The Patterson Podcast

Ross Patterson
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The Patterson Podcast is a long-form interview podcast based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The goal is to speak to people from all walks of life and provide a platform to share their stories and ideas.

  1. Tommy Sheridan - Why Independence is the Only Way to Change Scotland

    Apr 23

    Tommy Sheridan - Why Independence is the Only Way to Change Scotland

    Tommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician and activist who served as a Glasgow city councillor and as a Member of the Scottish Parliament from 1999 to 2007, representing the Scottish Socialist Party. He rose to national prominence in the late 1980s as a leading figure in the campaign against the Community Charge in Scotland, a mass civil disobedience movement that contributed to the tax's abolition. In 2010 he was convicted of perjury arising from a defamation case against the News of the World and sentenced to three years in prison; he is currently standing as a candidate for the Alliance to Liberate Scotland in the 2026 Scottish Parliament election. If you enjoy The Patterson Podcast, you'll probably enjoy The Patterson Post - my newsletter. It's a collection of important news stories, interesting ideas, and useful resources. It also cuts out the large platforms, and allows a direct line of communication. Sign up here - https://thepattersonpost.beehiiv.com/ Download the episode here: https://media.rss.com/the-patterson-podcast/feed.xml 00:00 — Breaking the poll tax03:00 — Alba's collapse and the Alliance to Liberate Scotland06:10 — Craig Murray and the gender debate10:16 — Electoral polling and the party political broadcast14:05 — Why return to politics15:28 — MSP salaries and political accountability18:29 — Democracy and Accountability Bill22:16 — Bedroom tax and the 2014 referendum campaign25:51 — Scottish pound, EU and EFTA31:23 — Blacklisted by Glasgow City Council35:21 — Political awakening: his mother and trade unionism41:27 — The poll tax and the road to independence45:07 — Socialism and nationalism54:31 — Scotland's natural wealth and energy57:54 — Privatisation and public ownership01:09:19 — Immigration and inequality01:36:39 — Voting strategy: why give Alliance your regional vote Relevant Links Alliance to Liberate Scotland: https://liberatescot.scot/ John Maclean by Nan Milton (Book) \The Enemy Within by Seumas Milne (Book)

    1h 46m
  2. Nate Kitch - Stand-Up Comedy: Explained.

    Apr 21

    Nate Kitch - Stand-Up Comedy: Explained.

    Nate Kitch is a stand-up comedian based in Oxford who began performing in 2019. He has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe since 2021 and received a five-star review from The Scotsman. He is currently on a spring 2026 UK tour and will return to the Edinburgh Fringe in August 2026. If you enjoy The Patterson Podcast, you'll probably enjoy The Patterson Post - my newsletter. It's a collection of important news stories, interesting ideas, and useful resources. It also cuts out the large platforms, and allows a direct line of communication. Sign up here - https://thepattersonpost.beehiiv.com/ Download the episode here: https://media.rss.com/the-patterson-podcast/feed.xml Timestamps 00:00 — Cold open: the terror of the first open mic 01:05 — Introduction 02:34 — On tour: how Nate decides where to play 05:50 — Starting out: Oxford open mics and 2019 09:20 — Making comedy for yourself vs. the audience 10:30 — Rick Rubin, creative instinct and ignoring what people want 12:15 — Working every room vs. doing what you do 38:50 — Stand-up as jazz: structure that doesn't look like structure 43:30 — Why some comedy can't be explained 50:10 — Dealing with criticism and trusted voices 54:30 — Reviews, five stars vs. two and a half, and why it doesn't matter 58:10 — Self-doubt and thinking about quitting 01:03:00 — The role of the comic in society 01:05:10 — Comedy, politics and speaking truth to power 01:09:40 — The royal family, power and accountability 01:16:48 — Reform, Restore and the political moment 01:17:30 — What gives Nate hope Nate Kitch's Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/kitch.nate/ Nate Kitch's Illustrator Website: https://www.natekitch.com/

