Mike Small
@bellacaledonia.bsky.social
Imagining a Scottish Democracy since 2007.
Bylines at the Guardian, Open Democracy, Herald, DeSmog, Bella Caledonia, Sunday National.
Bylines at the Guardian, Open Democracy, Herald, DeSmog, Bella Caledonia, Sunday National.
Pinned
Left Now Scotland - a new regular feature promoting the Scottish Left, anticapitalist and radical events, publications and projects. bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/18/l...
Reposted by Mike Small
Donald Trump won in 2016 and 2024 because anti-system voters flocked to him.
Democrats need a strategy for competing with anti-system voters in 2028.
This is, in some ways, a very strong case for nominating someone like AOC over Newsom.
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/meet-ameri...
Democrats need a strategy for competing with anti-system voters in 2028.
This is, in some ways, a very strong case for nominating someone like AOC over Newsom.
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/meet-ameri...
Meet America’s new swing voter: The anti-system voter. (Or: Why Democrats should think through nominating AOC in 2028)
A new paper finds anti-system sentiment — not left-right ideology — decided the 2016 and 2024 elections
www.gelliottmorris.com
February 18, 2026 at 11:02 AM
Donald Trump won in 2016 and 2024 because anti-system voters flocked to him.
Democrats need a strategy for competing with anti-system voters in 2028.
This is, in some ways, a very strong case for nominating someone like AOC over Newsom.
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/meet-ameri...
Democrats need a strategy for competing with anti-system voters in 2028.
This is, in some ways, a very strong case for nominating someone like AOC over Newsom.
www.gelliottmorris.com/p/meet-ameri...
LEFT NOW - a new regular feature promoting the Scottish Left, anticapitalist and radical events, publications and projects @makehopepossible.bsky.social @carolinelucas.bsky.social @lighthousebks.bsky.social @reidfoundation.bsky.social @seonadhoy.bsky.social bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/18/l...
February 18, 2026 at 7:16 PM
LEFT NOW - a new regular feature promoting the Scottish Left, anticapitalist and radical events, publications and projects @makehopepossible.bsky.social @carolinelucas.bsky.social @lighthousebks.bsky.social @reidfoundation.bsky.social @seonadhoy.bsky.social bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/18/l...
From Rust Belt experiments to Holyrood statute: how a ‘world’s first’ step could fuel a quiet revolution for local economies bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/18/f...
February 18, 2026 at 3:27 PM
From Rust Belt experiments to Holyrood statute: how a ‘world’s first’ step could fuel a quiet revolution for local economies bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/18/f...
Left Now Scotland - a new regular feature promoting the Scottish Left, anticapitalist and radical events, publications and projects. bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/18/l...
February 18, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Left Now Scotland - a new regular feature promoting the Scottish Left, anticapitalist and radical events, publications and projects. bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/18/l...
Rupert Lowe's boomer slop ad of James Bond, Dad’s Army, the Boer War & 1966 shares much with Reform. This is Hauntological Britain's War Against the Future. If Scotland England are united at all now - we are united only in past glory and future fascism open.substack.com/pub/fiftysix...
February 18, 2026 at 10:07 AM
Rupert Lowe's boomer slop ad of James Bond, Dad’s Army, the Boer War & 1966 shares much with Reform. This is Hauntological Britain's War Against the Future. If Scotland England are united at all now - we are united only in past glory and future fascism open.substack.com/pub/fiftysix...
Exploring the iconography of the far-right in Britain which include: Red Squirrels, James Bond, Dad’s Army, the Mini, and, er the Boer War, with flashes of the 1966 World Cup Final and the Red Arrows over the words DEPORT DEPORT DEPORT... open.substack.com/pub/fiftysix...
The War Against the Future
Exploring the iconography of the far-right in Britain.
open.substack.com
February 17, 2026 at 7:22 PM
Exploring the iconography of the far-right in Britain which include: Red Squirrels, James Bond, Dad’s Army, the Mini, and, er the Boer War, with flashes of the 1966 World Cup Final and the Red Arrows over the words DEPORT DEPORT DEPORT... open.substack.com/pub/fiftysix...
