After years hidden away, Oldham’s memorial to six local volunteers who died fighting fascism in the Spanish civil war has been restored to public view, marking both a victory for campaigners and a renewed tribute to the town’s proud International Brigade heritage, says ROB HARGREAVES
Latest editorial
We need to defend CalMac
It is not the public ownership model that is failing Scotland’s ferry services, it is the government’s poor management – and privatisation would be far worse, writes KATY CLARK MSP
While pretending to seek peace, Europe is heading toward a collision course with Russia – using security guarantees, troop deployments, expropriation and censorship as tools, writes SEVIM DAGDELEN
Alba party leader KENNY MacASKILL makes some suggestions on how to save our pubs and reduce irresponsible drinking
The catastrophe unfolding in Gaza – where Palestinians are freezing to death in tents – is not a natural disaster but a calculated outcome of Israel’s ongoing blockade, aid restrictions and continued violence, argues CLAUDIA WEBBE
Opinion polls point to electoral collapse, parliamentary rebellion and a looming leadership challenge as Starmer’s Labour haemorrhages working-class support and the far right exploits the vacuum left by a hollowed-out party, says NICK WRIGHT
The long-term effects of chemical weapons such as Agent Orange mean that the impact of war lasts well beyond a ceasefire
THIS time last year, I wrote that Scotland’s public ferry service was in crisis due to the “failure of the Scottish government to invest in a new fleet over many years,” with sailings cancelled at short notice due to technical breakdowns.
Since then, matters have spiralled out of control.
On Arran, islanders faced food and fuel shortages over the winter due to unreliable sailings. In South Uist, hundreds of residents have been turning out in recent days to protest their service being withdrawn due to difficulties elsewhere on the network.
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Mismanagement, privatisation and EU rules have strangled vital ferry services, leaving Scotland’s island communities stranded and the once-bustling ports of my youth in what feels like terminal decline, laments MATT KERR
