Lesley Riddoch

Priti Vacant

In this week's extended podcast we kick off with the resignation of Priti Patel as Secretary of State for International Development.

Lesley speculates on the potential implications for beleaguered Theresa May and asks has she actually been lucky despite all her recent setbacks ?

We discuss the shadowy role of Lord Polack of the Conservative Friends of Israel in Patel's fall from grace and could this be the moment for Penny Mordaunt to stake her claim for the Tory leadership?

Boris Johnson is next in Lesley's gimlet gaze as the full impact of his ill thought and poorly prepared statements give spurious legitimacy to the imprisonment of UK journalist Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe by the Iranian government.

We go into extra time for Lesley's reflections on last Saturday's Build Conference.

All this plus The Gruffalo in Scots , baby boxes,and feral cats.

Priti Vacant

 

Visca Catalunya

Visca Catalunya

We unashamedly spend the vast majority of this week's podcast on the continuing crisis in Catalunya.

Lesley was a first hand witness to last week's momentous events and gives a fantastic insight into what it was like on the streets of Barcelona as the drama unfolded.

She also, tells tall Castilian tales, recounts her experiences with anarcho-syndicalists and , most importantly, lets the world into the dark secrets of Brian Taylor's dancing.

I pitch in here and there but inevitably finish up talking about the fitba. Dinnae let on tae the Wee Ginger Dug!

There's also a plug for the Build:Bridges to Indy event this weekend in Edinburgh.

http://www.usherhall.co.uk/whats-on/build-bridges-indy

 

Credit Crunch

Lesley returns after  her bout of the lurgi and it's Riddoch in full righteous wrath mode as the injustices and human costs of Universal Credit are dissected mercilessly,and it's shown for the cruel shambles that it is.

I lurk on the wing and chip in on yesterday's debate in the House of Commons on Universal Credit and the lack of understanding of the plight of ordinary folk on the government benches.

Lesley reflects on last week's Arctic Circle Assembly ,Nicola Sturgeon's starring role, and exciting prospects for joint Icelandic Scottish cooperation on post fossil fuels energy supply.

Finally it's back to the SNP Conference, the mood of delegates , the fringe events, and are there signs that the party is slowly coming around to a more collegiate approach to its leadership allowing Nicola to "get on with the day job"?

Credit Crunch

 

Catalonia and Conference Special

In this week's extended podcast we delve into the ongoing crisis of democracy in Catalonia and the Tory Party conference in Manchester.

Lesley strips away the "playing for sympathy" card of the Conservative apologists and focuses on May's  policies and the reaction to them amongst delegates. 

I fling in my midgie magnet analogy and we both speculate on Boris and Ruth's ambitions.

By way of Nick Robinson's moan on the role of new media outlets undermining trust in the BBC we try and make sense of what's happening in Catalonia. 

Lesley previews her upcoming trip to Iceland for the Arctic Circles conference.

I shamelessly plug Dundee Wanderers Hockey club.

And we both take credit for Scotland's last gasp win v Slovakia.

Catalonia and Conference Special

 

A Corbyn fir me?

We kick off this week by going back to one of last week's topics as Lesley follows her journalist's nose to investigate the issues surrounding standing at work.

This leads to our considering the pros, and some wee cons, of trades unions.

The ongoing saga of the  twelve year equal pay fight by women workers and the hypocritical attack on the new SNP Glasgow City Council by Joanna Baxter speeds us neatly into the Labour Party Conference in Brighton.

While Corbyn inspired his audience is he a hollow man when it comes to Scotland?

And if unity broke out on the conference floor, even Tom Watson chanted "Oh Jeremy Corbyn", it was gloves off in the fight for the leadership of Scottish Labour.

In addition to all this there's a flag inspired rant from me, Lesley wonders if Ruth Davidson has been found out, and I quote Cicero.

All this and a Riddoch bonus at the end,You lucky people( a prize for knowing the source of that catchphrase- no peeking at Google).

A Corbyn fir me