Nest of Fearties #22: Working-Class History Under Attack

When Archibald Primrose, the 5th Earl of Rosebery, opened Glasgow’s People Palace in 1898, he declared it "open to the people for ever and ever".

The building stands as a monument to the men and women whose lives, labour and struggles built Scotland’s largest city.

This week, however, Glasgow Life – an arms-length body of Glasgow City Council – announced that the reopening of the People’s Palace, which had been closed since 2024, had been delayed indefinitely. 

The news mirrors similar – but ultimately unsuccessful – efforts to close Edinburgh’s People’s Story Museum in recent years. 

This week, Coll McCail is joined by  Jim Slaven and Dan Hutchison to discuss the campaign to protect Scotland’s working-class history

Jim is a member of the James Connolly Society and was heavily involved in the campaign to save the People’s Story. He writes the Solidarity Not Charity substack. 

Dan is a Glasgow City Councillor for Ibrox who joined Your Party and left the Scottish Greens in October 2025.

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