    1h 24m
  3. Neil McInroy - How to Build an Economy That Works for Everyone

    Mar 31

    Neil McInroy - How to Build an Economy That Works for Everyone

    Neil McInroy is the Global Lead for Community Wealth Building at The Democracy Collaborative, where he advances systemic economic reform and democratic ownership strategies across the United States and internationally. He served for 20 years as Chief Executive of the Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES), where he helped pioneer community wealth building in Britain and develop the Preston Model, and was a Community Wealth Building Adviser to the Scottish Government until 2023. He was one of the principal advisors on the Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill, which passed the Scottish Parliament in 2025 and represents the first piece of legislation of its kind anywhere in the world. If you enjoy The Patterson Podcast, you’ll probably enjoy The Patterson Post - my newsletter. It’s a collection of important news stories, interesting ideas, and useful resources. It also cuts out the large platforms, and allows a direct line of communication. Sign up here - https://thepattersonpost.beehiiv.com/ (https://thepattersonpost.beehiiv.com/) Timestamps: 00:00 — Is Neil a capitalist? 01:05 — Introduction and overview of community wealth building 03:00 — The five pillars: work, land, finance, procurement, democratic ownership 10:30 — Defining community geographically 13:00 — The history of wages and labour's declining share of wealth 15:00 — Automation, AI and the case for ownership over employment 18:30 — Local economic multipliers vs. foreign investment (the Amazon question) 24:00 — How to think about work in the 21st century 28:00 — The Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill: what it actually does 33:00 — Scotland as a branch economy: energy insecurity and sovereignty 41:00 — Wind energy, community ownership and Shetland's fuel poverty paradox 48:00 — Thatcherism, neoliberalism and the dismantling of economic mediation 53:00 — Norway's sovereign wealth fund and Scotland's squandered North Sea oil 59:00 — Post-capitalism: beyond both state socialism and free-market capitalism 01:32:00 — GB Energy, AI data centres and Scotland's energy future 01:37:00 — Repopulating the Highlands and Scotland's long-term economic geography 01:41:00 — Young people, apathy and community wealth building as a generational project The Democarcy Collaborative - https://www.democracycollaborative.org/ Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill: https://www.parliament.scot Neil McInroy on X (@nmcinroy): https://x.com/nmcinroy?s=20 Neil McInroy on Bluesky (@neilmcinroy): https://bsky.app/profile/neilmcinroy.bsky.social

    1h 49m
  4. Gerry Hassan PhD - Scottish Politics, the Rise of Reform, and the Case for Independence

    Mar 19

    Gerry Hassan PhD - Scottish Politics, the Rise of Reform, and the Case for Independence

    Dr. Gerry Hassan is a professor of social change at Glasgow Caledonian University and one of Scotland's most prolific political commentators. He has written and edited numerous books on Scottish politics, society, and culture, and contributes regularly to debate through articles, media appearances, and his own blog. His work spans the politics of devolution, independence, and the broader shifts reshaping the UK and the Western world. Timestamps 00:01:53 — Erosion of the social contract across the West00:03:30 — Scotland's insider political class and cautious centrism00:05:09 — The collapse of two-party politics since the 1950s00:07:45 — Reform as a false anti-establishment force00:08:37 — Anger among older voters and the "golden generation"00:09:55 — Immigration as an existential issue for some communities00:13:38 — Right-wing media radicalisation: GB News and beyond00:15:33 — The far right, Rupert Lowe [see note below], and language without guardrails00:19:32 — Reform's rise in Scotland and the missing right-wing constituency00:23:56 — Why the SNP keeps winning after 19 years in government00:27:58 — Scottish independence: no postmortem, no progress since 201400:32:00 — Independence as a factor in the Scottish Parliament election00:35:55 — The UK's geopolitical decline and Scotland's role on the world stage00:40:38 — EU rejoining: a medium-to-long-term question00:43:57 — Wealth creation, child poverty, and early years intervention in Scotland Dr. Gerry Hassan's Blog: https://gerryhassan.com/

