back to the Union

By Doug Daniel The Scottish Parliament recently had a debate on Scotland’s future, in which pro-independence MSPs put forward positive and well-reasoned arguments (well, maybe not so much in Kenny Continue reading →

A Well Behaved Republican

By Fiona MacInnes I do so think I deserve a pat on the back, a little praise or small republican treat of some kind for my exemplary behaviour during the Continue reading →

A short dialogue concerning ‘Vote Britain’ – a poem by Alan Bissett

From: Anne Morrison Sent: 31 May 2012 16:38 To: Alan Bissett Subject: Re: Vote Britain Hi Alan Your poem ‘Vote Britain’ has been doing the rounds on facbook in one form or another, and Continue reading →

Cannabis, lung cancer, and the wild misleading claims of the British Lung Foundation: An Open Letter To Kaye Adams

AN OPEN LETTER TO KAYE ADAMS  ℅ BBC SCOTLAND Dear Kaye Adams Thanks for inviting me onto your BBC Scotland radio show this morning to discuss the alleged health risks Continue reading →

A State Fit for the 21st Century

‘Knowledge will forever govern over ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power that knowledge gives.’  James Madison         A meeting Continue reading →

Diamond Lite

The jubilee is like extra strong cheap cider. It’ll take your mind off things very quickly but by god you’ll feel bad when you come to your senses. So if you are necking undilluted Brit propaganda this weekend, drink responsibly.

The Socialist Case for Yes

Gregor Gall outlines the socialist case for independence…

How to Celebrate a Jubilee

Let’s Kick Ass

By Mark Millar I was torn about independence for a long time, but what finally swayed me was the blank piece of paper it offers us as a nation. As Continue reading →

From the Province of The Cat 4: Lying Down With The Lions

The day Scotland becomes independent and we, as a people, can begin the real job of constructing a future for our children’s children, this day should be marked by beacons being lit on every hill fuelled by copies of every available tabloid….