Reform Scotland, like most right-wing, unionist, so-called think tanks is keen to project itself as somehow independent or non-partisan. Any social science student will tell you there’s no such thing but Reform Scotland is an easier target than that.
It’s director is Chris Deerin, a New Statesman writer, Blairite and regular critic of anything the SNP does. Just Google his name and SNP and you’ll see just how non-partisan he isn’t.
It’s research director is Alison Payne. That name ring a bell? It should.
In recent years, popping up as just a ‘mum’, unattributed, on Reporting Scotland, GMS and Kay Adams to moan about SNP school policies, Payne began her career within the Scottish Conservative MSPs’ Research Unit, going on to spend four years as Head of Research. She later went on to become Political Adviser to Annabel Goldie MSP, Leader of the Scottish Conservative Group of MSPs. This role included acting as adviser to the Scottish Conservative Policy Advisory Group. She also spent 10 years as a Girl Guide leader, prior to the birth of her second child in 2010.
And, how did she become a Research Director with no evidence of research training – PhD, MRes, even an honours degree with a dissertation? Girl Guide connections?
Talking-up Scotland 
Ultra-Brit Nat non-partisan?
With greetin’-faced Jakie McCoalbunker in charge?
Non-partisan—What, like the BBC?
Or our “neutral” press?
Words used to have meaning.
Now we have Alister Jack-a-nory and Lard Baron Ffoulksakia to tell us bed time stories—-“Once upon a time…………………………..
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Sheep in Wolves Clothing
Bah,Bah, Bah
As i not a racist protocol forces me to complete and insert after Bah but before the last word Sheep
To use Blah Blah Blah
Would be crediting them with intelligence wrongly
,
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Think Tank sounds like a term from an Orwell novel .
And the financing of said ”Tanks ” is never transparent .
Reform Scotland claims to be an independent , charitable body with contributions given from individuals and corporate bodies which in no way influence their independence .
Aye , right !
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I have no knowledge of Reform Scotland. However, Wikipedia offers a profile which includes this:
‘Reform Scotland is the successor to right wing think tank Policy Institute (1999–2008). The think tank is led by individuals with links to the Conservative Party.
See https://web.archive.org/web/20101124154513/http://policyinstitute.info/news-events/policy-institute-merger-with-reform-scotland
‘Reform Scotland made a submission to the Scotland Bill Committee, based upon their pamphlet advocating Devolution Plus. Devolution Plus is a system whereby the Scottish devolution settlement would be amended to see both the Scottish Parliament and Westminster parliament raising sufficient revenue in taxation to fund their own spending. That submission was the basis of the foundation of the Devo Plus group, to promote the idea during the run up to a referendum on Scottish independence.’
‘Key members of staff:
‘Chris Deerin, Director (Scotland Editor for the New Statesman, former Head of Comment at The Telegraph, former Executive Editor of Scotland on Sunday, former Daily Mail columnist).
‘Alison Payne (née Miller), research director (former political adviser to Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie, former head of research for the Scottish Conservatives, unsuccessful Scottish Conservative candidate for Portobello/Craigmillar in the 2007 Scottish local elections).’
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Sinister. Reform when used for political means, is about beating something to a pulp until the essence, the lifeforce is removed. It’s just another way of taking something they want to keep but reshaping it to fully control it.
The English government are experts at it they’ve had long enough to practice after all.
Scotland needs to escape it’s quite simple, or be ‘reformed’ by the cabal in London, a scary prospect.
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‘To promote economic prosperity’. A total joke. Economic prosperity under the Tories. Elected to fill their boots. The unelected HoL should have been abolished long ago.
The mismanagement of the pandemic. £Billions taken from Scotland to fund London S/E. Secretly and illegally. Downing Street a complete and utter shambles. A bunch of lying hypocrites. Resulting in unnecessary deaths.
Brexit the next absolute disaster, especially for Scotland. The nearest biggest market. Shared Defence and other costs lost. CAP payments gone putting up the price of food. Costing jobs, grants and loans. Economic recession as a result.
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Reform Scotland say they cover the following ‘themes’.
– Increasing prosperity
– A positive climate for entrepreneurs and innovators
– Reform and modernisation of public services
– Widening opportunity for all
– Compassion for those who slip through the cracks
– Greater courage and appetite for risk among policy-makers
Nothing much to object to there, but surely all of the above would necessitate honestly exploring Independence as an option for Scotland?
Otherwise the project is flawed.
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