Gerry Hassan
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gerryhassan.bsky.social
Gerry Hassan
@gerryhassan.bsky.social

Writer commentator academic. Books Editor, Bella Caledonia; Co-founder Kirkcudbright Fringe Festival; Co-editor, 'Britain Needs Change: The Politics of Hope & Labour's Challenge', pub. Nov. 28 2024.

Gerry Hassan is a Scottish writer, commentator and academic. He currently holds an Honorary Professor title at Glasgow Caledonian University for Social Change, having previously worked at the University of Dundee and the University of the West of Scotland, where he completed his doctorate. He has also previously worked for the Institute for Public Policy Research and Demos where he led their Scotland 2020 and Glasgow 2020 programmes and OpenDemocracy. He has written for the Scottish and UK press, including The Spectator, The Scotsman, The Herald, Holyrood, Sunday Mail, The Guardian and The National (Scotland) on topics and issues related to the United Kingdom, particularly Scotland and Scottish Independence. .. more

Political science 50%
History 39%

Carry on Screaming! (1966) on ITV3 now. One of the great Carry on films & my personal fav. Stellar performances from Kenneth Williams, Fenella Fielding & Harry H. Corbett contributing to a wonderful send-up & tribute to Hammer horror films.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues has even more of a poignancy watching it after the death of Rob Reiner. He was a comic genius & played brilliantly the role of "Marty" Di Bergi as well as directing & co-writing this film & the original film which is flawless comedy.

Trump land in the world of make-belief. Senator Rand Paul publishes a report on alleged US govt waste called the Festivus Report. So named after the made-up #Seinfeld festival of George Costanza's legendary father Frank.

Dinosaurs still roam parts of Scotland's media. In 2025 The Scotsman thinks it worthwhile comment to have Brian Montieth, former MSP & MEP for a brief period punt his hardline Brexit puritanism which has so harmed Scotland & the UK. While living in Tarn in southern France.

Just learnt of the passing of Adam McNaughton who died in early December aged 86 (1939-2025). He was a songwriter, cultural pioneer, English teacher & bookseller who gave us such musical classics as ‘The Jeely Piece Song’. Fitting that he was celebrated in a Celtic Connections concert this year.

NOT Donald J. Trump commenting on Donald J. Trump.

The Keiller Centre in Dundee has finally shut its doors to shoppers after 46 years. Opened in November 1979 on the site of the old Keiller factory behind High Street it provided a maze of shops & business under one roof contributing to a unique experience & many memories.

Trump's America: an empire in decline & denial. Next in the trash Presidency the joke of Trump Class Battleships. Trump is not even fighting the last war but stuck in naval battles pre-WW2. And Trump Class? Like all the other dross he has put his name to & tried to flog. A good day for China.

Reform ahead but down to 25% in poll; Tories above 20% in 2nd & the Greens in 3rd place ahead of Labour.

REF: 25% (-1)
CON: 22% (+2)
GRN: 19% (+1)
LAB: 18% (=)
LDEM: 10% (-1)
OTH: 6% (-1)
11-15 Dec; +/- vs 17 Nov.
Via Lord Ashcroft Polls
HT @leftiestats.bsky.social

What Trump wants people to see on Epstein:
"The Trump administration is the most transparent in history." From Nicola Jennings.

Hearts 2 Rangers 1. The Tynecastle dream goes on with a well-deserved victory over Rangers to complete four consecutive league victories over the Old Firm. Last achieved by Hearts 40 years ago: the last time a non-Old Firm team won the league. Great to see a real challenge!

Who knew? Free healthcare, free education, affordable childcare, paid leave & a social contract between government & citizens really matters.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's behaviour is another argument against a hereditary Royal Family. Photo: Andrew with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell shooting at the Balmoral royal estate.

The Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts is named by a legislative act of Congress. It can only be changed by an act of Congress. This is Trumpian vandalism, hubris & of no legal standing.

What do people think of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year supposed tribute to Scotland in a segment by Iain Stirling? It came over as an embarrassing pile of Scottish stereotypes, cliches & claptrap. Is this really how we want to be represented? And how the #BBC think we should be portrayed?

The Orwellian policing of language. Decades into the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands & the refusal of Israel to accept Palestine's right to exist we are now being lectured by the likes of Jess Phillips & told we should not use the word 'intifada'. Clueless.

Reposted by Gerry Hassan

"Lies can serve a number of functions. People lie to deflect, to avoid embarrassment or evade punishment by creating doubt … [and they] hope that the lie will be convincing. The Trumpian lie is different. It is the power lie, or the bully lie." M. Gessen, Surviving Autocracy, 2020.
Sen. BLUMENTHAL: Was the U.S. Capitol attacked on January 6, 2021?

Trump nominee: *dodges*

Trump nominee: *dodges*

Trump nominee: Well, individuals entered the Capitol.

Blumenthal: You are in fear—how will you have the courage to be fair and impartial?

Reposted by John Foot

Kemi Badenoch hits a new low chasing the racist vote weaponising violence against women. Badenoch said the focus should be on “people, who come from cultures that don’t respect women, coming into our country”. A sad day in UK & Tory politics.
Dog-whistle and factually incorrect. Ladies, raise your hand if you were sexually assaulted by a boy at school? I’d wager this or a family member is most women’s first experience of sexual violence

The Daily Telegraph now openly inciting mutiny in the armed forces. Unconstitutional Conservatism thinking they can champion treason just as the Tories & Ulster Unionists did in 1914 over Irish home rule.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/12...

Violence against women & misogyny are on the rise in the UK & a major issue. #c4news made it their top item lasting 27 minutes & could not find the time to say the govt initiative was an England only one.

Donald Trump renames the Kennedy Center after himself. And is congratulated for doing so by his Press Secretary. The kind of politics usually found in the most autocratic, despotic countries which is what Trump's America is fast becoming.
Kennedy Center to be renamed Trump-Kennedy Center —Karoline Leavitt x.com/PressSec/sta...
Kennedy Center to be renamed Trump-Kennedy Center —Karoline Leavitt x.com/PressSec/sta...
Dog-whistle and factually incorrect. Ladies, raise your hand if you were sexually assaulted by a boy at school? I’d wager this or a family member is most women’s first experience of sexual violence

"I know Scottish football, I nearly signed for Carlisle" says Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy.

Is Wilfried Nancy the Liz Truss of Celtic?
Matthew Goodwin objects to prosecuting this: ‘I think it’s time for the British to gang together, hit the streets and start the slaughter. Violence and murder is the only way now. Start off burning every migrant hotel then head off to MPs’ houses and Parliament, we need to take over by FORCE.’

Liz Truss is happy to work to aid a foreign power & President undermining the national interests of the UK & British public institutions. A more subtle version of Nathan Gill.

An important tip for the right-wing media from Dominic Cummings & Brexit. If you are going to invent an entirely fictitious number about a policy you have to come up with a single agreed figure. Instead, the Telegraph & Mail fail to co-ordinate their lies on the Erasmus scheme.

Meanwhile #SkySports continued their Old Firm obsession with endless talk & 'analysis' of why Celtic lost & a detailed examination of all their missed chances. Not good enough from SkySports. Scottish football is more than Celtic & Rangers.

Dundee United 2 Celtic 1. A magnificent United 2nd half after we rode our luck in the 1st half. So much to admire about Utd as we bossed the 2nd half & Celtic faded. So many questions for Celtic, Wilfried Nancy & its Board. Great result for Hearts too. Scottish football isn't just abt the Old Firm.