Latest episodes

• Jack Glass Is A Pastor

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  In this week's eposide we give first reactions to Rachel Reeves' speech outlining all the terrible problems of the UK which land us with some of the highest Governent borrowing costs in the world.  We look at what might lie ahead in the UK budget and discuss how Reform's economic strategies are falling off the edge at a rate of knots with the council they actually run Kent County Council looks set to increase council taxes rather than managing to save money.
  
  We also discuss the land reform legislation that was going through Holyrood last week, which seems destined to make no difference whatsoever, except to complicate things even more. All this with a sprinkling of Edinburgh trams, Highland Council's seemingly robust response to SSEN's High Votage Transmission plans, and forays into the US and New York's mayoral election. But we end (before Lesley has to run out the door) with reflections on Scottish cultre and the life of the curator Elspeth King.
  
  Links
  Tacking stitches - The first thing you should do when you buy a new coat
  https://www.esquire.com/uk/style/a46500500/tacking-stitch-coat-jacket-vent-men/
  
  Elspeth King
  https://www.thenational.scot/news/25589816.former-glasgow-peoples-palace-curator-elspeth-king-dies/
  
  https://news.stv.tv/west-central/peoples-palace-curator-elspeth-king-on-becoming-the-glasgow-midden-raker - great STV interview with Elspeth King 2022.
  
  Land Reform
  Briefing by Andy Whiteman
  https://andywightman.scot/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/stage_3_briefing.pdf
  
  Council Tax (not) Reform
  https://www.commonweal.scot/articles/magazine-e2ype

   

  Edinburgh Trams

  https://padfletcher.substack.com/p/edinburgh-council-and-its-tram-extension

  Paddy Fletcher piece on economics of new edinburgh tram. 
• Mr Caerffili Romps Home To Victory
  We start with the outcome of the Caerphilli by-election victory, won by Mr Caerphilli himself Lindsay Whittle and Plaid Cymru. But who did we hear from across the airwaves but Reform and Labour, not the victors themselves. Pretty par for the course perhaps but we try to correct that.
  
  We chew over recent opinion polls recently one suggesting there is now a pretty healthy majority for independence in Scotland. We look at the Labour Party and the struggles it is in over the whole of the UK as the Reform vote grows.
  
  We also talk a little about another election you won't have heard much about here in Scotland and the UK - the Presidential Election in Ireland where a left-wing republican endorsed by Kneecap who wants free public transport, housing as a human right, and support for the Irish language, plus Palestine won a landslide victor what does that mean?
  
  We also discussproblems in Scotland, violence in the classroom with some truly appauling statistics released recenbtly but what do they speak of at a deeper level?
  
  Links
  Scotwind
  https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25568033.scotwind-scandal-analysis-scotlands-lost-energy-wealth/?ref=eb&nid=2261&block=article_block_a&u=d0e5dd8444617f314b5eb8a45311f0c8&date=261025
  
  Your Party - interview with Zarah Sultana indy at 7.35  10.00' wealth tax https://open.spotify.com/episode/2xTUyml3Y40AOW6qEk2sf0?si=1d1059ad0c874990&nd=1&dlsi=3ec5a5e0ebb9489b

   

  Stephen Gethins on the tiny glimmer of reality dawning at WM re proportional yes result https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/a-breakthrough-in-scotlands-right-to-decide-5373779
  
  Culture
  Sara Sheridan's book The Ice Maiden https://www.sarasheridan.com/the-ice-maiden
  
  The Metagama
  Step aboard the SS Metagama, a journey that will take you from the Butt to Barra and on to the lakes and plains of Canada, to 1920s Detroit and Prohibition, through the ebb and flow of fortunes on both sides of the Atlantic, with this ensemble of acclaimed musicians and singers.
  
  https://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event/metagama-an-atlantic-odyssey-ensemble-autumn-25#datesandtimes
  
