Lesley Riddoch

Should Labour engage with Scottish patriotism?

Jim Murphy's account of Scottishness (Scotland's strength lies in Britain's unity, 28 December) makes compelling reading. The Scottish Secretary admits that "Labour's reticence about the symbols and emotion of patriotism enabled the SNP superficially to conflate patriotism and separatism".

An Icelandic Saga for Christmas 2008

As we all depart for a festive Christmas and jolly Hogmanay, I thought I would pass on some thoughts about my continuing fascination with all things Nordic, Scandic, Viking and Baltic. I went to Iceland on a number of occasions this year and took my recorder and my camera to record . Here are the results.

Thank heavens for stubborn men who won't play by the rules

Iraqi shoe-thrower, Muntader al-Zaidi, has reminded every anti-war campaigner about the downside of abiding by the rules. Away from the safety of crowds, far from the security of collective chants and slogans, right at the heart of a press conference stiffened with security and protocol, one man created massive international impact with a small, well-timed, powerful, personal and lone gesture.

"This is a farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq."

Fund the congestion habit or fund the real cure

Is the media hindering the case for tackling climate change? Or are politicians with low levels of emotional intelligence doing that quite nicely all by themselves?

There is a new Aftermath available and it's not a Christmas Special

The new Woolies Aftermath touches all the hot topics; benefits and pick'n'mix. Check it out whilst it's still available.

Last Riddoch Questions of 2008 - Iain Gray Live

The final Riddoch Questions of 2008 on December 19th will be a live phone-in with the leader of the Scottish Labour Party Iain Gray marking his first 100 days as successor to Wendy Alexander.

In that time Labour's fortunes have fluctuated north and south of the border. The by election Glasgow East was lost and Glenrothes was won -- each against the odds. But the opinion polls suggest the Brown bounce hasn't worked in Scotland, and despite support for independence falling, the SNP as a government are still riding high in the polls.

Has Iain Gray provided an effective opposition to Alex Salmond? Are Labour still compromised by their association with "London Labour?"

We're looking for your calls and emails ahead of time to line up for for the programme. So email with your phone number if you'd like to put your point directly on Friday to lesley@feistyproductions.co.uk. And on the day call 0500 92 95 00 from 1pm.

This week's Riddoch Questions 12 December 2008 at 1.15pm

Lesley’s guests on Riddoch Questionsthis week are Anne McGuire, Labour MP for Stirling and former Minister for Disabled People; Christopher Harvie, SNP MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife and Honorary President of the Scottish Association for Public Transport; and Mike Dailly, principal solicitor at Govan Law Centre.

Making the headlines so far this week:

 

·      TRANSPORT – the government’s unveiled its transport strategy for Scotland, featuring plans for a cut-price Forth Road Bridge, the dualling of the A9 and trams linking Fife with Edinburgh.  But questions remain over funding and timescales – so is the strategy a hit or a miss?

·      WELFARE REFORM – Westminster’s revealed radical proposals to transform the benefits system, which will mean almost everyone getting support should be looking for work - and Glasgow’s sickness-claimants will be among the first to test the new scheme.  But if the country’s going into recession, is it the right time for major changes?

·      ASSISTED SUICIDE – A consultation’s been launched on a new law to allow assisted suicide for those with terminal illnesses, and a TV programme’s been screened showing a sufferer of motor neurone disease ending his own life.  Is there a case for allowing people to choose the time of their own death – or is it a dangerous path to start down?

· SUPER-GORDON – HBOS looks set for a merger with Lloyds, while Woollies hits the wall – but whether or not Gordon Brown believes he’s saved the world or Britain’s banks, his economic rescue plan’s been slammed by the German finance minister who’s called it ‘ineffective’.

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. 

Think about that tricky Scottish history question

Do teachers avoid Scottish history because they don't know enough about the subject? (Scottish history is avoided – academic, 6 December 2008)

In a current Radio Scotland series, Richard Dargie, the Edinburgh academic quoted above, has a good deal more to say on the subject and so do teachers and pupils. And it might benefit everyone to have a good listen before Burns’ classic poem of betrayal, Parcel of Rogues is quoted, battle flags are unfurled, and authorities are accused of acting like Uncle Toms.

Of course teachers are wary of teaching what they weren’t taught themselves. Of course the British authorities were once wary about teaching Scottish history in case it turned us all into little nationalists. Of course, as a result, my generation has been largely self taught - Prebble and Tranter probably opened more minds than a generation of history teachers.

But that includes the current generation of history teachers -- some almost evangelical in their determination to make sure the airbrushing of Scotland from the syllabus doesn’t happen again on their watch.

Most teachers under the age of 30 have been taught some Scottish history. The subject is part of academic degrees in history where previously it was not. Pupils, post Braveheart, have at least entered school with the vague notion that something significant happened here once. And history teachers have been able to use the myths embedded in Mel Gibson’s fictional account to promote an attitude of sceptical enquiry amongst youngsters. So if they leave with their battles in the wrong chronological order at least they know how to question what’s “given” and look for sources to corroborate claims. In the past there were no resources for teachers trying to branch out from Napoleon or Perkin Warbeck. Now there are online resources – as long as schools have the equipment to access them.

Things are not as they were thirty years ago. In fact, some youngsters are turning their backs on Scottish history because they’ve had too much of it. At Alva Academy, in a classroom almost overlooking the Wallace Monument, I spoke to a group of bright, animated history-loving 15 year olds none of whom plans to answer the Scottish option question in Higher History. Why not?

To read more click here.

The Council Aftermath

There is a new Riddoch Questions Aftermath available. The crew start to talk about the Councils and then meander into some programme ideas for next week of a seasonal nature. Some of the language at the start is of a mature nature - be warned.

Woman's Hour - Friday 5 December

Women's Hour on Radio 4 will broadcast my interview with the fabulous female Icelandic financier Halla Tomosdottir today (Friday) between 10.15-10.45. I was in Reykjavik two weeks ago and met a stunning bunch of articulate, focussed women -- furious that their country and their lives had been compromised by a small bunch of almost exclusively male wideboys. The wild risks these bankers took have resulted in three commercial banks being nationalised and the country being effectively frozen out of foreign exchange markets. But at least two smart women saw it coming -- financiers Halla Tomasdottir and Kristin Petursdottir set up Audur Capital in 2007, recruiting mainly women, and determined to exercise risk awareness in their choice of investments. according to Halla, "Our ground rule was simple. We won't invest in anything we cant understand." Since then Halla helped commission a report, published six months ago, which warned the Icelandic premier and Gordon Brown that Iceland's financial model was unsustainable. Now Audur capital is the only financial company left in Iceland with funds and with a staff recruitment programme.