The Lesley Riddoch Podcast Lesley Riddoch and Pat Joyce
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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 former media lecturer and Dundee United fan, Pat Joyce. 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.
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The Act We Act
April the first( Hands up who thinks Gowk's Day was a smart idea?)sees the introduction of the new Hate Crime and Public Order( Scotland) Act.We try and delve beneath the social media sound and fury to look at the reasoning behind the act and its pros and cons.
Back at Westminster Stephen Flynn skewered Labour during PMQs with their seeming embrace of Margaret Thatcher. What is the Thatcher legacy? What is the continuing allure of the Thatcher myth?Sticking with Labour as yet another of their previous pledges, this time on compensation for the WASPI women, has been dumped, according to Labour loyalist John McTernan their ceasefire motion changed UK foreign policy and in so doing led to the passing of the UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. Lesley has quite a bit to say on tboth.This weekend the Scotonomics Festival took place in Dundee. Lesley chaired a couple of sessions but much has been made of Professor Mark Blyth's contribution in the unionist press. Was the reporting fair and accurate?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C33RWFYec3AMore showings of Lesley's Denmark movie. Full details belowhttps://lesleyriddoch.com/events
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In the Zone
Humza Yousaf's using the phrase “Tory-free” umpteen times when addressing SNP activists, and telling Scottish Tory MPs: “The SNP is coming for you.” seems to have set off a political storm not just among the usual suspects but such SNP luminaries as Pete Wishart and the Aberdeen Independence Movement. Unwarranted pearl clutching? We discuss.Last Wednesday's PMQs saw the unedifying spectacle of Sir Lindsay Hoyle ignoring Dianne Abbott on no less 46 occasions as she tried to speak on the Frank Hester racist comments about Dianne Abbott. Stephen Flynn, yet again, as on BBC Question Time , was an outstanding performer. Lesley asked in her most recent article if performance is all the SNP's presence at Westminster can be?The Hester Tory donations issue, " He was racist but it was half a decade ago and we're keeping the cash", set us thinking about the murky world of UK political party funding. And murky it certainly is.In stark contrast to PMQs, no question is ever answered, Scottish FMQs is an entirely more rigorous affair. Lesley gives her reaction to last week's session.We look at Scottish Green Freeports. Are they Green? Are they indeed ports? What differentiates them, if anything from the English version? Why did the Scottish Government acquiesce in their creation?Full details of the Scotonomics Festival in Dundeehttps://scotonomics.scot/festival-of-economics/If you still haven't seen Lesley's Denmark movie you can book belowhttps://lesleyriddoch.com/events
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It's Not What You Think
Back after the two week break when Pat decided to take his holidays at precisely the wrong, political, time.In this "while he was away" episode we kick off with our reaction to the return of George Galloway to Westminster after his thumping victory in the Rochdale by election. As Galloway enters Parliament Lee Anderson departs from the Tory Party to join Reform. This plus speculation on Kate's family photo took up 40 minutes of The World at One on Radio 4. Lesley questions the focus and asks if this represents the values and priorities of Scots.We take a look at Hunt's Budget. What traps has he laid for an incoming Labour government? What does it say about Starmer's Labour when it is committed to the same "We can't max out the country's credit card" narrative?Sticking with Westminster, is there merit in Keith Brown's suggestion that the SNP should consider Sinn Fein style abstentionism?Keith has also been blunt in his calling for Stephen Kerr MSP's candidacy for the Conservative Party be removed after his recent comments on Humza Yousaf and the Scottish Government's funding of UNRWA.Growth is the cry from both Labour and the Tories but the UK's is anaemic in comparison to that of the USA. What part, if any, will the economy play in the upcoming Presidential election? Biden and Trump have their nominations sewn up but will Trump's culture wars appeal beyond his base? Labour also seem about to back Michael Gove's controversial redefinition of extremism. We examine the backgrounds of those driving this and its potential implications.Along the way we also cover Michelle Donelan's libel case, the showing of Lesley's Denmark movie to MSPs, the special women's edition of the National and what inspired it, and baggage shenanigans at Edinburgh airport.If you want to see Lesley's Denmark movie follow this linkhttps://lesleyriddoch.com/events
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Scotonomics Festival-Podcast Extra
In this podcast extra we speak with William Thomson who along with Kairin Van Sweeden co-founded Scotonomics. It was set up with" a commitment to enhancing economic literacy and fostering discussions that are informed, objective, and accessible to a wide audience, with a particular focus on the economic context of Scotland."A major part of this is its annual Scotonomics Festival which is taking place in various venues across Dundee and online from Friday the 22nd of March until Sunday the 24th.It's Scotland’s biggest festival of economics with over 30 sessions covering aspects of the Scottish, UK and global economy with academics, activists, economists, policymakers, politicians and the public coming together to discuss people, place and planet.We cover what the founding principles and ideology of Scotonomics are and just what they mean for Scotland in the here and now and in an independent future.