  Language
  Anna Walker Ruadh Scotland

  Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba website gives information about Gaelic place names and their meaning. 

  https://www.ainmean-aite.scot/# 

  
  Iona’s Namescape: - https://ionaplacenames.glasgow.ac.uk/map/#12/56.3411/-6.4126
  
  Storywalks in the Monadh Ruadh (Cairngorms) -www.storywalks.scot
  
  Forgotten Woodlands: https://www.nature.scot/scotlands-woodland-heritage-mapped-future which is a pilot project  from NatureScot, Forestry and Land Scotland, and Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba (the national advisory partnership for Gaelic place-names) to map all Scottish place-names to reveal their historical woodland coverage.
  
  Tobair an Dualchais/Kist o’ Riches- not just placenames but oral tradition recordings in Gàidhlig and Scots where the speaker talks about placenames and their meanings: https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/
• Yes Cymru - Podcast Extra

  In this Podcast Extra, Lesley travels to Rhyll to speak at a march and rally organised jointly by YesCymru and AUOBCymru (All Under One Banner Cymru), the march brought people from every corner of Wales to the north coast, filling Rhyl’s streets with a sea of Welsh flags, banners and music. Lesley is blown away by the everyday and natural use of the Welsh language by so many Welsh speakers from all walks of life and from different ages. She interviewed some of the organisers of the march to find out more. 

• Yes Cymru - Podcast Extra

  In this Podcast Extra, Lesley travels to Rhyll to speak at a march and rally organised jointly by YesCymru and AUOBCymru (All Under One Banner Cymru), the march brought people from every corner of Wales to the north coast, filling Rhyl’s streets with a sea of Welsh flags, banners and music. Lesley is blown away by the everyday and natural use of the Welsh language by so many Welsh speakers from all walks of life and from different ages. She interviewed some of the organisers of the march to find out more. 

• To The Top Of The Hill
  There's a bit of Welsh theme in the podcast this week. Lesley, having just come back from speaking at an all-under-one-banner Cymru rally in Rhyl gives us the low down on all things Welsh, the Welsh indepdendence movement and the revival of the Welsh language.  We talk about up coming changes to the Welsh voting system, scrapping what we've got for the Scottish elections which still has the first-past-the-post and the move to a completely proportional system. Why aren't we talking about that here in Scotland? We also discuss the separate Yes movement, Yes Cymru, which was set up in 2019 and is separate to the Welsh indpendence supporting parties.
  
  We also look at more authoritarian moves by UK Labour and breifly discuss the fall out over the ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans traveling to the watch a game against Aston Villa. And the Prince formerly knows as Duke of York and the timidity of the UK Labour government to just deal properly with stripping his titles.
  
  Links
  
  REVIVE’s national conference, a landmark event that is set to be a pivotal moment in Scotland’s land reform journey.
  https://www.perththeatreandconcerthall.com/whats-on/revive-what-scotland-wants-real-land-reform
  
  Senedd Elections changes

  https://senedd.wales/senedd-now/senedd-blog/how-will-the-new-voting-system-work-at-the-next-senedd-election/

  
  Welsh placename project

  https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/oct/19/welsh-placenames-submitted-to-wales-project-protect-linguistic-heritage
• That's Entertainment

  In this week's episode we discuss the SNP conference which has been something of a triumph for John Swinney. His position on independence was accepted and he made a pretty bouncy closing speech. But what if next May the elections have a result that the combination of independence parties exceeds the 65-seat majority when the SNP alone does not?
  
  In this conference episode we also look at the energy policy that was discussed. Is it time to have a really bold policy as Tommy Sheppard and the SNP Trade UInion Group proposed. That is to set up local heat companies, which is something that can be done now under the powers of devolution.  Since nobody's arguing against this will it actually happen?
  We look at the walk-in GP centers idea. Fraser has had some actual experience this weekend of the provision down south in England, and we talk about much else besides.
  
