Common Weal

Common Weal
Formation May 2013 (2013-05)
Headquarters 3rd Floor, 111 Union St, Glasgow, G1 3TA
Location
  • Scotland
Director
 Robin McAlpine
Website Common Weal

Common Weal is a think tank and advocacy group which campaigns for social and economic equality in Scotland. It launched in 2013 and has published works exploring an alternate economic and social model for Scotland. It contributed to the debates that were occurring as part of the Scottish independence referendum, aligned to the Yes campaign. Originally part of the Jimmy Reid Foundation, it became a separate entity in October 2014. After the referendum it continued to develop and publish material and supports an independent media outlet which launched in 2015. The organisation is not affiliated to any political party. The director is Robin McAlpine.

History

Common Weal launched May 2013 as part of the Jimmy Reid Foundation. A group of academics and economists proposed a model based on co-operation and mutual benefit, attempting to avoid social exclusion.[1] The following month, further work from the project cautioned against proposals of monetary union between an independent Scotland and the rest of the UK.[2] In July 2013, McAlpine was invited to present the project's economic concepts to the First Minister and the SNP's 65 MSPs.[3] A few months later a conference of SNP councillors showed some support for the ideas around fairness within society.[4] The concepts had also been scheduled for discussion at conferences organised by Radical Independence Campaign and the Scottish Green Party.[5] By the end of the year they had a new website and a distinctive look.[6]

On 1 June 2014, Common Weal launched a 180-page book that drew upon policies from Germany and Scandinavia.[7] This explored an economy with the features of highly skilled workforce receiving high wages within a 30-hour working week.[8]

Common Weal had developed its own identity[9] and in October 2014 it split from the Jimmy Reid Foundation and became an independent organisation.[10]

In October 2015 they published a book, 101 ideas to transform Scotland.[11]

In October 2016, they ran an event in Glasgow that coincided with the Scottish National Party conference.[12] This unofficial fringe event included around 40 organisations and was intended as a place for less mainstream ideas to be discussed.[13]

It funds an independent news service, CommonSpace, which launched in January 2015.[14][15]

References

  1. ↑ "Gregor Gall: Justice and prosperity can go together". The Scotsman. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  2. ↑ "Scottish independence: Think tanks warns against monetary union". BBC News. 2 June 2013.
  3. ↑ Gordon, Tom (14 July 2013). "Jimmy Reid's legacy climbs up independence agenda". The Sunday Herald. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  4. ↑ Gordon, Tom (8 September 2013). "SNP councillors unanimously back Common Weal blueprint for a fairer Scotland". Sunday Herald. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  5. ↑ Gordon, Tom (17 June 2013). "The Common Weal: how Scotland could look very different after IndyRef". The Herald. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  6. ↑ Dinwoodie, Robbie (9 December 2013). "Common Weal movement is launched". The Herald. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  7. ↑ Peterkin, Tom (1 June 2014). "Scottish independence: Common Weal book launched". The Scotsman. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  8. ↑ "Scottish independence: Common Weal urges different economy". BBC News. 1 June 2014.
  9. ↑ Hutcheon, Paul (20 July 2014). "Reid family speak out over tensions inside Foundation". The Sunday Herald. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  10. ↑ Gordon, Tom; Hutcheon, Paul (3 August 2014). "Common Weal splits from Jimmy Reid Foundation". Sunday Herald. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  11. ↑ McCall, Chris (13 October 2015). "Common Weal unveil 101 ideas to transform Scotland". The Scotsman. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  12. ↑ McAlpine, Robin (13 October 2016). "The SNP has gone back to old politics. IdeaSpace is the antidote". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  13. ↑ McKenna, Kevin (16 October 2016). "The SNP mustn't forget the battlers who swept it to power". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  14. ↑ Gani, Aisha (1 December 2014). "Scottish blogs: what next for alternative media post-referendum?". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  15. ↑ Greenslade, Roy (22 June 2015). "CommonSpace joins Scotland's burgeoning alternative media outlets". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
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