The idea behind Better Nation was that it would be a rolling beast where guest posts* from within and outwith Scotland would always be welcomed and where new bloggers would ideally outlive the old, the website sustaining itself through constant input and constant renewal.
The next chapter in this hopefully still burgeoning story begins today with the announcement that we have a new editor – Kirsty Connell.
Kirsty has written a few guest posts for this site recently and knocked the blogging ball out of the park each time. It is safe to say, with not a hint of false modesty, that we are raising our collective average from today.
There is a wealth of experience and knowledge that Kirsty brings to the table through her time as a candidate in Scottish and European Parliament elections, through her fundraiser work, through working in Holyrood as a researcher and through being chairperson of Glasgow Labour Club. That description is chosen purposefully as Kirsty is also a proud feminist. A peek at the @Kirsty_C Twitter account will give you a view of what makes her tick for any readers that have not yet made Kirsty’s online acquaintance.
So our historically greenish, pro-independence slant is distinctly, and somewhat deliberately, being balanced out by a strong Labour presence with Aidan at the helm, and now doubled up with Kirsty. Our comments here at Better Nation, one of our strongest plus points, can be delightfully robust but hopefully the insightful will not be too regularly met with the inciteful. While Alex Salmond graciously conceded that the SNP does not have a monopoly on wisdom, so too do proponents of independence not have a monopoly on debate in the Scottish blogosphere.
It’s not easy running a blog, even a group blog, so fresh talent and fresh impetus are always welcome, some would say necessary.
At Better Nation we will always seek continue to spread our reach to cover all Scottish viewpoints consistent with our raisins etc, and that branching out may well continue sooner rather than later but, for now, we are a Fab Four and our purpose remains solid as we begin to wind down on 2011 and look to 2012.
So a big welcome to Kirsty and here’s to more Better Nation discussion and exploits in the weeks, months and years to come.
(*Submissions to Editors’at’betternation’dot’org)