  Links
  An Evening With James Robertson
  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/an-evening-with-james-robertson-tickets-1574320477929?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios&sg=42fc24f2dc22940e664f8ea8e93a5321ec02c2b5597bcbbd9c5e23fbde563cf32509b26d31f24d323588f4a7cee2f6ce4019bfcceb73dfe7a3816972a5c2f0efce72947d8ca626c06afa44b8 

• Hollow Speeches In Empty Halls
  In this week's episode we chew over the UK Home Secretary's plan to give police in England extra powers to curb repeat demonstrations for Gaza, Palestine, or indeed anything else. We look also at the prospects for peace in Israel-Palestine.
  
  We compare party conferences with Conservatives speaking to empty halls to tiny numbers of activists who bothered to turn up. And the Greens Conference in England, which really had quite a zingy kind of speech from the Jewish leader, Zak Polanski, who nonetheless upholds the right to protest for Palestine.
  
  All of that, plus looking ahead to the SNP at the weekend.
  
  Links
  Mark Thomas My Life in Serious Organised Crime - https://youtu.be/PRwsXnBQaEo?si=3Ec1-kc0YGMARic0
  
  Wales rally 18 October
  Rhyl https://www.auob.cymru

  
  Denmark film showing 19 October
  Caernarfon The Institute, The Carlton, 14 Bangor St, Caernarfon LL55 1AT 2pm More details soon on lesleyriddoch.com/events

  
  Missing Forests premier at the Revive Converence 8 November
  REVIVE: What Scotland Wants - Real Land Reform. Available that evening on https://www.youtube.com/@Lesley_Riddoch 
  
  

  Highland Windfarm Revolt screening plus Q&A - 29 November at 2pm
  Phipps Hall Beauly Free with donations. lesleyriddoch.com/events
  
  

  Finland Film
  The film will hopefully be ready in early November. My first priority is to book into cinemas which have very long lead times. But if any group wants to host a screening plus Q&A in late Nov/ early Dec or maybe more realistically Jan 2026 - please get in touch. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Get Your BritCard Out
  In this week's episode we consider the Labour Party conference and what it all meant. We reflect on the odd goings on, like Labour Home Secretery Shabana Mahmood saying her political hero is Margaret Thatcher and we tackle Kier Starmer's conference speach. With Labour and Reform facing off on migration policy and plans for so called Brit Card compulsory ID Cards we look at what is motivating these policies and whether this is the type of country that you'd want to live in.
  
  We also ponder some interesting history that saw the archives of Scotland sink in a boat in the 17th century off the Northumbrian coast with no report very little knowledge or understanding of this event in Scottish consciousness.
  
  Links
  Estonia The Baltic Tiger - YouTube
  
  A Bleather O'Books  - Tickets
  Sunday, November 2 · 10:30 - 11:30am (Doors at 10:15am)
  Robertson Room, Robert Burns Birthplace Museum

  Murdoch's Lone Alloway KA7 4PQ
  
  How Cromwell and Edward I robbed Scotland of centuries of its history

  https://www.thenational.scot/news/17300143.cromwell-edward-robbed-scotland-centuries-history/
• Be Prepared!

  Lesley is back and Finland's in the news, not just because Russian jets invaded Baltic airspace as well as Estonian earlier last weekend, but because they are prepared for a future that perhaps all of us are suddenly having to focus on. Oslo and Copenhagen airports both experienced Russian drones wandering through their airspace and closing those airports and there was an alleged cyberattack in Brussels.
  
  It feels like the problems of the continent are certainly coming home to roost. We talk about all of that, and the many ways in which Finland is a country that just actually functions extremely well because it is prepared and it never gave up the good old stuff that many other societies, Britain in particular, just dispensed with, things like trams and affordable housing. So there's a lot of Finland in this week's episode. 
  
  We also discuss Your Party and its travails and a a bit of Andy Burnham and chanllanges to Kier Starmer. We look too at Palestine and whether recognition will actually aid some sort of progress there. Not to mention Donald Trump and his paracetamol and Seagull gate and the SNP's new CEO. 

