Indypodcasters Fiona and Marlene share their impressions of Humza's first year in the job - what went well, what could have gone better - plus clips from various interviews and speeches Humza has given along the way (see links below). Main themes covered are: 00:00:41 First Minister - first impressions 00:02:24 Gaza - political and personal 00:05:0…

A Bonus Tuesday episode! Our latest Hot Topic is Michael Gove's extraordinary attempt to stop devolved parliament ministers, local councils, universities and other public bodies from using their fully devolved procurement powers to boycott goods and services on ethical and moral grounds in a way that would implicitly oppose UK government's foreign …

Coming up on the 20th of April, Believe in Scotland and Pensioners for Independence jointly host a march and rally in Glasgow. With 1 month to go until the big day, we chat to Believe in Scotland Chief Executive Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp about the idea of a Festival of Independence, what's going on behind the scenes, which speakers have confirmed so fa…

Welcome to our March 24 roundup of topical clips! Themes catching our eye this month include: 00:01:04 Leo Varadkar resigns after Irish government referendum "drubbing" 00:08:31 Mark Drakeford resigns and Vaughan Gething becomes the new First Minister of Wales 00:12:17 Constitutional Commissions and Conventions 00:28:41 Believe in Scotland ramps up…

With special guest Dr Craig Dalzell, Policy Director of Commonweal, this week's podcast episode looks at the barriers and possible solutions to setting up a publicly owned energy company for Scotland. Key themes covered in our discussion are: 00:02:19 Q1: How has Wales managed to set up an energy company? 00:05:46 Q2: Could Wales set up a public co…

On the fourth anniversary of Scotland being ripped out of the EU against our will, campaign group Europe for Scotland hosted a discussion panel to reflect on where we are now and the enduring bonds between Scotland and Europe. Find out more about Europe for Scotland at www.europeforscotland.com including the petition to have Scotland's voice heard …

Colin Fox, Leader of the Scottish Socialist Party, was one of three guests on an earlier show where we looked at non-SNP party responses to the SNP's election strategy. We had a fascinating conversation with Colin which covered much more than we needed for the original show, so here is the extended version of that conversation. Topics covered inclu…

TNT Show host John Drummond chats to guests SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn and Bella Caledonia editor Mike Small. Topics include: 00:00:36 Welcome to Stephen Flynn 00:01:46 Are Scots Sovereign? 00:07:06 What's happening about setting up a constitutional convention? 00:11:30 Are SNP MPs legitimising Westminster? 00:19:20 Is the SNP assertive e…

Welcome to our roundup of clips and snippets that have caught our attention this month - enjoy! Key themes 00:00:40 Covid enquiry or witch hunt? 00:04:37 #ceasefireNOW 00:09:31 A step closer to a united Ireland? 00:17:52 Yes for EU association agreement workshop 00:24:00 Westminster Tories blooper reel 00:35:58 Welcoming our new ministers 00:44:41 …

Campaign group Yes For EU held a very successful workshop in Edinburgh to consider various themes about Scotland's future in the EU, including Association Agreements for candidate countries, the alternative option of EFTA. We also discussed areas where Scotland is at risk of diverging from the EU and where we will need to realign or create new arra…

We were at the very successful Revive Coalition conference in Perth in November. In this week's podcast we chat with Revive Coalition Campaigns Manager Max Wiszniewski, share some of the presentations from the conference on grouse moors, muirburn and raptor persecution and then we take a look at the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill currently m…

Henry Bell, author of the biography "John Maclean - Hero of Red Clydeside", examines some of the life, times and core principles that John Maclean represented. He asks if these still relate to the world today - a century after Maclean's tragic and untimely death. Hosted by the Scottish Socialist Party, this is the 3rd Annual Jim McVicar Memorial Le…

Welcome to our roundup of topical clips and snippets for January 2024. Main themes covered this month are: 00:00:53 Calling out war crimes 00:05:47 Covid enquiry 00:09:35 Scottish budget 00:15:48 Holyrood snippets 00:21:15 UK General Election 00:34:59 Westminster hot topics 00:40:23 Horizon scandal 00:44:57 Lesley Riddoch chats with Jim Byrne 00:51…