To celebrate the Calcutta Cup 26 we have an exclusive t-shirt offer in partnership with the fabulous @Phil_Football ‘sporting outfitters of intellectual distinction' ... bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/17/c...
February 17, 2026 at 12:04 PM
To celebrate the Calcutta Cup 26 we have an exclusive t-shirt offer in partnership with the fabulous @Phil_Football ‘sporting outfitters of intellectual distinction' ... bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/17/c...
Creating a new regular feature promoting the Left in Scotland. Suggestions for events, publications, projects etc Contact Us here: bellacaledonia.org.uk/contact-us/
February 16, 2026 at 8:03 PM
Creating a new regular feature promoting the Left in Scotland. Suggestions for events, publications, projects etc Contact Us here: bellacaledonia.org.uk/contact-us/
Check out my Substack, 56 Degrees North here: fiftysixdegreesnorth.substack.com
February 15, 2026 at 5:25 PM
Check out my Substack, 56 Degrees North here: fiftysixdegreesnorth.substack.com
We live in a country with a one-dimensional media class that all says the same thing and all agrees about everything | Sarwar's Nothingburger open.substack.com/pub/fiftysix...
Sarwar's Nothingburger
Much debate has raged about Anas Sarwar’s tactic of demanding the resignation of his colleague and leader, Keir Starmer, a week ago.
open.substack.com
February 15, 2026 at 4:31 PM
We live in a country with a one-dimensional media class that all says the same thing and all agrees about everything | Sarwar's Nothingburger open.substack.com/pub/fiftysix...
Reposted by Mike Small
Phillips "This is not a country where people get thrown in jail for things they say"
@zackpolanski.bsky.social points out 2,700 people have been arrested for holding signs
And well done to Zack for challenging Phillips smear that 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' is antisemitic
@zackpolanski.bsky.social points out 2,700 people have been arrested for holding signs
And well done to Zack for challenging Phillips smear that 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' is antisemitic
February 15, 2026 at 9:53 AM
Phillips "This is not a country where people get thrown in jail for things they say"
@zackpolanski.bsky.social points out 2,700 people have been arrested for holding signs
And well done to Zack for challenging Phillips smear that 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' is antisemitic
@zackpolanski.bsky.social points out 2,700 people have been arrested for holding signs
And well done to Zack for challenging Phillips smear that 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' is antisemitic
The legal case in favour of Palestine Action is a historic landmark. But what comes next, for the movement, and for the British government is more important than anything bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/15/h...
February 15, 2026 at 12:27 PM
The legal case in favour of Palestine Action is a historic landmark. But what comes next, for the movement, and for the British government is more important than anything bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/15/h...
The Ratcliffe Controversy and the Online Right bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/14/t...
February 14, 2026 at 11:24 AM
The Ratcliffe Controversy and the Online Right bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/14/t...
Daniel Gear on the UK Government’s ‘Local Power Plan’, finds that it neither empowers communities nor tackles the obstacles that prevent communities from claiming a meaningful stake in the transition @scottishbeacon.bsky.social #PowerShift www.shetnews.co.uk/2026/02/11/l...
Local communities excluded from gaining a meaningful stake in the clean energy transition
In this slightly longer piece, energy consultant Daniel Gear unpicks the UK Government’s ‘Local Power Plan’, published on Monday, and finds that it...
www.shetnews.co.uk
February 12, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Daniel Gear on the UK Government’s ‘Local Power Plan’, finds that it neither empowers communities nor tackles the obstacles that prevent communities from claiming a meaningful stake in the transition @scottishbeacon.bsky.social #PowerShift www.shetnews.co.uk/2026/02/11/l...
lower case highlights events, new releases, & publishes short reviews. Our focus is on micro press, radical publishers, and events from independent bookshops. Readers & bookshop events suggestions welcome.