• Nora Conference - Podcast Extra

  This podcast extra was recorded at the NORA conference in Stornoway. This was the first conference of its kind in Stornoway. It included Scotland and Scottish Isles, and the NORA countries: Greenland, Iceland, Faroe Islands, and coastal Norway. The title of the event was Building Sustainable Futures for Island communities.
  
  NORA, or Nordic Atlantic Cooperation, is an intergovernmental organisation under the Nordic Council of Ministers, uniting Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and coastal Norway. Established in 1981 and formalized as NORA in 1996 when coastal Norway joined, the organization strengthens regional cooperation to make the North Atlantic a dynamic part of the Nordic region.
  https://nora.fo/
  
  Lesley spoke with:
  https://nora.fo/participants-stornoway
  
  Gréta Bergrún Jóhannesdóttir, a researcher at Bifröst University, Iceland, focusing on rural Iceland, gender, and equality.
  
  Ondrej Spala, Project Manager for ICE Kirkenes, Norway, and Director of the Arctic Circular Economy Summit. His role in fostering entrepreneurial networks in the Nordic Arctic.
  
  Karin Marie Funding Lyster, an entrepreneur from the Faroe Islands, founder of MAI Learning AS, an EdTech company focused on AI integration. She has won awards for Arctic youth entrepreneurship.

• Three To Get Ready and Go Ange Go

  The Labour Party dominates this week's podcast, which might be a bit of a shock for followers of Independents, but not in a very good way for Keir Starmer. We discuss the fall out of Angela Rayner's resignation and the further collapse in confidence since the departure of the golden girl of the working class side of Labour stepped out. We look at the fall out over her stamp duty debacle on her what actually was a third residence.
  
  We also take a look at the race for the deputy leadership and what that might mean for UK Labour and for Scottish Labour's chances in next year's Holyrood election. The election campaign which will be masterminded by Douglass Alexander after poor old Ian Murray, who sacrificed life principles actually over nuclear weapons to be loyal to Keir Starmer was brutally sacked on the phone. Have a wee look at Douglas Alexander and how liked he is north of the border by his own folk.
  
  And flags and more flags from the use of the Saltire in Scotland and English politicians obsession with mentioning the Union Jack in every press conference.

• Back to School

  With both the Scottish and UK Parliaments back in session today, there is a back to school vibe for this week's podcast. After a quite week last week everything is kicking up a gear. We look at the Keir Starmer's mini mini reshuffle, which is a lot less sensational than expected, but seems to be centralizing power in Number 10. We talk about the number of departures from the Scottish Conservatives, and the fact that one of them, Graham Simpson going to Reform, might jeopardize the recall petition idea that he is pushing through as a private member's Bill.
  
  We also talk about the Scottish Green's leadership election and what that might mean in terms of new leadership, the energy price cap, and Kemi Badenoch: drill, baby, drill. All of that and more. 
  
  Home Truths for Home Rule
  3pm Kirkcudbright Parish Church Saturday 6th Sept
  https://kbtfringe.com/events/06-09-2025-15-00-home-truths-for-home-rule-scotland-after-25-years-of-devolution
  
  Scotland’s Parliament, established over 25 years ago, has changed how we do politics. But has its record and impact been as significant as its advocates claim? What have been its successes - and what could it do better? People feel increasingly alienated by party politics and the centralisation of ‘Edinburgh knows best’. How if at all can this change? Join journalist and campaigner Lesley Riddoch and former First Minister Henry McLeish assess the impact of devolution, the contours of next year’s Scottish elections, and what Scotland’s future should look like and how we might get there.
  
