The in crowd

John Sentamu snub and the House of Lords
*That* Andrew Wilson interview in the Sunday Herald
A new Tory strategy to stave off Scottish independence?
Kate Forbes and Miriam Brett on Question Time
The Dub's amendment defeated

Show Notes

In this week's look at the poltical scene there's a very definite slant towards whose voices are deemed worthy of being heard. Particularly when it comes to the drive towards Scottish independence and the shape an independent Scotland.

Lesley kicks off with the snubbing of the former Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, for elevation to the House of Lords. This decision now seems likely to be reversed but beyond this what does the very existence of this unelected second chamber say about British society? And how immune is Scotland from the "chumocracy" of the great and good?

This leads into our thoughts on the recent Sunday Herald article on Andrew Wilson of Charlotte Street Partners, the " brain" behind not only the SNP vision for an independent Scotland but apparently also the entire Yes movement. To say we're sceptical about this is a bit of an understatement.

Bloomberg has published a leaked memo from the consultants Hanbury to the Conservative Party setting out a strategy to combat the rise in support for Scottish independence. Ex Tory MP Peter Duncan appeared on GMS to discuss this with some surprising results including his suggestion that Michael Gove was just the chap to fill the leadership vacuum to lead the charge.

Lesley and I broke the habit of, well not quite, a lifetime and watched last week's episode of Question Time from Edinburgh. 

All this plus the usual meanderings including a simile referring to who supplies the pies at Tannadice.

 

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What is The Lesley Riddoch Podcast?

Scottish politics dissected from a left, pro-independence stance. Each week, award-winning broadcaster and journalist, Lesley Riddoch chews over the week’s news with former media lecturer and Dundee United fan, Pat Joyce. If you like intelligent, quirky chat about Scottish society and culture, and Scottish, UK and international politics analysed from a Scottish perspective; this podcast is for you.