The Lesley Riddoch Podcast

Lesley Riddoch and Fraser Thompson
  • 4.9 (10)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Scottish politics dissected from a left, pro-independence stance. Each week, award-winning broadcaster and journalist, Lesley Riddoch chews over the week’s news with co-host Fraser Thompson. If you like intelligent, quirky chat about Scottish society and culture, and Scottish, UK and international politics analysed from a Scottish perspective; this podcast is for you.

  1. 2D AGO

    Plain sailing for the SNP budget?

    The Scottish Budget dominates this week’s episode - did Scottish Labour produce a massive own goal by not bothering to contest or argue for anything in the budget? Has their decision to abstain made life easier for the SNP and led to muted criticism in the press? There seems to be the impression, in the press at least, that there's not an awful lot to say about the budget and the SNP have sailed through a fairly steady as she goes and uninspring pre-election budget with little pain. We look at the situations across the world at the moment, in Minnesota in the aftermath of the terrible shooting there, the situation in Iran, and the continuing pressure on Greenland. All this and more. LinksSee the latest film showings for the new Finland Filmhttps://lesleyriddoch.com/eventsGreenland filmsUncovering the history of America's secret cold war base on Greenlandhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIw8pEqJMHw How did Greenland become part of Denmark and why does Trump want to buy it? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYfSlQaIEXk ★ Support this podcast ★

    1h 8m

  2. JAN 6

    It's hogmanay actually!

    It's a new year, and a happy one, we hope. We start, as we did last year, with Donald Trump in the headlines - this time after illegally kidnapping the President of Venezuela. We discuss all the ramifications of that, how it is occupying all the bandwidth of every world leader as well as Trump and the USA’s renewed threats to Greenland.  It’s the start of the Scottish election campaign; we look at how things have kicked off and where the election might leave prospects for an independent Scotland.  ★ Support this podcast ★

    1h 12m

  3. 12/16/2025

    T'was the week before Christmas

    In this week’s episode, we have a long reflection on the trauma that's around at the moment. Some of it is faced by people who have campaigned against things like the battery storage plants that are abounding around rural Scotland. Sleepless nights, disappointment, disillusionment. That may not seem like a big deal in the face of all the other trauma going around, the terrorist attack on Jews in Australia, the enduring horrible genocide being experienced in Gaza, and the suggestion by President Netanyahu that you can't speak about one without getting on the wrong side of the other. So we discuss all of that. Donald Trump's allegation that, putting it bluntly, Europe is crap, and perhaps the difficulty in managing to get a common position when giving funds to Ukraine would bear that out. We also discuss the Question Time furor over the question about school children and fluency in English, which turned into a debate about second languages among young people All that and more. LinksJen Strout - Night Train to Odesahttps://birlinn.co.uk/product/night-train-to-odesa-2/ Jim Sillars - The New Case for Optimismhttps://www.vagabondvoices.co.uk/rants/the-new-case-for-optimism ★ Support this podcast ★

    1h 11m

  4. 12/09/2025

    A Beret of Berries

    Some big pennies are dropping this week. The biggest, probably, is the US disengagement from Ukraine. It's not just Ukrainians that are being given the heave-ho, it seems to be Europe as a whole. We also  look at the big statement about energy for an independent Scotland and the promise of a third off bills. Is that realistic? of course, it actually is, but quite how would you get there? And does John Swinney have to spell it out? We analyise the nuclear consensus amongst Labour, Tory, and the Westminster parties. Why on earth are they so keen to have new nuclear plants in Scotland? We talk about Lord Malcolm Offord and his defection to Reform to stand for the Scottish Parliament. And we look at the Sandy Peggie verdict. Does anybody really see clearly what it means? The A'Chraobh Forest ProjectProducing a professional film from the footage will cost £600-£1000.The Spiral Forrest at Borgie in Sutherland is an attempt by descendants of the people cleared by the Duke of Sutherland from Strathnaver to have their say about the landscape. It’s composed of the 18 trees native to Scotland which are also part of the unique Gàidhlig alphabet. Lesley planted the first tree in 2000 along with hundreds of school kids from North Sutherland and returned this weekend with organisers, some of those children now adults and their own children, to commemorate 25 years of a very different kind of woodland. She captured footage while she was there and is looking to raise some money to pay an editor. If any Sutherland folk or people who feel strongly about native Woodland or indeed the clearances, want to contribute, please contact her at hello@lesleyriddoch.com Links Norway the Twin Nationhttps://youtu.be/oUbMAFO6kA4 Makar Homeshttps://www.makar.co.uk/ ★ Support this podcast ★

