Subscribers - The Lesley Riddoch Podcast
from Lesley Riddoch and Fraser Thompson
Orange Is The New Green - Celtic Alliances, Councils and Counting
This week, Lesley and Fraser unpack a chaotic week in politics, kicking off with the unexpected fallout from Andy Burnham's border poll gaffes, which inadvertently paved the way for the historic Cardiff Declaration. As Donald Trump wades into the Irish unity debate for his own midterm electoral gain and Reform UK pockets an eye-watering £72 million donation, the pair also tackle the systemic issues plaguing Scottish local government and the aparent flaws within the Curriculum for Excellence.
- The Cardiff Declaration & Burnham's Gaffe: How the Prime Minister's shifting stance on an Irish border poll has united the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. We discuss the new cooperation agreement and what this united Celtic front means for the constitutional future of the UK.
- Trump on Ireland (and Scotland): Analysing Donald Trump's sudden, highly amusing support for a united Ireland to court the Irish-American midterm vote, while simultaneously claiming Scotland must wait 50 to 75 years for another independence referendum.
- Local Government Reform & Citizens' Assemblies: Lesley recounts her meeting with Scottish Government ministers to discuss the future of local democracy. With councils currently deemed "too big to be local and too small to be strategic," the pod argues for a Citizens' Assembly to completely restructure Scottish local governance rather than relying on uninspired, top-down council mergers.
- Education, PISA & Kindergarten: Digging into stagnant PISA results and structural hurdles in the Curriculum for Excellence. Following alarming government statistics regarding rising violence in Primaries 1 to 3, Lesley reiterates the urgent need for a fully funded, Nordic-style, play-based kindergarten stage to build resilience and cooperation before formal schooling begins.
- Reform UK's Mega-Donations: Nigel Farage's party lands a massive £72 million in donations from crypto-billionaires. Fraser and Lesley discuss the UK government's scramble to tighten residency rules for donors and the chilling prospect of this cash being deployed to micro-target voters online.
Links
Common Weal Prospectus For A New State - https://www.commonweal.scot/prospectus-for-a-new-state
Spell Songs - https://www.thelostwords.org/spell-songs/
Humza Yousaf Book launch -28th September https://www.waterstones.com/events/humza-yousaf-in-conversation-at-vanda-dundee/dundee
Building a Local Scotland - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2000254783904
Building a Local Scotland is inviting MSPs, civic organisations, campaigners, academics and community representatives to join us for a discussion in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 6 October at 1pm in Committee Room 1 of the Scottish Parliament.
Finland Film Screenings
Moffat - Saturday 3rd October at 2 pm with a ticket price of £8 Moffat Theatre - https://www.facebook.com/61556556485367/posts/scottish-broadcaster-lesley-riddoch-is-bringing-her-new-film-to-moffat-theatre-o/122313424520218549/
Building a Local Scotland - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2000254783904
Building a Local Scotland is inviting MSPs, civic organisations, campaigners, academics and community representatives to join us for a discussion in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 6 October at 1pm in Committee Room 1 of the Scottish Parliament.
Finland Film Screenings
Moffat - Saturday 3rd October at 2 pm with a ticket price of £8 Moffat Theatre - https://www.facebook.com/61556556485367/posts/scottish-broadcaster-lesley-riddoch-is-bringing-her-new-film-to-moffat-theatre-o/122313424520218549/
Island of Lismore - October 25, 2026 Taproot Festival, at the Lismore Gaelic Heritage Centre on Sunday afternoon 4:30