    49 min
  5. Kirby Ruth - Life As a Sex Worker

    Mar 17

    Kirby Ruth - Life As a Sex Worker

    Kirby Ruth is a full-service sex worker who has operated independently in the UK for several years, touring nationally and working as a self-employed sole trader. She entered the industry as a student and has since built a client base across multiple cities, managing her own advertising, client screening, and scheduling. Kirby speaks publicly about the distinction between consensual sex work and exploitation, and argues against legislative approaches she believes would drive the industry underground. Timestamps: 00:00 — Introduction and how Ross and Kirby met00:04 — Why Kirby agreed to speak publicly00:05 — Media representation and stigma00:06 — Entry into the industry00:12 — Misconceptions about clients and consent00:17 — Safety: screening and client databases00:20 — Sexual health and PrEP00:25 — Client demographics and the emotional side of the work00:34 — Male loneliness, incels, and disabled clients00:41 — Autonomy and self-employment00:43 — The policy debate: Nordic Model, decriminalisation, and legalisation00:47 — Why criminalising buyers endangers workers00:56 — Exploitation vs consensual sex work01:05 — OnlyFans and the digital industry01:14 — Writing a book Kirby" Instagram: Profile: https://www.instagram.com/kickasskirby/

    1h 17m
  6. Gordon MacDonald PhD - The case against assisted dying

    Mar 5

    Gordon MacDonald PhD - The case against assisted dying

    Dr. Gordon MacDonald is the Chief Executive of Care Not Killing, a UK campaign organisation opposed to the legalisation of assisted suicide and euthanasia. The organisation was founded in 2006 as a coalition of disability groups, hospices, and palliative care professionals in response to bills brought before Westminster, and has since campaigned against similar legislation at Holyrood, including the End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill in 2010 and the Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill in 2015. Before taking on his current role, MacDonald worked with CARE and served as an advocate for UNICEF in Scotland.00:00 — Introduction to the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill and Care Not Killing. Gordon holds a PhD in Economics. 02:13 — Gordon's background and path to becoming Chief Executive of Care Not Killing04:47 — History of the euthanasia debate in the UK, from the 1930s to the early 2000s07:20 — Previous assisted dying bills in the Scottish Parliament: 2010 and 201509:07 — Definitions: assisted dying, assisted suicide, and euthanasia11:27 — The Netherlands: expansion of euthanasia practice beyond original legal limits13:40 — Rising death tolls in Canada and Oregon and the normalisation of assisted dying20:17 — Contents and ambiguities of Liam McArthur's bill22:27 — What happens when assisted suicide drugs fail to cause death25:29 — Comparing scale: Oregon's assisted suicide figures versus Canada's euthanasia numbers27:34 — Financial costs, the Scottish Government's response, and the flawed financial memorandum30:22 — Impact on palliative care funding and hospice staffing35:36 — The case against legalisation across Western jurisdictions38:16 — Autonomy, human rights, and the limits of individual choice43:57 — Agents of the state and the right to life under the ECHR50:13 — Socioeconomic disparities in who accesses assisted dying in Canada and Oregon53:27 — What happens after the 17 March Stage 3 vote57:14 — Gordon's personal experience of his parents' deaths and the difference palliative care made1:02:53 — Audience questions: the veterinary argument, public opinion polling, and the role of MSPs Stay in touch - https://thepattersonpost.beehiiv.com/

    1h 20m
  7. Ash Regan MSP - The Unbuyable Bill: changing prostitution laws in Scotland

    Feb 24

    Ash Regan MSP - The Unbuyable Bill: changing prostitution laws in Scotland

    Ash Regan is a Member of the Scottish Parliament, currently sitting as an independent having previously been a member of the SNP. Her Unbuyable Bill, which sought to criminalise the buying of sex while decriminalising the selling of it, reached Stage One of the Scottish Parliament before being voted down. We discussed why she feels prostitution laws in Scotland need to change. Timestamps Timestamps 00:00 — Introduction 00:58 — What the Unbuyable Bill proposes 05:13 — The SNP votes the bill down at Stage One 08:52 — How current Scottish law on prostitution works 10:44 — What the bill would criminalise and decriminalise 15:02 — The Nordic model — how it works and the evidence behind it 16:00 — Germany and Sweden as contrasting case studies 18:38 — The consent debate 19:32 — Who is in prostitution — statistics on trafficking, abuse, and coercion 24:09 — Grooming victims and trafficking victims 27:24 — The Epstein files and exploitation across society 29:38 — Scottish Government inaction and prospects for future legislation 32:36 — The “driving underground” argument 36:26 — Ash’s plans to stand as an independent at the next election Relevant Links Ash Regan — Scottish Parliament profile: https://www.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-msps/ash-regan Ash Regan on X (Twitter): https://x.com/AshRegansNow The Unbuyable Bill https://unbuyable.org/