  Links
  On Sept 13 & 14 at Netherbow Theatre in Storytelling Centre Royal Mile Edinburgh 7pm.
  https://scottishstorytellingcentre.online.red61.co.uk/event/913:6226/
  
  “The Invaders’ Fear of Memories” is a theatre piece based on the life and diaries of Yosef Nachmani – a Russian Jew who migrated from Tsarist Russia to Ottoman Palestine in 1907. Nachmani became Director of the Jewish National Fund in the Galilee and subsequently played a central role in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine’s indigenous people. The play offers a perspective into the origins of settler-colonialism and apartheid in modern-day Israel, exploring themes of loyalty, violence, ideology, and grief.
  The Invaders’ Fear of Memories is performed by Benjamin Rivers, the great grandson of Nachmani. Over the course of the play, Rivers performs 12 characters and sings in Arabic, Hebrew, Ukrainian, and Yiddish.
  
  Tam Dean Burn as guest actor and a panel of distinguished academics for post screening Q&A
  Since August 2023, The Invaders’ Fear of Memories has been performed to audiences across four continents.
  
  Also Peter Kennard’s new exhibition “GAZA” from 6pm on Friday August 8th at 13A Dundas Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6QG extended till end September.
  
  FREE SPEECH AGAINST THE GENOCIDE rally
  2pm Saturday Sept 6th Queen Elizabeth House (Scotland Office) Edinburgh
  https://www.scottishpsc.org.uk
  
  
  
  
  

• The Right To Protest Against Wrong

  Is it time for John Swinney to do something robust and clear to make it obvious to everyone that Scotland is really got a different outlook towards the whole question of Palestine and Palestine Action than Westminster? We discuss the call from Ross Greer MSP to explore legal ways to stop arrests and prosecutions like the ludicrous situation of award-wining screenwriter Paul Laverty.

   

  We talk also about the asylum protests that have been going on in Perth and elsewhere and ask where they largely the product of people being bused in or are there deeper problems with asylum and housing. We look at the electoral commission's publication of the annual accounts of Scottish political parties and look at the numbers. And we discuss the Great John McLean and the campaign to create a permanent memorial to him in Glasgow.

   

  Links

  Paul Laverty arrest https://youtube.com/shorts/1PCYk92UtpE?si=5s5vkpMC2-qYoDQv

   

  Saturday 6th September at 2pm outside Scotland Office (off Royal Mile) Edinburgh

  More info soon on

  https://www.scottishpsc.org.uk

   

  John Maclean statue

  Crowdfunder - https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/john-maclean-statue-campaign-2

  Article - https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/25415449.crowdfunder-bid-statue-revolutionary-john-maclean-glasgow/

   

  "I wish no harm to any human being” 

  "No human being on the face of the earth, no government is going to take from me my right to speak, my right to protest against wrong, my right to do everything that is for the benefit of mankind,” 

  “I am not here, then, as the accused; I am here as the accuser of capitalism dripping with blood from head to foot.”

   

  John Maclean March - Hamish Henderson

  https://youtu.be/4gaUezjN87w?si=vKgb-8SzFGZ6ALrQ

• Frankly My Dear

  Nicola Sturgeon and her book is absolutely everywhere with the press full of the tiniest revelations. We have a look, neither of us having read the book, but take a look at really what's sitting behind some of the more serious revelations, particularly over the wisdom of pressing on with the gender recognition reforms, and behind the scenes, what was really happening. We ask the whether we going to learn anything that helps us with creating a more democratic country in Scotland that isn't so reliant on leaders and top-down instruction through all of this? Or just promote Nicola Sturgeon's book sales?

   

  All of that and news from the big wind farm convention that was held in Inverness where Lesely was present making a new film.

   

  Are these guys just NIMBYs who need to knuckle down and accept the hardware the same as everyone else for the green transition? Or has planning for it and democracy about it just gone completely out the window? And some culture from Fèis Rois.