February 12, 2026 at 12:14 PM
lower case highlights events, new releases, & publishes short reviews. Our focus is on micro press, radical publishers, and events from independent bookshops. Readers & bookshop events suggestions welcome.
A checklist of some dystopian moments from the ‘commodification of everything’ to Ring's Search Party feature to Mrinank Sharma's departure from Anthropic to Detained Children open.substack.com/pub/fiftysix...
February 12, 2026 at 11:53 AM
A checklist of some dystopian moments from the ‘commodification of everything’ to Ring's Search Party feature to Mrinank Sharma's departure from Anthropic to Detained Children open.substack.com/pub/fiftysix...
'Actually, this is brilliant'
In their response to the Anas Sarwar's failed coup d'état the Unionist press have created a new absurdist sub-genre of journalism ...
bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/11/a...
In their response to the Anas Sarwar's failed coup d'état the Unionist press have created a new absurdist sub-genre of journalism ...
bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/11/a...
February 11, 2026 at 4:02 PM
'Actually, this is brilliant'
In their response to the Anas Sarwar's failed coup d'état the Unionist press have created a new absurdist sub-genre of journalism ...
bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/11/a...
In their response to the Anas Sarwar's failed coup d'état the Unionist press have created a new absurdist sub-genre of journalism ...
bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/11/a...
More Pootch than Putsch | On Sarwar's disastrous coup attempt and the fantasy propaganda that has followed it ... bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/10/t...
February 10, 2026 at 3:24 PM
More Pootch than Putsch | On Sarwar's disastrous coup attempt and the fantasy propaganda that has followed it ... bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/10/t...
"Brett Christophers argues, the problem is rooted in the absurdist nature of capitalist priorities: saving the planet on which our lives depend is not sufficiently profitable" - read William Thomson here bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/03/12/t...
February 10, 2026 at 1:09 PM
"Brett Christophers argues, the problem is rooted in the absurdist nature of capitalist priorities: saving the planet on which our lives depend is not sufficiently profitable" - read William Thomson here bellacaledonia.org.uk/2025/03/12/t...
Sarwar’s Gamble | Unless something dramatic changes in the next few days, it seems that Anas Sarwar has gambled everything in the most astonishing act of political misjudgment possible. It may be that it is he and not Keir Starmer who will have to resign. bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/09/s...
February 9, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Sarwar’s Gamble | Unless something dramatic changes in the next few days, it seems that Anas Sarwar has gambled everything in the most astonishing act of political misjudgment possible. It may be that it is he and not Keir Starmer who will have to resign. bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/09/s...
On Sarwar's empty hot dog roll, the Dark Shit around Josh Simons and The Times Coup that Never Happens bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/09/m...
February 9, 2026 at 2:49 PM
On Sarwar's empty hot dog roll, the Dark Shit around Josh Simons and The Times Coup that Never Happens bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/09/m...
On why McSweeney's departure won't stem the flow and why Anas Sarwar's campaign has become an empty hot-dog roll bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/09/m...
February 9, 2026 at 1:19 PM
On why McSweeney's departure won't stem the flow and why Anas Sarwar's campaign has become an empty hot-dog roll bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/09/m...
The Filton 6 Verdict and what it means for Palestine solidarity @DefendOurJuries @PoetsGaza @EyeonPalestine #filton6 bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/07/t...
February 7, 2026 at 6:33 PM
The Filton 6 Verdict and what it means for Palestine solidarity @DefendOurJuries @PoetsGaza @EyeonPalestine #filton6 bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/07/t...
Your Party Scotland launches in Dundee bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/06/y...
February 6, 2026 at 9:28 AM
Your Party Scotland launches in Dundee bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/06/y...
Bella Exclusive: on 'Scotland for Nuclear Energy' the Tory front group launching a campaign for new nuclear power in Glasgow tonight bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/05/a...
February 5, 2026 at 4:28 PM
Bella Exclusive: on 'Scotland for Nuclear Energy' the Tory front group launching a campaign for new nuclear power in Glasgow tonight bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/02/05/a...