Award Season

The Lesley Riddoch Podcast

The latest Norstat poll for the Sunday Times put support for independence at 54% and the SNP on track to be the largest party after the 2026 election and a pro independence majority at Holyrood. It also showed a startling drop off for Labour and the continuing rise of Reform.
We look at the data and discuss what is happening. Is Labour caught in a pincer movement between Reform on the Right and the SNP on the Left? What hopes are there for a united front between pro independence parties to secure the biggest Yes majority?

The SNP has launched another "grassroots" membership independence campaign while John Swinney is looking to secure that Holyrood victory by highlighting its record in government and offering a positive message of "Hope" for the future. We discuss.

Pat McFadden has been all over the media promoting the idea of bringing the "tech bros" into government to drive efficiency and reform while defending Israel's bombing campaign in Syria and tip toeing around the thorny question of how to engage with the Syrian rebels primarily led by HTS. The same HTS whose origins are in Al Qaeda and are currently a proscribed terrorist organisation.

We also look at what's been a good couple of weeks for the Irish language rap group Kneecap. Seven wins at the British Independent Film Awards, including best film, and a victory in their court case over the withdrawal by Kemi Badenoch of funding for the movie .

Sticking with awards the short list for BBC Sports Personality of the Year has been announced. The omission, once again, of Duncan Scott Britain's third most decorated Olympian prompted us to cast a critical eye over the Anglocentric, male dominated , borefest.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_Scott_(swimmer)

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