{"id":82632,"date":"2025-05-26T10:18:53","date_gmt":"2025-05-26T09:18:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/?p=82632"},"modified":"2025-05-26T10:18:53","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T09:18:53","slug":"its-time-to-choose","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.taxresearch.org.uk\/Blog\/2025\/05\/26\/its-time-to-choose\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s time to choose"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is from my National column<\/a> this morning:<\/p>\n

\n

I strongly suspect no-one writes for The National with the aim of getting rich. This is not an appeal for a pay rise on my part. My aim is, instead, to point out something else.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\n
\n

That is, that I believe everyone associated with The National is here for one very good reason. We believe in what this paper has to say.<\/p>\n

We believe in\u00a0Scottish independence<\/a>. We believe in this paper\u2019s stance on\u00a0Gaza<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We believe in this paper\u2019s desire to hold Scottish politicians, whoever they are, to account. We want to talk about what matters.<\/p>\n

I believe we do this based on a simple, mutual understanding, which is that we think a better world is possible for the people of Scotland. We are, therefore, \u201cfor\u201d something. We work, we write, we edit, we photograph, we make social media, we agonise and we sweat tears, all because it is our hope that at the end of the day there will be something to show for all this.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And, as I then note:<\/p>\n

What I see all around me, in Scotland, in the UK, in the United States and beyond, is politics which is, at best, \u201cagainst\u201d something and, at worst, based on hate. Labour, like the\u00a0Tories\u00a0before them, seem to hate the young; the vulnerable; those with disabilities; people who are without work through no fault of their own; homeless people; children in poverty and their parents; hard-up pensioners; migrants; civil servants and all public-sector employees; anyone who has the temerity to ask for a pay rise; people who raise their voice; anyone who protests, someone who thinks that the future of our planet matters; and a great many others besides.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There is a choice:<\/p>\n

This is not a moment for sitting on the side. This is not a moment when waiting to make up your mind is an option. This is a moment when you have to decide whose side you are on, which voices you wish to hear, and what causes you wish to promote.<\/p>\n

This is a moment to reject the politics of division, and the politics of hate. This is a moment to be for things.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Your choice.<\/p>\n

I have made mine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is from my National column this morning: I strongly suspect no-one writes for The National with the aim of getting rich. This is not
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