Lesley Riddoch

There is a new Aftermath available

The usual Aftermath suspects are joined by Alison from Blairgowrie High School, Gregor and Alex the producer. Alison makes a shocking observation. Listen here.

Riddoch Questions 30th May

Lesley chairs the new-sound Riddoch Questions, bringing together a panel of politicians, commentators and newsmakers to discuss the week’s main news stories. This week’s guests will be former Energy Minister and Labour politician Brian Wilson and the Executive Editor of the Scotsman, Bill Jamieson. They’ll be joined by.the outgoing Chief Constable of Tayside Police and new Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency, John Vine.

The big headlines so far this week are –

• Oil crisis – hauliers on a go-slow down south and Scottish fishermen threatening to blockade Grangemouth…as oil prices hit new heights, will Gordon Brown’s plea for more North Sea production make any difference?

• Rosyth Ferry – the only direct ferry link between Scotland and Europe is to be axed following high fuel costs and low passenger numbers. Why did it fail?

• Drugs/alcohol – the government’s launched a new 5-point strategy to tackle Scotland’s drugs problem. What will happen to drug addicts without methadone? And how could experts have missed the increased strength of modern drinks for so long – are we underestimating the amount of alcohol we’re really drinking?

• Knife crime – shocking new ads are launched to put teens off carrying blades, following a spate of stabbings of young people. Why is knife carrying so common?

Email your questions on these stories now to riddoch@bbc.co.uk. Add your phone number if you want to put the question in person. On Friday text your views to 80295 and call 0500 92 95 00.

I am looking for a PA/Office Administrator

For more details, visit my blog over at lesleyriddoch.co.uk

To change its fortune, UK must change its tune

Should the UK withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest because we came last? The veteran commentator Sir Terry Wogan says the event, once won by British performers who ripped off their skirts to reveal even shorter skirts, is "no longer a music contest". Prospects for western European participants are apparently so "poor" he may not go to Moscow to pour scorn on next year's event.

Well, maybe the end of His Woganess would help. Is it a coincidence that our position on the international singing scoreboard has worsened as Terry's anti-Eurovision stance has hardened? Ah, but that's not the point, is it?

Riddoch Questions May 23

Lesley chairs the second of the new-sound Riddoch Questions, bringing together a panel of politicians, commentators and newsmakers to discuss the week's main news stories.

This week's guests will include Labour MSP and Shadow Minister for Culture , Europe and Constitutional Affairs Malcolm Chisholm and Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Murdo Fraser.

The big headlines so far this week are –

• The Crewe and Nantwich by-election – is it now just damage limitation for Brown and Labour ?
• Credit Crunch – over a quarter of a million Scots homeowners are just one pay packet away from financial disaster
• Under the counter - the Scottish Government wants to ban the display of cigarettes in shops.
  
• Abortion – MPs reject bid to cut abortion time limit to 24 weeks
• And Gordon Brown on YouTube – hip and trendy or a recipe for ridicule?

Email your questions on these stories now to riddoch@bbc.co.uk  Add your phone number if you want to put the question in person.On Friday text your views to 80295 and call 0500 92 95 00.

Scottish Prisons Commission

Prisons Commission Public Debate

The first in a series of public debates involving the Scottish Prisons Commission took place in Dundee last night. Prisons Commission Chair Henry McLeish and I were there. Along with a distinguished audience and a panel of

• Prison Governor Perth, Kate Donegan
• Criminal Justice Manager, Jane Martin    
• Detective Chief Superintendent Angela Wilson Tayside Police    
• Dundee Women’s Aid Manager Margaret Brown

The purpose of this series of meetings is to allow the public and interested parties to discuss and debate the issues which the Prisons Commission is addressing. It was a good meeting and there are several more to come. I will be chairing all of them. The public are welcome and a full list of dates and venues is available here.

Or you can download the schedule here.

Our nation laid bare - and it's a shameful sight.

Scotland must thank an Englishman for having any kind of international reputation this week. His name is Tom Bardsley. And unless the former army medic had pulled PC Mick Regan from the baying mob after the Rangers v Zenit Uefa Cup final, it's possible that policeman would now be dead. Not certain. Maybe not even likely. But possible. And that possibility should be shaking Scotland's footballing and political leadership to the core.

Instead, there has been complacency from sporting naysayers who cannot recognise last week's violence for what it is – a massive wake-up call for Scotland.

Codec splitting for beginners

There is a new deeply technical ( not ) Aftermath available in which codecs are discussed and dismissed and accents appreciated.

Burma websites

A number of people have been asking about the Burma websites referred to on today's Riddoch Questions. The first is the Burma Campaign UK ; www.burmacampaign.org.uk and the other for the Disasters Emergency Committee ; www.dec.org.uk . Hope this helps.

It's ALL Change on the Email front

Just to let everyone know...the BBC email address for me has changed ! I am now Riddoch@bbc.co.uk ...please feel free to update your records and use it !