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%

The new American imperialism. And the real meaning of America First.

One of the great musical voices & talent on love, loss, the human condition & the planet: Laura Nyro. Wonderful that nearly three decades after her death at 49 she is being celebrated for the unique artistic force she was. A great feature in Uncut; mammoth box set; last photo: Miles & Laura.

Wilfried Nancy is out at Celtic. He was not even the Liz Truss of the club. She lasted 49 days; he lasted a mere 33 days. Even Ange at Forest lasted 39 days & Brian Clough & Jock Stein both 44 days at Leeds in the 70s. Nancy will go down as one of the disastrous football appointments of all-time.
I'm writing about the Palestine Action hunger strikers at the moment, any of whom could die at any moment, and the astonishing media and government silence surrounding them. The Establishment seems to have become even crueller than when Thatcher was PM.

Groundhog Day Brexit Britain with the Daily Express. In a world where Trump has torn up the last remaining international norms & is acting as an open apologist for Putin the Express clings to what it knows best: inventing spurious Brexit "betrayal" claims.

The UK Government implicitly embraces UK impotence & irrelevance on the global stage. The UK is a middle-ranking power with remnants of geo-political power. A UK Govt openly embracing the end of the illusion of Great Power Britain would be cathartic. But the Starmer Govt won't dare go near this.
It's up to the US "to lay out its legal basis for the actions that it has taken" is Venezuela, says Home Office minister Mike Tapp. For now the UK cannot take a view given what he calls "the fog of war". The UK will "not be pressured by social media" on this, he says.
It's up to the US "to lay out its legal basis for the actions that it has taken" is Venezuela, says Home Office minister Mike Tapp. For now the UK cannot take a view given what he calls "the fog of war". The UK will "not be pressured by social media" on this, he says.

Anyone equivocating or supporting Trump's attack on Venezuela will have to decide whether they support the new Trumpian Doctrine.

In a new The Atlantic interview Trump said: "We do need Greenland, absolutely. We need it for defense." Trump appeasers are on the side of this.

The Trump administration says Maduro will be indicted & stand trial in US courts. This means the Trump regime's position is that US courts can hold foreign leaders accountable for their crimes but not the US President who they believe has presidential immunity.

Trump won as an 'America First' President. Now he has launched a more aggressive neoconservative project than George W. Bush & Dick Cheney ever dreamed of. This is the end of MAGA & a new era of American interventionist imperialism. One led by arrogant authoritarians who believe in raw power.

Trump's America & Netanyahu's Israel are gangster states. Who think they have immunity to attack anyone they like and not be held accountable. As for all the liberals bemoaning the death of international law the US & Israel have always behaved like this. Trump & Netanyahu just don't disguise it.

Nigel Farage has spent decades championing the cause of "national sovereignty." All a complete fraud as he sides with the US attack on Venezuela & its assault on the country's "national sovereignty".

The Trumpian MAGA coalition is a complete fraud. Trump is an old-fashioned 19th century American imperialist with 21st century demagogic intentions.

Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's Director of National Intelligence, seven years ago opposed US intervention in Venezuela. Principles are light in Trumpland.

Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch, Nigel Farage: political miniatures in a geopolitical age that needs leadership which can stand up to Trump & be clear what the UK national interest is. None of these three can pass this test.
Badenoch has a remarkable ability to be rebarbative in any context. The first sentence here is totally unnecessary.

The weak, impotent, sidelined UK & Starmer administration. Starmer makes a completely ineffectual statement on the US attack on Venezuela & does not criticise it. Saying NOTHING. A total abdication of leadership.
Sky News, "Zack Polanski described it as an illegal strike.. When asked to condemn it Keir Starmer refused to do so"
Badenoch has a remarkable ability to be rebarbative in any context. The first sentence here is totally unnecessary.

Has the FIFA Peace Prize gone to Donald Trump's head? Ever since he has been awarded it he has been illegally attacking Venezuela. Maybe time if FIFA had any nous to withdraw this sham of a prize from this sham of a President. Guess it will be a long wait.
Sky News, "Zack Polanski described it as an illegal strike.. When asked to condemn it Keir Starmer refused to do so"

As neither a Celtic or Rangers fan I am really enjoying Wilfried Nancy's disastrous reign at Celtic. Six defeats out of eight. He is out of his depth. But the Celtic decline began long before Nancy; and the problem sits with Paul Tisdale & the complacent board.

Many happy returns to Scottish & international football pioneer: Rose Reilly. The only Scottish World Cup winner so far & only British women's World Cup winner. As well as winner of eight Serie A titles, a French title & four Italian Cups. Last photo: Rose & Julie McNeill at Kirkcudbright Fringe.

How is acting as an apologist for football hooliganism & a club whose fans are banned across Europe & even in their home country of Israel conducive with law & order Conservatism? A tradition & party completely lost.

#Sportscene: Road to the World Cup special felt like a missed opportunity. It could have been an hour long doc profiling Scotland's games with analysis. Instead it just had video clips & Liam McLeod's 'commentary'. Can #BBCScotland not do better for the World Cup?
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
BBC Scotland - Sportscene, Road to the World Cup
Looking back at Scotlandโ€™s historic World Cup qualifying campaign.
www.bbc.co.uk

One possible villain has already emerged in the first episode of #Traitors: Hugo. Upon being told that there is a 'secret traitor' above him with more power he has several times showed his indignation saying: "I do not require middle management with someone above me." #TraitorsUK

Am a big fan of Jools Holland's Later which over 30 years has showcased & championed so much great music. But the Jools Holland #Hootenanny is a tired, wearisome format of aging celebs, hangers-on & liggers alongside a sprinkling of old pop stars. Time to consider binning it?

What an inspirational figure. Glasgow Disability Alliance CEO Tressa Burke turned down an MBE in the New Year honours because Keir Starmerโ€™s Labour Govt is โ€œscapegoatingโ€ people with disabilities & "fuelling hatred." Via @libbybrooks.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...
Campaigner turned down MBE over โ€˜scapegoatingโ€™ of people with disabilities
Exclusive: In letter declining proposed award, Tressa Burke, CEO of Glasgow Disability Alliance, accused government of โ€˜fuelling hatredโ€™
www.theguardian.com

T.J. Clark's 'Those Passions: On Art and Politics' published this year is a magnum opus on art, politics, power & imagination. His summary of Trump in LRB was bang on: "Trump is an early warning signal. His mixture of insult, resentment and buffoonery is a work of genius."

Carl Jung once said about the soul:

"The soul is oriented towards obsession: it wants to be possessed by something greater, consummated in a quest, absorbed into a vortex of devotion, and eaten by the feeling of passion. The soul wants to fall in love hard.โ€

Have a lot of respect for the history & work of the Fabian Society. But there is nothing progressive in their Gen Sec Joe Dromey equating Farage's populism & Zack Polanski's Greens saying both peddle "fantasies." HT @thefabians.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Reposted by Gerry Hassan

YouGov @yougov.co.uk ยท 6d
How popular is Donald Trump in Western Europe? December 2025

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น -52 net favourability (+1 from Nov)
๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท -56 (+3)
๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ -58 (+4)
๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง -59 (=)
๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช -66 (-1)
๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ฐ -82 (+3)

yougov.co.uk/internationa...