If you're interested in attending here's the linkhttps://scotonomics.scot/event/festival-of-economics/As well as the events in Dundee there will be an "Economics of the Real World" event at Leith Dockers Club on Thursday March the 21st. Four internationally renowned economists will challenge the mainstream economic dogma currently dominating political thought.https://scotonomics.scot/event/economics-of-the-real-world-edinburgh/This includes screening of the movie "Finding the Money"It follows former chief economist to Senator Bernie Sanders, Stephanie Kelton, on a journey through Modern Money Theory or “MMT”, to unveil a deeper story about money, injecting new hope and empowering democracies around the world to tackle the biggest challenges of the 21st century: from climate change to inequality.https://scotonomics.scot/event/finding-the-money-film-leith/It will also be shown in Dundeehttps://scotonomics.scot/event/finding-the-money/
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Stitch ups, Suspensions and Statements
Sometimes a series of events can encapsulate the state of the United Kingdom, the cynical manipulation of tensions surrounding Gaza for party political and personal advantage., the relationship between the media and the political establishment , and the reality of the position of the SNP at Westminster.Last Wednesday saw the House of Commons descend into chaos as the Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle , broke with Parliamentary procedure, and the advice of the Clerks, to allow a Labour amendment to the SNP Opposition Day motion calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to Israeli collective punishment. We examine those events , the role of the Speaker, the ramifications of his decision and his reasons for making it.We also give our immediate reaction to the UK government's statement on Gaza this Tuesday afternoon. The statement given as the reason for Hoyle to reject the SNP call for an SO24 debate. A debate he had promised to grant the SNP last week.The focus has shifted from the situation in Gaza, aided by political commentators , on to alleged threats to MPs' security hard on the heels of Lord Walney's report on political violence. Who is Walney? What was in his report? Can he be trusted as an impartial actor in the current context of pro Palestinian protests?Meanwhile , while claiming "words are important" , the Tory Party is mired in an Islamophobia crisis with Rishi Sunak and a string of ministers refusing to say that ex Deputy Chair of the party Lee Anderson was racist in his attack on Sadiq Khan. This while ignoring Suella Braverman and ex PM Liz Truss's recent similar outbursts. Weakness or a symbol of a hierarchy of racism within the Conservative Party?Today is the 50th anniversary of the long secret McCrone Report with its revelations on the potential impact on the Scottish economy of North Sea oil and its implications for Scottish independence.The National has published the report in full. Read it and weep.https://www.thenational.scot/news/17461406.westminster-doesnt-want-read-mccrone-report-full/Simon Forrest CEO of Nova Innovation has written about the current " tragedy played out in Scotland " with the failure of both the UK and Scottish governments to reap the benefits of Scotland's new energy bonanza. Renewables.https://www.thenational.scot/politics/24145789.top-renewables-firm-ceo-scotlands-energy-story-tragedy/ Tickets for Lesley's Denmark film are still available right herehttps://lesleyriddoch.com/events
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A Question of Leadership
Does the murder of Alexei Navalny signal the end or a new beginning of anti Putin activism in Russia? Is it also a wake up call for those of us in the West who have taken our eyes off the developments in Russia, Ukraine, and the destabilization of the region?Despite the row over accusations of antisemitic statements by prospective Parliamentary candidates the Labour Party romped to two outstanding victories in the Kingswood and Wellingborough by-elections. We examine Rishi Sunak's response to these losses and ask if he might call a snap election. If he is still Tory leader.Meanwhile Scottish Labour held its annual conference with a significant focus on Anas Sarwar as leader. Sarwar was quite willing to state his willingness to stand up to Starmer. Will this show of independence stretch to his two Scottish MPs following the Scottish Labour conference position and voting with the SNP on its motion calling for an immediate Gaza ceasefire?In response to Scottish Labour’s plans for a windfall tax on oil profits, more than 800 oil ,engineering, and business executives have raised concerns that this could lead to massive job losses in the North East. The SNP is even more committed to phasing out of oil and gas production in an independent Scotland. We ask where stands the Just Transition and the development of local industry and training?All this plus the origins and consequences of the Right to Buy policy and the thorny question of Ullapool and its train station.If you want to see Lesley's Denmark movie check out this linkhttps://lesleyriddoch.com/events
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Customer Reviews
The whole Talk Media stable is braw
Thank you Lesley for doing this. I am loving all its component parts
Excellent podcast
I’ve really been enjoying this podcast! Great to hear some frank appraisal of the state of Scottish and UK politics. As someone who is planning to move to Scotland in a few months, I have found this podcast, Leslie’s book, “ Blossom”, and her Nordic films inspiring and informative. Great to see such strong, intelligent, and forward-thinking leadership. Makes me feel hopeful and excited for the future of an independent Scotland. Keep up the excellent work!
Lesley Riddoch show
Zero ratings? I stumbled upon this from my U.S. west coast home and thoroughly enjoyed the discussion. Nae doubt, as I listen more and learn more about Lesley Riddoch and her co-presenter, there will be some I like and some not so much. I do remember seeing a copy of Harpies & Quines way back in the 90s and maybe that was where I first heard her name.