   

   

  Links

  Nicola Interview

  https://www.itv.com/watch/news/nicola-sturgeon-reflects-on-her-arrest-and-her-trans-policies-in-exclusive-interview/7qr93nf

   

  Fèis Rois

  https://feisrois.org/

   

  Robin McAlpine

  https://robinmcalpine.org/this-is-the-one-tall-tale-that-matters/

   

  https://www.thenational.scot/politics/25385625.wholly-political-campaign-independence-terrible-idea/

   

  Shona Craven

  https://www.thenational.scot/politics/25382339.lessons-must-learned-loss-rationality/

• Blown Away
  A blowy week in Scotland and for Scottish Politics, we speak about Kate Forbes's decision not to stand in next year's Holyrood Election. We look at the huge question of childcare, not just for her, but for everyone, speculate on who might stand in her constituency. We analyise the the disagreements on concience and policy issues from the stance gay marriage to Kate's economic strategy, and look at the suggestion that infrastructure has to come first before you can get to wealth creation, and childcare is infrastructure.
  
  We also discuss Kier Starmer and his guttural position on Palestine and John Swinney's much interrupted Edinburgh Fringe gig over the question of whether he has condemned Israel's genocide. All of that with a little swatch of Belladrum and a lot of speculation and the wind.
  
  Links
  Mike Mackenzie column about the inability of a devolved government to properly finance infrastructure; https://www.thenational.scot/politics/25361743.highlands-islands-will-win-scottish-independence/

   

  Jon Shafi column about all parties in a state of collapse and flux not just the SNP.

  https://www.thenational.scot/politics/25365016.politicians-fleeing-stage-old-certainties-collapse/
  
  Kate Forbes - Mum guilt means my daughter comes with me
  https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/kate-forbes-snp-mum-children-interview-2zfvjn8pr
• Stars, Stripes and Saltires

  Donald Trump comes to Scotland and don't we know it! President Trump, with saltires fluttering on his motorcade instead of the union flag descended this week on Turnberry in Ayrshire and then up to Aberdeenshire. He's described John Sweeney as a terrific guy despite not really having met him yet and he suggests that all the proceeds from removing tariffs should go to Scotland, not to the UK. We discuss whether he's just mixing it, whether he actually favours Scotland in some way or is it all just rubbish that will be reversed next week.
  
  We also talk also about John Swinney's suggestion that there should be a constitutional convention. Again, that's suggested now, having been ruled out in previous weeks. We look at the SNP's strategy, such as it is, that there can be no move forward for Scotland without a referendum and that a referendum will only come if the SNP somehow manages to get over the line as the largest party in 2020. Simples! We take a look at the latest announcements. We also discuss the action that's ongoing against supporters of Gaza and the emergency UK cabinet meeting.

  Links
  Dave Pearson article about private wires https://bylines.scot/news/scotland/retaining-scotlands-wind-wealth-a-strategy-for-renewable-power/
  
  A 'good constituency MP'? how ‘hard working local politicians’ are facilitating a genocide
  https://substack.com/home/post/p-169235829

• Precious Few Heroes
  There's a bit of a protest theme in this week's podcast. Obviously the Gaza Palestine demonstration at the weekend where Lesley was speaking. Thankfully there weren't arrests at the time, but could they be yet to come? There was also, if you like, the protest of Richard Murphy on Radio Scotland, interrupted continually on a program about bias and trust in the BBC.
  
  We discuss the rebels who've been booted out of the parliamentary Labour Party, but oddly not all the rebels that voted for axing the welfare cuts that were put forwward by Kier Starmer. Will this produce more dissent within a party that's now polling about the same as the new left wing party created by Zara Sultana that dosen't even exit yet.
  
  We talk about Trump and his potential comeuppance over his connections with Jeffrey Epstein. Forget to even mention that he's coming to Scotland. We'll take that next week and have a wee tribute to Dick Gaughan the master of Scottish traditional music. All of that and more!
  
