Lesley Riddoch

Today's Riddoch Questions - Jim Swire

Jim Swire is my guest on this week's Riddoch Questions with Lesley Riddoch.

Nearly nineteen years after the murder of 270 men, women and children in the bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie on December 21 1988 the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission has decided to refer the conviction of the Libyan Adelbaset Ali Mohmed-al-Megrahi for appeal to the High Court. Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was killed in the bombing, will be accompanied on the programme by his campaign colleague Ian McKee (father of Shirley McKee who won compensation after being falsely accused on fingerprint evidence.) The two cases are strangely linked. Earlier this month it was announced a judicial inquiry into the McKie fingerprint case will investigate claims it was covered up to avoid "tainting" the Scottish legal system during the Lockerbie case. Both men believe all involved with the Megrahi conviction will finally have to explain themselves - from the judiciary who conducted the prosecution and the police who assembled the evidence, to the politicians who authorised the case to be tried by Scottish judges at Camp Zeist. But although there is new evidence to support Megrahi's case, lawyers present at the Camp Zeist trial and the earlier appeal remain convinced the guilty verdict will stand. Hear those willing to speak on this controversial and important subject --and get in touch with Lesley. Call the show on 0500 95 92 00 or email Lesley at Lesley@bbc.co.uk. 

Riddoch Questions is on Radio Scotland live every Friday from 1.15-2pm or online at www.bbc.co.uk/radioscotland.

29 June - this week's guest

This week our guest is Jim Swire, whose daughter Flora was one of the 270 people killed on Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988. In 2001 a Libyan Adelbaset al Megrahi was convicted of the bombing and sentenced to life. But on Thursday the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission will publish its report, widely expected to suggest Megrahi's conviction is unsafe. It'll be an interesting and emotional programme. I expect no-one will want to argue with Jim, but he has some very critical things to say about the Scottish judicial system. I hope you've time to tune in between 1.15-2pm

Multiple emails

Guilt is flooding my system as I think of emails sitting unanswered at my BBC address lesley@bbc.co.uk. Because I'm an independent operator I'm not actually in the BBC studio between broadcasts and emails that arrive post programme tend to be sitting in the BBC's internal system, growling at me with impotent rage the following week. But we've managed to acquire a laptop with remote access so henceforth emails to either Feisty or the BBC will reach me fast. Apologies as well to folk who've texted, emailed or called during the RQ programmes to date. Must be the after-effect of having two hours a day to play with in recent times -- 45 minutes goes so fast! I think we've tended to pile in too many guests so there has hardly been room to breathe. That too will change with much more punter space -- so get calling from 1pm on 0500 92 95 00 if the subject interests you and you will get on!

Photos have arrived.

Although, Riddoch Questions is a radio programme, from time to time, I get sent photos of outside broadcasts and other notable things. Susie Miller of BBC Scotland sent through some good shots of the recent Global warming outside broadcast at Gardening Scotland. I have also posted a shot from the Glasgow waterfront outside broadcast at Pacific Quay. Click and enjoy.

Homes crisis not just about bricks and mortar

HOUSING, the Cinderella subject of politics, has finally forced its way into the headlines. About time. The communities minister, Stewart Maxwell, surprised opposition MSPs and much of the housing lobby last week by releasing and endorsing an Executive report predicting economic stagnation unless Scotland builds 50 per cent more houses every yearmore houses every year till 2016 - an extra 10,000 a year. It's good, but it may not be good enough. .

This Friday - Glasgow and Regeneration

In 1723, Daniel Defoe described Glasgow as being the “beautifullest little city in Britain”.

Will the latest regeneration project be as deserving of praise and recognition, and what’s really in it for Glasgow residents?

This week I’ll be meeting the people behind the regeneration of the Clyde waterfront -and their critics.

The panel will include architect Gordon Murray, academic Jonathon Charley and Glasgow City Council’s Head of Planning Alistair McDonald.

The programme will be recorded at the BBC’s new headquarters at Pacific Quay where I’ll be joined by an audience of developers, architects, residents as well as environmental and community groups.

For more information on the regeneration work along the Clyde, visit

http://www.clydewaterfront.com/interactivemap.aspx

Strength, honour and other male excuses to kill

EVERYONE has the right to life, liberty and security of the person," states the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. "The right to life of women in Pakistan is conditional on their obeying social norms and traditions," says Hina Jilani, a lawyer.

We know life for women in parts of the Indian subcontinent is hard. They face death by...Click here to read more.

Free tickets with a difference...for an Outside Broadcast at the new BBC HQ

Gordon Murray is the architect behind Phase 2 of the Glasgow Harbour Waterfront development and he’s the main guest in a pre-recorded programme that’s part of the BBC’s UK-wide “Building Britain” event, organised in conjunction with the RIAS (Royal Incorporation of Architects). We’ll have a handful of Scotland’s top architects on hand to explain/defend their design ideas for Glasgow’s prestige project and residents from Govan, Partick and the Gorbals who feel the new Waterfront is a ghetto – quite divorced from their communities.

We have 20 tickets to give away to be part of the audience at the pre-record, in Pacific Quay (the new Waterfront BBC HQ) on Thursday 21 June 1800-1900. If you are interested in being part of the audience, e-mail me with your name, address and the question which you would like to ask.

The question is important -- I am  looking for vocal audience members with attitude! You know who you are!

We are now available on iTunes

You asked, so we did it. The whole series of 'Riddoch Questions' will be available on iTunes, week by week. You can go directly to iTunes, search on 'Riddoch Questions' and subscribe for free. That way, every week you will get an automatic download of the previous week's Riddoch Questions delivered to your computer or iPod - it's that simple.

And this is all in addition to the 'Listen Again' service offered by BBC Radio Scotland.

Alex Neil joins me on Friday June 15

Alex Neil is a fabulously outspoken MSP. He has called for the break up of Scottish Enterprise.  He also is fairly unhappy about Scottish Enterprise's IT systems and been pretty vocal about it. He has just declined a convenorship. He is my guest on Friday. Expect fireworks.