Scottish Independence: Mibbes aye, mibbes naw

Scottish Independence: Mibbes aye, mibbes naw
Award-winning broadcaster and journalist, Lesley Riddoch and her podcast pal, Pat Joyce examine the prospects of Scottish independence followed by an audience Q&A

Eight and a half years after the Scottish independence referendum the constitutional question still defines Scottish politics. Despite the electoral successes of the SNP and a majority of MSPs at Holyrood who are pro-independence the Conservatives and Labour are united in their opposition to granting a Section 30 order to allow indyref2. This plus the Supreme Court’s ruling that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to introduce a referendum bill has called into question the very nature of the “voluntary” union Where stand the prospects for Scottish independence in the light of what seems to be the denial of any legitimate route out?

This special episode of the podcast will feature a 30 minute live show with Lesley and Pat. After the recording there will be a Q & A session for audience members only.

Lesley (brought up in Belfast) and Pat (whose family hails from Galway) will try and chart the way through the current impasse, look at potential avenues open to the SNP and the broader Yes movement, ponder implications for NI politics and then try and answer any questions in an audience Q&A.

Lesley Riddoch has been an award-winning broadcaster and journalist for more than 30 years – 25 working as a presenter on Channel Four and BBC2, Radio 4 and Radio Scotland – focusing on politics, domestic policy and land reform. She was Assistant Editor of the Scotsman in 1995 and editor for the day of the Scotswoman, when the paper changed title and was written and edited by its female staff on International Women’s Day. Lesley was also part of the launch team behind the Sunday Herald and now writes weekly column for the Herald and National newspapers. She was a member of the Isle of Eigg Trust that steered the islanders’ 1997 community buyout, set up Africa woman, a charity that trained African women journalists online, gained a PhD in 2020 comparing the hut and cabin traditions of Scotland and Norway, won the Saltire Society’s Fletcher of Saltoun Award 2020 for contribution to public life and was also named Independence Campaigner of the Year. She’s written several books, presented four films on Scotland’s Nordic/Baltic neighbours, co-presents her own weekly political podcast and is Director of the Nordic Horizons policy group.

Learn more:  lesleyriddoch.com