    1h 14m

  5. 12/02/2025

    Budget Pressures

    This week, we learnt that there was no black hole in the UK finances all along. We discuss Rachel Reeves and her doom and gloom pre-budget speech, the controversies that have followed and the stoochie caused by the Office for Budget Responsibility having already told the chancellor that she had some money in the kitty after all. The resignation of the head bummer of the OBR and calls for the resignation of the Chancellor. We discuss all things Saint Andrew’s Day, planning nightmares in the Highlands over wind farm expansion.That and Barclays Hamden Stadium, whether anybody will ever call it that, and does it matter? LinksFind out more about the Birthplace of the Saltire and the new Saltire Monumenthttps://saltire.scot/ ★ Support this podcast ★

    1h 11m

  6. 11/24/2025

    Goal For Scotland

    Well, there's the football and the football and the reaction to the football and the football, and the goals and the radio commentary and the hope and the exhilaration and the football. So we talk about that even though Fraser's nae all that keen. We talk also about the lessons you might learn from Denmark, which is being heralded by Labour as their template for their new crackdown on refugees and asylum seekers. We look at the recent Copenhagen mayoral election where the Social Democrats have lost the control that they have held for 100 years, mostly over the pact with the far right. So beware what you wish for Labour. We talk also about the new Good Morning Scotland that isn't called that anymore. Is it all that different, and what could it be doing more? We look at the COVID inquiry verdicts and the tragedy of the UK  establishment telling the Scottish Government that their big mistake was not deviating completely from what the British government was doing. All this and more.. LinksCelebrate Saint Andrew's Day at the birthplace of Scotland's Flag Pipes and Drums from 1.30pm, Flag Ceremony 2pm followed by a service in Athelstaneford Parish Church. (small hand flags only, plesase, no personal flags, saltires or banners) https://www.facebook.com/events/800678686169345 Pennie Taylor - scroll to 1:27:49  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002mp06 Richard Murphy and budget - https://www.thenational.scot/politics/25643726.scotland-needs-budget-wont-get/ Guardian and Danish left resurgent - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/nov/22/danish-model-centre-left-parties-labour-doesnt-work Down Cemetery Road 5 stars from Graudian https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/oct/29/down-cemetery-road-review-emma-thompson-thriller-apple-tv ★ Support this podcast ★

    1h 8m

  7. 11/18/2025

    Worst Week of the Week Award

    Suddenly, Denmark is in the news and not necessarily in a good way. We discuss the UK Government's plans for changes to immigration and asylum in the UK. We also look back to what's been described as the circular firing squad of Labor's inept briefing against Wes Streeting and the kind of will she won't she hokey cokey budget where the tax rises that were supposed to be inevitable have suddenly been offlaid by discovering some money down the back of the sofa. We take a look at the latest news on WASPI Women, The Alba Party's policy announcements on Onshore Wind, and muse over what is going on with Your Party as it continues to move forward despite repeated setbacks. LinksCelebrate Saint Andrew's Day at the birthplace of Scotland's Flag Pipes and Drums from 1.30pm, Flag Ceremony 2pm followed by a service in Athelstaneford Parish Church. (small hand flags only, plesase, no personal flags, saltires or banners) https://www.facebook.com/events/800678686169345 Danish Immigration System by BBC's Iain Watson https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002m315 Interesting land reform piece which Lesley contributed background for; https://observer.co.uk/news/national/article/green-lairds-lego-millions-and-the-battle-to-buy-back-scotlands-land ★ Support this podcast ★

    1h 7m

  8. 11/12/2025

    Salvo - Podcast Extra

    In this podcast extra Lesley speaks to writer, human rights campaigner and former diplomate Craig Murray and to Sara Salayers of Salvo about their work in the UN in both Geneva and New York taking forward the case for Liberation Scotland find out more at https://liberation.scot/ ★ Support this podcast ★

    1h 13m
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4.9
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Scottish politics dissected from a left, pro-independence stance. Each week, award-winning broadcaster and journalist, Lesley Riddoch chews over the week’s news with co-host Fraser Thompson. If you like intelligent, quirky chat about Scottish society and culture, and Scottish, UK and international politics analysed from a Scottish perspective; this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Lesley Riddoch and Fraser Thompson
  • Years Active
    2007 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ℗ © 2025 A Feisty Production
  • Show Website
    The Lesley Riddoch Podcast

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