A selection of poetry for Burns Night: Rabbie Burns by Angus Shoor Caan To A Country by Lynne Dougan A Wee Mouse by Angus Shoor Caan Boreas by Sheila Nichols, read by Fiona McGregor Rabbie by Angus Shoor Caan The Man O' Words by Paul Colvin Scots Wha Hae by Rabbie Burns performed by Lorraine Sinclair Music on Scots Wha hae: Hidden Past by Kevin Mac…

One of the many excellent and fascinating panel discussions held at the Breakup of Britain conference. This discussion poses the question what next for SNP after Sturgeon and Labour under Starmer. The discussion is chaired by Maggie Chapman, main topics are: 00:00:45 Intro by Maggie Chapman 00:01:40 Jamie Driscoll, Independent Mayor of North of Tyn…

Award winning broadcaster Lesley Riddoch joins us to chat about her new film Denmark: the State of Happiness. The film is currently on tour all around Scotland with a Q+A session with Lesley at each screening. For details of dates, times, venues and to book tickets, go to www.lesleyriddoch.com/events This is the 5th film in Lesley's series looking …

We are grateful to Yes Skye and Lochalsh for sharing their evening with Commonweal's Robin McAlpine explaining the highlights of his new strategy paper entitled "Direction: A Realistic Strategy for Achieving Scottish Independence". In this strategy Robin shares insights from research carried out by Commonweal and others to create a blueprint for pe…

Yes to Yasuni - an episode of Rising Clyde with host Iain Bruce This year the people of Ecuador struck a major blow for climate justice, by voting to leave the oil in the soil beneath the Yasuní National Park. We talk to one of the people who made that victory possible, Leonidas Iza, president of the main Indigenous organisation, CONAIE, who visite…

Join us for our last roundup of topical clips for 2023! Topics include: 00:00:50 Covid come-uppance for Johnson and Mone 00:05:45 George Monbiot savages the Tory Rwanda Bill 00:08:40 Alison Thewlis picks holes in the Tory Rwanda Bill 00:10:58 Joanna Cherry highlights the illegality of the Rwanda Bill 00:12:55 Scottish Parliament legislates for the …

Indypodcasters Fiona, Marlene and Lynne spent a day at the Festival for Survival in Glasgow which brought together an international group of experts and activists to discuss the twin crises of nuclear weapons and the climate emergency. Our reflections of the day and highlights from a selection of the speakers are: 00:00:30 Intro and reflections 00:…

This is part 3 of our mini series examining the SNP's independence strategy, this time from the perspective of other independence parties. Presenters Fiona and Marlene were joined by guests Colin Fox (National Spokesperson for the Scottish Socialist Party), Julie McAnulty (Deputy Leader of the Independence for Scotland Party) and Dave Thompson, Alb…

Highlights from the RIC conference held in October 2023 on the theme of "Breaking the Impasse" 00:00:25 - Welcome from Chair Bob Gropilot, RIC 00:01:47 - speaker Kevin, Socialists for Independence 00:13:41 - speaker Kirsten Murray, Scottish Socialist Youth 00:23:15 - speaker David Buckley, SNP Socialists 00:34:13 - speaker Maggie Chapman, Scottish …

Our Rising Clyde episode this month reports from COP28 in Dubai. Dubai is the seventh biggest exporter of oil in the world and the President of this COP is himself the President of the Abu Dhabi Oil Company. That in itself has raised a few eyebrows. We look at what’s at stake, at the end of the hottest year ever recorded. If world leaders are doing…

Topical snippets from Scottish politics and activism in November: 00:01:08 Festival for Survival opening by Lynn Jamieson 00:04:09 Jean Urquhart marches in Ullapool 00:06:07 Revive conference opening by Chris Packham 00:10:43 Lesley Riddoch speaking at the Breakup of Britain event 00:16:10 Our Star in Scotland - former MEP Julie Ward explains Erasm…

