{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Lesley Riddoch Podcast","title":"Media Stramashes, Luncheon Meat Panics & Who Runs the Council?","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":4316,"description":"Lesley and Fraser are back at the mic to dissect another packed week of Scottish, UK, and international news. From breaking celebrity injunctions and corporate media cover-ups to the political fallout of the US \"AI election,\" the pair tackle the big stories shaping public debate. They dive into local government battles over business rates and councillor powers, debate North Sea drilling, examine Holyrood scrutiny over undisclosed prison riots, and look overseas to coalition struggles in Israel and the future the Catalan independence campaign.\nIn this episode, we discuss:\nMedia Misconduct & Corporate Protection: Following the naming of David Walliams after injunction attempts, Russell Brand's 10.5-year sentencing, and fresh revelations around the Al Fayed estate in the Highlands, Lesley and Fraser ask why media institutions consistently look the other way and examine how UK defamation laws can stack the deck against victims.\nEmergency Panic & Geopolitical Bluster: A look at the sudden spike in sales of tinned meat and bottled water following the UK Government's Be Ready campaign, US military aircraft diversions, Donald Trump's post-midterm shift on Iran, and Republican efforts to impeach War Secretary Pete Hegseth.\nThe AI Backlash & Subsea Data Centres: The anti-AI political wave in the US midterms sends tech stocks tumbling, while back home, grid constraints threaten to force UK data centres onto new gas power. \nNorth Sea Oil & SNP Strategy: John Swinney’s pushback against Labour’s ban on new North Sea drilling licenses highlights the divide within the independence movement between immediate oil revenue retention and net-zero commitments.\nDevolving Business Rates to Regional Councils: Unpacking BiGGAR Economics’ proposal to let local councils retain 50% of business rate growth from onshore renewables, giving rural areas like the Highlands and Borders a direct economic stake in the green transition.\nCouncillors vs. Officials – Who Runs Scotland’s Councils?: Four...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/TKOlqg4xKOK2bn8lxAR0BKU_Ic-p9GXvCAC9p0Malv4/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9iNjdl/Y2Y2MTczOWY1OTYw/NTEzNGY3MTY2Yzgw/ODAwYy5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}