Another quartet for this week’s For A’ That podcast. This time the group comprised Andrew (or “him”), poet, activist and Bella Caledonia co-editor Kevin Williamson and Rory Scothorne who was a co-founder of the National Collective. We discussed the Continue reading
by George Gunn Living on the north coast of the mainland of Scotland it can seem, at times, that you live in a totally different country from the one inhabited Continue reading
Episode 6 of For A’ That again features two guests along with Andrew and myself. This time we were joined by Peter Geoghegan, a freelance journalist, and by Philip Challinor who is Continue reading
Last week Iain Macwhirter wrote an excellent article ‘Face reality: We could be as prosperous as Norway.’ It was a must read essay, not least because it was written by the journalist Continue reading
Writing exclusively for Bella Caledonia Mark Cousins voices some of his concerns over the new Ben Affleck action thriller, Argo In the early 1990s, I started seeing films from Iran. Continue reading
It’s now just ten days until the much-anticipated Radical Independence Conference kicks off in Glasgow. Jean Urquhart MSP, who recently resigned from the SNP over the NATO U-turn, has sent Continue reading
In case you missed it in yesterday’s Scotland on Sunday, here’s film critic Hannah McGill‘s thoughts on Creative Scotland’s unfathomable wunderplan to press ahead with a 7 person ALL-MALE judging panel Continue reading
Hullo, I’m Alistair Darling. You may remember me as the UK Secretary of State for Transport who brought in wholesale change in the railway sector without addressing the fundamental problems Continue reading
by Michael Greenwell Episode 11 is up and this time I spoke with Doug Daniel who is an SNP (in)activist from the Aberdeen area and we had a chat about the challenges Continue reading
The second article in our series in the run up to the Radical Independence Conference on 24th Nov is an extract from Gregor Gall’s forthcoming book, Scotland the Brave? Radicalism Continue reading
Congratulations to Celtic for beating Barcelona 2-1 at Parkhead. It was a fantastic result which was just the shot in the arm Scottish football needed after the Craig Levein embarrassment. Continue reading
In the run up to the first Radical Independence Conference on Sat 24th November Bella will be focussing in on some of the ideas to be discussed and some of Continue reading
by Ian Brotherhood First editions of Orwell’s Animal Farm are rare – a signed Secker & Warburg 1945 copy is currently available online (via Abebooks) for £45,000. The samizdat (lit. Continue reading
A £700K pay-off should cover a one way fare to Plookyville.
With Michael Greenwell & Lallands Peat Worrier Its Sunday afternoon… so its time For A’ That! In this, the second weekly episode, Michael Greenwell and the Peat Worrier are joined Continue reading
Did you know that home insurance premiums in Scotland are artificially high because Scotland is part of the union? I didn’t. You can find out why and much more by Continue reading
I’m posting a quick snapshot of who has read Bella today. Maybe its of interest, maybe not. The stats speak for themselves: there is a niche for what Bella has Continue reading
by Kevin Williamson The resignation of Jean Urquhart MSP and John Finnie MSP from the SNP over last weekend’s NATO U-turn must have come like a thunderbolt out of the Continue reading
By Mike Small “Scotland cannot be the only ‘something for nothing’ country in the world.” – Johann Lamont The likelihood is that tomorrow or the next day a major announcement Continue reading
In the second part of his Media Notes series Kevin Williamson reveals an unstated 3 point strategy of the NO camp; and the trap of the Scottish-British dichotomy. “Identity – Continue reading
MEDIA NOTES (PART 1): WHEN SATURDAY CAME This is the first of three articles by Kevin Williamson looking at the increasingly fractious relationship between the Scottish media and an increasingly Continue reading
by Kevin Williamson Scotland’s 116 year wait to win a tennis Grand Slam is finally over. In a nail-biting 5 set victory over Novak Djokovic at Flushing Meadows in the Continue reading
by Marc Savlov Aspiring filmmaker? Don’t go back to school. Seriously. No matter how much your parents plead with you, it’s no longer necessary. Instead of amassing the soul-crushing mountain Continue reading
by Irvine Welsh I’ve always considered myself belonging to the school of writers who should be read but not heard, so I don’t know what set of circumstances leads me Continue reading
Recommending a novel is a big deal (writes Kevin Williamson). In an age of the Great Information Skim it takes time and commitment to read a book, not to mention Continue reading
Dear Angus Now that both sides in the Indy debate have launched their respective campaigns you would think Scots would now be engaged in intelligent respectful debate, explaining what Continue reading
by Kevin Williamson Tonight’s the night. Its the grand opening of the new Summerhall arts complex‘s festival programme, in conjunction with The List magazine’s annual festival shenanigans. This will be Continue reading
As the Man Booker Prize longlist is announced Kevin Williamson asks a question that seems to have eluded the mainstream media: Is the most influential prize in literature tainted with Continue reading
Everyone has a legal right to see information from Scottish public authorities. You don’t have to say who you are or why you want the information. And if the public authority refuses to give it to Continue reading