00:00:16 What is Future Voices? 00:04:33 Health and Happiness 00:09:18 A Fair Society 00:17:07 Clean and Green 00:22:00 Prosperity 00:26:38 Our Democracy 00:36:55 Launch night 00:41:41 Community 00:49:09 Values 00:55:16 Back to the Future Future Voices is an innovative and inspiring project that aims to address people who are still unsure of how an…

Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie delivered a speech to the Autumn conference of the Scottish Green Party in October. In both speeches they reflect on a year of Greens in Government and look forward to the second half of the parliamentary term, with announcements about forthcoming proposals for new legislation to support both people and planet. 00:00…

For the second in our mini series on the way forward for independence, Indypodcasters Fiona and Marlene invite three SNP members who were at the Autumn conference to share their thoughts on the independence strategy debate. Our guests are Liz Lowrey, Almond and Earn SNP Branch Secretary, Simon Barrow, National Secretary of the SNP Trade Union Group…

Scottish Independence Podcasts support Scottish Independence but we are not party political. The route to independence concerns everyone in the Yes movement and there is by no means consensus on the path that will lead to success. We will be dropping in on the various party conferences to see how they propose to get us there, starting with the 2023…

Welcome to this month's round up of topical clips from Scottish independence politics and activism. Topics this month: 00:01:05 Future Voices 00:04:41 Chain of Freedom - 00:07:06 Rutherglen by-election 00:13:06 Holyrood debate on the Internal Market Act 00:25:47 SNP conference welcome address 00:42:41 Capping staple food prices proposal 00:44:16 De…

In his book Doun Hauden Prof Alf Baird draws on research from colonial experiences of decolonisation to re-examine the question of Scottish Nationhood. We are delighted to welcome Alf back onto the Mibbes Aye show as our guest this month to take us through the results of his research - described by many as "a lightbulb moment". So IS Scotland a col…

First Minister Humza Yousaf's keynote speech at his first SNP conference was delivered while his own family members remain trapped in Gaza by the conflict between Palestine and Israel. Against this emotional background his job is to enthuse and inspire not just his own party members, but the wider Yes movement. Did he achieve that? Listen for yours…

There is only a day to go until the next SNP conference where discussion will centre around the issue of a de facto referendum as the next step on our journey to independence. Indypodcasters Fiona and Marlene chat to Greg McCarra about our current situation of planning a de facto referendum and how it has arisen. Greg offers his own perspective on …

Christians for Independence are a cross party group of Christians who support and independent Scotland. At their latest meeting the group invited guest speaker Rev Dr Doug Gay to reflect on the events of the past year. The result is a fascinating discussion which will be of interest to those of any faith and none. We are grateful to Christians for …

A bumper edition of our monthly roundup of topical clips - there's so much going on this month including the Yes for EU/ Believe in Scotland march, Holyrood reconvening and setting out the Programme for government, Rishi Sunak putting profit before planet yet again as he abandons UK net zero ambitions and a new, positive campaign is launched to ima…

We all know we want independence - but how do we get there? What are the legal options? In this episode, our guest Graeme McCormick LLB shares a legal perspective on the various routes which could be on the table, including UDI, Section 30 orders, Dissolving the Union, plebiscite elections and more. He also has some inspirational ideas for actions …

Bonus Tuesday episode! As the Rutherglen ByElection gets ever closer, we took to the streets of Rutherglen to see what campaigners and passers by had to say. We spoke to the Scottish Socialist Party and Pensioners for Independence who both had street stalls, and popped in to the SNP campaign hub for a quick chat with Keith Brown. If you would like …

Christopher Nolan's new film Oppenheimer is described as an "epic biographical thriller". It tells the story of the physicist appointed to lead the work on the Top Secret Manhattan Project - creating the atomic bomb, used to such devastating effect against the people of Japan in 1945. Bill Ramsay, a lifelong anti-nuclear campaigner asked if we woul…

