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Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver

Herald Scotland

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Andy Maciver: An SNP-Labour government may not be so unthinkable after all

Andy Maciver: An SNP-Labour government may not be so unthinkable after all

Twenty years ago, in the aftermath of the federal election, the Germans were stuck. The leftist government of Gerhard Shroeder’s SPD with the Greens...

previous day 8

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: I believe your MSP should be paid £150k a year, and here's why

Andy Maciver: I believe your MSP should be paid £150k a year, and here's why

More money for politicians? These spongers. They should be put on the average wage so that they understand what it’s like for the rest of us. Give...

18.01.2025 9

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: Why are we always in the slow lane when it comes to infrastructure?

Andy Maciver: Why are we always in the slow lane when it comes to infrastructure?

As a party with no friends in a proportionally representative Parliament, the Scottish Conservatives have never been particularly proximate to the...

11.01.2025 2

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: Farage's Reform could win next UK election. Here's how they could do it

Elections can often provide uncertain times for a country, but the first half of 2024 was actually entirely predictable for Britain. There was no...

28.12.2024 10

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

As Glasgow declines, Manchester roars ahead. It doesn't have to be this way

Do you know Cammy Day? Of course you do, because of his resignation as leader of Edinburgh’s council amid allegations of inappropriate messages...

21.12.2024 20

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: Has Labour killed Labour?

Scottish politics was terribly simple in the early days of devolution. It was Labour’s baby more than it was anyone else’s. Tony Blair and...

14.12.2024 6

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: Could it be that the era of grown-up politics has finally reached us?

Let us first dispense the negatives. There was much in this Scottish Government Budget to concern us. The increased expenditure on the NHS meets...

06.12.2024 4

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: Think smart, Ian Murray: time for a bigger, bolder Scotland Office

Back in July, the words "Anas Sarwar, First Minister" seemed to be etched in stone. Labour had filleted the SNP at the General Election, going...

29.11.2024 3

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: Lay off Neil Gray: these witch hunting games drag us all down

In October 2002, news broke that the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation had donated £11,000 to the Motherwell and Wishaw constituency office of...

22.11.2024 7

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: Are you ready for the nine-word culture war?

“The net zero madness makes us cold and poor”. Those nine words in a tweet from Jacob Rees-Mogg, former Cabinet Minister and now conservative...

15.11.2024 10

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: Moderates must rise to the challenges of populist nationalism

"‘Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good" is a phrase which feels like it was invented for Bosnia in Herzegovina. I am writing from the...

08.11.2024 4

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: This was a risky Budget at a dangerous time

Of all the gambles taken by Chancellor Rachel Reeves and her Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at this week’s Budget, the most obvious one...

31.10.2024 3

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: We don’t need to revere the First Minister but let's respect the office

I turned 45 yesterday. This is not a request for comments or letters to the editor to wish me many happy returns, although, reader, you are of...

25.10.2024 3

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: Why did Starmer not include Scottish regional champions? We haven't any

Alex Salmond’s final tweet, sent just a few hours before his death last Saturday, was quintessential of the man and the politician. Its...

18.10.2024 4

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: The SNP needs to look forward, not back, and spurn the Greens

It’s all looking a bit 2023 in Scottish politics this week. Headlines across Scotland’s newspapers point to the possibility of the Scottish...

11.10.2024 1

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: Russell Findlay must mind his Ps and cues

Barring some sort of paranormal intervention, this morning we will see Russell Findlay announced as the new leader of the Scottish Conservative and...

27.09.2024 2

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: When the Tories mess up, the Lib Dems have a real opportunity

It is awfully easy not to take the Liberal Democrats seriously. I get it. I get the Lib Dem cringe just as much as the next person. It was very...

21.09.2024 10

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: Mayors are the opportunity from this week’s chaos

Helen Keller, the author and activist who became deaf and blind as a baby before going on to write 14 books, said that optimism is the faith that...

06.09.2024 4

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: Cheer up, nationalists... you might still win

Reader, I bear bad news. You thought that, with the General Election out of the way, you could put your politicians back in a box for a while and...

30.08.2024 3

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Does it matter who wins the Scottish Tory leadership race?

Nominations for candidates wanting to stand in the Scottish Tory leadership contest close today. One candidate has already voluntarily dropped out,...

22.08.2024 4

The Spectator

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: The next Scottish leader must expel the Tory party mafia

James Cleverly is an accomplished man. He is, outwardly, a good politician, and those who know him tell me he was a good minister, in charge of his...

16.08.2024 2

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver

Andy Maciver: The gap we need to close is the opportunity gap

Over the last few weeks, since the departure of Joe Biden from this year’s Presidential race and his replacement with Kamala Harris, there has...

09.08.2024 10

Herald Scotland

Andy Maciver