Leftfield
This is a new regular feature promoting the Scottish Left, anticapitalist and radical events, publications and projects. This will be expansive, inclusive and non-sectarian. Contact us here for suggestions to publicise your events.
PIEUTE & DETOURS
A new project between Pieute and Edinburgh Detours has been announced. Jim Slaven explains:
“Pieute represents the best of Scottish culture. An independent clothing brand and a community. As well as unique designs and quality made in Scotland merchandise, Pieute are key to street culture and good deeds in Edinburgh. With initiatives like their annual street party and Boards For Bairns, which distributes skateboards to young people throughout the city who would otherwise go without.”
“Edinburgh Detours is a not-for-profit community project which, through a programme of walking and cycling tours, talks and consultancy, focuses on the hidden histories of working class and immigrant experience in Edinburgh. Detours also has a strong record of supporting community based, volunteer led initiatives. Such as Helping Hands Bikes For Kids, which distributed over 1000 brand new bikes to young people in housing schemes throughout the city.”
Jim says: “At a time of increased alienation, dispossession and uncertainty for many people throughout Edinburgh this collaboration will focus on delivering positive outcomes through collective action and solidarity.” More details to follow. Check Pieute here:
REVOLTING CROFTERS
Scottish Left Review has a new issue out, looking at land and power. Editor Cailean Gallagher writes: “This issue seeks to restate the significance of land and energy as a priority for the entire Scottish Left. Catherine MacPhee and Iona Macdonald offer personal political insights into the effects of economic exclusion beyond the central belt, from Skye to Aberdeen. Satwat Rehman provides a candid view of the state of the Just Transition agenda in relation to land. Calum MacDonald points to wind energy policies that could and should be taken up by the Scottish Government. Ariane Burgess maps out areas of the government and governance of land that require future reform. And Craig Stockwell warns about the risk of new dependencies, as extractive and often bloody industrial investment is favoured over efforts to distribute ownership and control of the land and the energy latent in it.” There’s much more in it. Check it out here.
SKOTIA
Coll McCail has a new podcast at Skotia: “I Interviewed Jeremy Corbyn in Dundee for this week’s Skotia podcast. We talked about Peter Mandelson, the demise of Labourism and the launch of Your Party Scotland.”
BULLSHIT ABUNDANCE
Keir Milburn on the need for radical abundance, a world of human and non-human flourishing made possible by democratically planned production. Book launch with Keir Milbrun at Lighthouse Books on Wednesday, 8 April. Book here: Lighthouse | Radical Abundance: Keir Milburn on How to Win a Green Democratic Future
“Capitalism has created a world of bullshit abundance, where we have too much of what we don’t need and too little of what we do. Through this system’s relentless pursuit of profits, we have been put on a collision course with social and ecological limits that can no longer be ignored. We need an alternative. We need radical abundance, a world of human and non-human flourishing made possible by democratically planned production. But radical abundance can’t just be voted into existence through parliamentary means, it must be made by taking control of our collective reproduction in the here and now.”
Radical Abundance – Pluto Press
TO MAKE HOPE POSSIBLE
How to counter right-wing populism? That is the urgent question which will be the focus of an important and hopeful event which will run twice – in Edinburgh on Tuesday 10 March and in Glasgow on Wednesday 11 March.
Caroline Lucas, who was the UK’s first Green Party MP and led the Greens in England and Wales, will be in conversation with Scottish journalist Adam Ramsay.
Her latest book argues that the Right has hijacked, distorted and misdirected Englishness: there’s an urgent need for more diverse and inclusive stories of national identity.
The evening events are in Edinburgh – 10 March at the Gordon Aikman Lecture Theatre on George Square and in Glasgow – 11 March – at Cottiers Theatre on Hyndland Road: book your ticket by clicking the links.
Make Hope Possible is a new collective, powered by Democratic Left Scotland with the aim of transforming politics in our country by bringing people together, developing ideas and telling compelling stories. Sign up to the mailing list by clicking here.
ASH SARKAR IN EDINBURGH
Ash Sarkar is in conversation with Darren McGarvey at the Roxy on 27 February to discuss her new book Minority Rule – Adventures in the Culture War.
Details here: Ash Sarkar – In Conversation Tickets – Assembly Roxy, Edinburgh – 27/02/2026 19:00
We are supported only by our readers. We don't have corporate backers and we don't take advertising, so we rely entirely on your support.
Help to support independent Scottish journalism
Following little or no reaction to some recent comments I have posted I have to accept the conclusion I am in a minority of one trying to inspire people that the SNP is the only viable vehicle for change!
What might happen if it was given reasonable positive reinforcement , support and a fair platform for its positive policy achievements versus the endless pages of comment and oxygen given to the UK party approaches to sub- optimising / ignoring/ penalising Scotland.?
Therefore a plea to help me understand.
Whilst all these people and yourself have to make a living and encourage clicks / attendance how will any of the ‘ left leaning’ aspirations ever become reality?
The SNP is the only party to deliver anything resembling progressive policies in the last two decades but is routinely castigated by those who purport to want such change?
At weekend The National gave a few columns inches to the 5th anniversary of the child payment , its positive impact and future developments , followed by a two page spread of all this stuff?
Am I missing something?
Please help me understand
Hi Alex, I think that some within the SNP would considers themselves a centre-left party, while others consider it a vehicle for constitutional change while advocating for more radical social change. The child payment and policy reforms are to be welcomed as ameliorative changes but many of us aspire to deeper political change.
What we are doing here is sharing actions, projects and events that reflect the ethos of this publication from its onset.
I’d be interested what other readers think?
Thanks for reply Mike.
While we await some more comment you may as well help me with my confusion and to come to understanding!
Still curious as to exactly what is the deeper political change for Scotland you alude to, what level of popular support it has, how it will be delivered and how long it is likely to take ?
Hi Alex, I’ll try. People want (I want) a transformation of society, and the democratisation of the economy. Gaining independence, if its just a change of flag on top of Edinburgh Castle, with no wider changes in the power dynamics within the UK, and within Scotland, isn’t enough. It’s meaningless. For example, the small group of people who own vast tracts of land in Scotland are the aristocracy who are deeply connected to the British Establishment. Without breaking these patterns of rule, ‘independence’ is a mirage imho.
Surely the only way for any progress in changing the power dynamics is Independence for Scotland first…or am I missing something
Fit the majority roun here believe is the gospel according tae Granny. Granny sitting there in her rocking chair watching the boxing oan the telly. Een glued tae the screen lecturing ye aboot the aulden times & fa wis maist fashist. Thir wur a fair few fashists aboot in them days let me tell ye. This manny wis fashist & this ither ane wis even mair fashist.
O c’mon noo Granny, I felt like saying, The aliens are aff wie ma pushbike.
Eh?