  Join the Pals and Buddies and support the Lesley Riddoch podcast
  
  Links
  Palestine letter to sign Protest is not terrorism
  https://protestisnotterrorism.wordpress.com/
  
  War Crimes CD - all income (not profit ) going to Gaza https://www.amazon.co.uk/War-Crimes-Champion-Doug-Veitch/dp/B0F3JY4KTL

   

  Dick Gaughan special Travelling Folk with Anna Massie on BBC Sounds

  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002ft8f
  
  Donate to help Dick Gaughan try and retreive the rights to some of his most important tracks
  https://www.gofundme.com/f/aatux2

   

  Buy the 8 disc set of Dick's music

  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2121905920/dick-gaughan-r-evolution-1969-84-an-8-disc-box-set/rewards
• Left foot forward
  Donate to support the podcast become a Pal or Buddy of the Pod - https://lesleyriddoch.com/podcast/subscribe
  
  

  On this week's episode, we talk about the putative new Left-wing party possibly headed by Jeremy Corbyn. We speculate on why he hasn't said he will join it and what is happening on the Scottish front with a group that's promising a meeting in October. It's not very clear whether it supports independence or not.
  
  

  We talk about the victory of a left candidate for the Democratic nomination in New York City with a program that would probably make Jeremy Corbyn's heart sing.
  
  

  We're still talking about the wider question of Palestine and the shameful decision by the SNP group at Westminster to abstain on the vote on Palestine Action as they succumbed to Westminster bullying tactics and were outfoxed by Labour's procedural shenanigans. We reflect that in the previous parliament, with MPs like Tommy Sheppard, Dr Phillipa Whitford and Joanna Cherry, this would not have happened. That and much more besides, including bits and bits about the Western Isles and the, uh, glorious bounciness of Greenlanders.
  
  

  And we have a guest spot with Mick Napier from the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign ahead of a planned demonstration.

  1 pm meeting at the foot of the Mound, Edinburgh. 

  
  Links

  https://www.digitalhealth.net/2024/10/scotland-s-digital-front-door-platform-to-go-beyond-the-nhs-app/

  https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view%2Cplaying-catchup-will-the-rollout-of-the-long-overdue-nhs-app-help-take-pressure-off-scotlands-gps

  Cnoc Soilleir

  https://www.nwh.uhi.ac.uk/en/about-us/campuses-and-centres/cnoc-soilleir/
  
  

  Lesley Riddoch and Fraser Thompson
• Sting like a.. wasp

  By the time you listen this, you'll know what we don't, which is the result of the disability cuts vote in the House of Commons, the revised package, which will now only put 150,000 people into poverty. And that's this year. Because next year, of course, is a whole new ball game for those wishing to sign up to PIP.
  
  We speculate on what these reforms and the opposition to them means for Labour Party support, for Keir Starmer's personal authority and popularity. We look also at, last week's Question Time where Lesley was on the panel, having just been stung in the throat by a wasp! Drawn no parallels or importance from that other than it was a strange way to prepare.
  
  We also discuss the big events of the week, Iran, Israel, Palestine, Kneecap and Bob Vylan's and the BBC's decisions to broadcast and not broadcast, which are inadvertently helping to promote artists who are the only people able to bring this issue to the forefront. We also look at NATO spending via a quote from the late great Hamish Henderson, Fraser reflects on his experiance working in the Westminster Parliament much more besides.
  
  Links
  Finland Film Crowdfunder
  https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/finland---the-education-superstars-a-new-film

• Trouble in the Glens

  In this week's podcast, we discuss Trump's attacks on Iran facilitating attacks by Israel and then demanding a ceasefire. It's an odd way to get diplomatic results. We react to Donald Trump's four-letter outburst as he baulks at Israel's flouting of the cease-fire and Iran's response.
  
  We also look at the attempts to proscribe Palestine action, which look very destined to simply encourage support for this soon-to-be-banned group. And we also look at the likely rebellion against labour's cuts to PIP payments.
  
  Listen to the end for some great tributes to Pat as he goes for his 3rd retirement so far. 
  
  Help support the Finland crowdfunder - make a donation