    39 min
  8. Dr. Laura Cooper - Discovering A New Branch on the Tree of Life

    Feb 3

    Dr. Laura Cooper - Discovering A New Branch on the Tree of Life

    Dr. Laura Cooper is a researcher at the University of Edinburgh who led a groundbreaking study on prototaxites, an ancient organism that has puzzled scientists for nearly 170 years. Her research, published in the journal Science, reveals that well-preserved fossils from Aberdeenshire represent a distinct extinct lineage that doesn't fit into any existing biological kingdom. She recently completed her PhD, with this discovery forming a central part of her doctoral thesis. Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Dr. Laura Cooper and the significance of her research being published in Science 01:25 - What is prototaxites and why it's caused scientific debate for 170 years 02:21 - The origin of the name "prototaxites" and why it's misleading 02:44 - How the organism has been classified throughout history, from yew tree to fungus 03:07 - The exceptionally well-preserved specimens from Aberdeenshire, Scotland 03:40 - Why prototaxites doesn't fit with fungi based on chemical composition and anatomy 04:14 - The massive size of these organisms—at least eight meters long 04:39 - Why prototaxites doesn't fit into any known major groups of complex life 05:22 - Understanding biological kingdoms: bacteria, prokaryotes, and eukaryotes 06:13 - The protists group and how genetic information has revealed multiple separate lineages 07:20 - Why prototaxites represents a separate large organism lineage that went extinct 08:44 - Early land environments when life was first coming onto land 10:30 - The timeline of when plants colonized land and prototaxites' role in early ecosystems 15:45 - How prototaxites lived and functioned in ancient landscapes 22:18 - The structure and anatomy of prototaxites compared to modern organisms 28:50 - How the organism grew and what its tubes looked like 35:20 - The Rhynie Chert fossil site and its exceptional preservation 42:15 - Techniques used to study the fossils, including high-resolution imaging 48:30 - Chemical analysis that revealed prototaxites wasn't made of chitin like fungi 55:40 - What the organism might have eaten or how it obtained nutrients 1:02:15 - The ecological impact of these massive organisms on early terrestrial environments 1:08:30 - Why prototaxites went extinct and what replaced it 1:16:10 - Future research directions and similar organisms being studied 1:17:04 - Looking for smaller, earlier versions of prototaxites to understand its evolution 1:18:09 - Where to find more prototaxites specimens around the world 1:19:29 - The specimen going to the National Museum of Scotland's research collection 1:21:22 - Laura's PhD viva examination and completion 1:22:19 - What a viva is and how it works as a final PhD examination Relevant Links: University of Edinburgh - https://www.ed.ac.uk National Museum of Scotland - https://www.nms.ac.uk Click the link below to sign-up to The Patterson Post - a brief collection of important news stories, interesting ideas, and useful resources. Delivered on Saturday mornings. https://thepattersonpost.beehiiv.com/?_gl=1*gtxn5p*_gcl_au*OTI1Nzg2NDMzLjE3NzAxMjE3NDY.*_ga*MTgzMjc0NDYxNC4xNzcwMTIxNzQ2*_ga_E6Y4WLQ2EC*czE3NzAxMjE3NDUkbzEkZzEkdDE3NzAxMjgyMDgkajYwJGwwJGgxNjIxNzIzOTg2 Thank You for listening.

    1h 24m
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About

The Patterson Podcast is a long-form interview podcast based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The goal is to speak to people from all walks of life and provide a platform to share their stories and ideas.

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