All the speeches from the rally organised by Yes 4 EU and Believe in Scotland which took place in Edinburgh on 2nd September outside of Holyrood. Speakers are: 00:00:32 Lesley Riddoch (author and journalist) 00:06:57 Jamie Hepburn (Minister for Independence) 00:11:25 Lorna slater (co leader Scottish Greens) 00:16:16 Claude Detrez (Europe for Scotla…

A bonus Tuesday episode to bring some of the atmosphere and conversations we had with folk on the Yes 4 EU Scottish Independence march in Edinburgh this weekend. You can also watch the video version on our Youtube channel Join us again on Friday for our regular Friday podcast episode when we will be sharing all the speeches from the rally. The Scot…

This episode was recorded at Climate Camp Scotland in Grangemouth by Iain Bruce, host of the climate Justice show Rising Clyde. The year's most important gathering of climate justice activists from different movements across the country, took on the giant INEOS oil refinery and petrochemical plant which spews out close to 3 million tons of CO2 equi…

Regular presenter Fiona is joined by guest presenter Lynne Dougan for a round up of interesting snippets from August 2023. Themes covered are: 00:00:33 - Glasgow UCI championships 00:09:58 - Bibby Stockholm scandal and the "othering" of asylum seekers by the right wing press 00:21:15 - Hugh Grant takes down the UK press 00:22:07 - Junior doctors pa…

An afternoon of live performances took place at the Roxbury Central Festival Fringe venue in Edinburgh this June. The event was created by Australian New Scot Jasmine Lindemann and was inspired by the contribution that the National Collective made to the 2014 independence campaign. The Indypodcast team were invited along to record the event and we …

What do we mean by a "wellbeing economy"? Is it more important to focus on a range of measures including health, happiness and the environment as well as economic growth? Are Scots ready for this new approach? Economist and Chief Executive of Business for Scotland Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp gave a presentation on the wellbeing economy. He shared the eff…

Media politics has a huge influence on our ability to get our messages across. In this episode our guest is Laura Pollock, a journalist with the National newspaper. We explore her experience of working on the only independence supporting newspaper in Scotland and explore ways to get our perspective out there. The Scottish Independence Podcasts team…

We are grateful to campaign group Yes For EU for sharing this excellent presentation by Dr Philippa Whitford, SNP MP and Spokesperson (Scotland). Dr Whitford covers all the contentious areas such as borders and EU v EFTA with her trademark clarity and common sense. There is also a short Q+A session at the end. You can watch the video version of thi…

We first looked at Freeports, and the Scottish Green Freeport idea, in an earlier episode of Scottish Independence Podcasts (link below). Since then, we have been following developments with interest and we are delighted to have had the chance to chat to an acknowledged expert in the field of Customs Law Enforcement, retired customs officer Peter H…

This week's podcast episode is a double bill from our environmental justice show Rising Clyde. In the first half of the show, host Iain Bruce interviews some of the activists protesting outside of Queen Elizabeth House in Edinburgh about the Uk government's Net Zero strategy, which they describe as "not zero, not new". In the second half Iain chats…

Many Scots of a certain age complain of how little of our own history we were taught in school. In this episode we discover the Battle of Loudoun Hill, which took place in 1307 and was decisively won by Robert the Bruce. What is particularly interesting about this battle is Bruce's use of the landscape as part of his battle strategy, a tactic which…

TNT Show host John Drummond chats with Fraser McAllister about the part he played in the new documentary called "To See Ourselves", which was filmed by his daughter Jane McAllister and tells the story of the 2014 campaign. You can listen to our interview with Jane McAllister on our website scottishindypod.scot or watch it on our Youtube channel Sco…

June's round up of topical clips from the world of Scottish politics and culture presented by a rather croaky-voiced Fiona (thanks to a touch of hayfever) and guest presenter James. Topics covered this month are: 00:00:24 A written constitution for Scotland 00:06:27 A legal opinion on flaws in the Supreme Court Decision 00:11:43 Gordon MacIntyre-Ke…