Lesley Riddoch

Time to stop depending on the spoils of war

 The National Trust says the World Heritage status of St Kilda is at risk thanks to Ministry of Defence plans to remove 125 staff from its radar base on Hirta and associated missile ranges on Benbecula and South Uist.

On first hearing, that claim sounds crazy. Anyone who has trekked four hours each way to reach the near-legendary islands will have had the same reaction upon arrival. Wow. Swiftly followed by, "What the hell are these prefabs doing here?" To read more - click here.

Killing with Kindness...a chance to hear again

A number of people have emailed me asking about the recent investigation I did for BBC Radio Scotland which examine attitudes to children's education and outside activity. A number of people missed the programme - so here it is. As everyone knows, I was off in Norway and met teachers and education specialist in order to understand the differences between Norway and Scotland. It was an enlightening visit and the programme was "Killing with Kindness", which you can hear here.

Riddoch Questions 26th June - BBC Radio Scotland

Lesley’s guests on Riddoch Questions this week are: Principal and Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University Professor Dame Joan Stringer; Scottish Editor for the Daily Telegraph Alan Cochrane and Green MSP Patrick Harvie.

They’ll be discussing the stories making the headlines this week, including Scotland’s Climate Change Bill, education and the lack of graduate jobs, and the election of the new Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow.

Email your questions now on these topics – or any other - 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.

Time for the PM to earn his spurs as a teacher

So, Gordon Brown might become a teacher when he finally leaves politics. Such is the low ebb of faith in our political classes that one's left wondering what that claim is designed to achieve. Presumably it puts clear blue, modest, Old Labour water between Gordon Brown and the man who presumably haunts his every waking moment -- Tony Consultant Blair. It encourages us to think Teacher Gordon is really one of us --in stark contrast to Boardroom Tony.

It tells us the Prime Minister is thinking about life beyond the political grave. The message – he is hurt and human. The subtext – watch what you wish for, it could actually happen.

If any of this is designed to elicit sympathy or encourage a lull in hostilities lest the unpopular but capable Captain leaves the ship, I doubt it’ll work...to read more, click here.

Riddoch Questions - BBC Radio Scotland, 19th June

Lesley’s guests on Riddoch Questions this week are: Councillor Ewan Aitken, former leader of Edinburgh city council; Mark Perryman, editor of the book ‘Breaking up Britain: Four Nations after a Union’; and Gerri Peev, political correspondent for the Scotsman.

They’ll be discussing the stories making the headlines this week, including the Calman Commission, the Digital Britain report, the de-selection of Labour MP Jim Devine and the SNP’s long-awaiting school building programme.

Email your questions now on these topics – or any other - 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.

Safety first putting our children's wellbeing last

Nursery care is in turmoil. Vanessa George was charged with sexual assault and distributing indecent images of children in her care last week. Shocked parents have called for an inquiry which may well recommend more safeguards, less access and more security for children.

That would be a mistake. As understandable a mistake as the post-Dunblane clampdown, which turned schools into fortresses and turned a mercifully rare act of aggression into a general threat against all.

To read more - click here.

Killing with Kindness - BBC Radio Scotland - today at 9.00am

Killing with kindness

Scottish children record the lowest feelings of wellbeing in Europe. Could that because so many are cooped up indoors without stimulating play because of adult inadequacies and fears over safety?

Lesley went to visit four kindergartens in Norway this March -- every child has a statutory right to a kindergarten place from 1-6 for a maximum of £200 per month.

She filmed kindergartens where the children spend the bulk of the day outdoors in snow showers and temperatures of minus 5 degrees. The kindergartens are often situated near farms where the kids feed and play with animals, watch slaughtered cows being dissected, grow tomatoes and make hay. The Norwegian belief is that children divorced from the whole of nature – the cycles of life and death -- become couch potatoes, estranged from nature and the outdoors and less independent, confident, co-operative and happy as young adults.

UNICEF’s wellbeing index shows the Nordic countries like Norway at the top and Britain bottom of the 17 countries surveyed. Scotland came lower still.

On every indicator – health, drug use, educational attainment and general happiness – Scottish children are doing less well than Nordic children in particular.

Could that be because.......

1. We coop up children indoors and try to insulate them from all risk – ironically making them more susceptible to danger by exposing them to nothing.
2. We are generally spending too little cash money on the early years – and too much trying to “retrofit” skills onto the casualties of poor childhood learning experiences?

Listen in to the programme and for goodness sake call if you’ve something to say.

0500 92 95 00

Riddoch Questions, Friday 12th June

Lesley’s guests on Riddoch Questions this week are: newly re-elected SNP MEP Alyn Smith; author, journalist and Tartan Army member Ian Black; and Tory MSP for North East Scotland Alex Johnstone.

Making the headlines this week:

Gordon Brown – the great reformer; he’s reshuffled his cabinet and now he’s aiming for constitutional reform...is it back to business as usual for the Prime Minister?

Setanta – is there a future for the sports broadcaster? And if it fails what will be the impact on Scottish football?

BNP MEPs – the British National Party’s got its foot in the door of the European Parliament; is this democracy at work or a kneejerk reaction to turbulent political times?

Email your questions 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.

Nordic nations hold key to bright future for us all

Gordon Brown's future hangs in the balance. By the time you read this, the Prime Minister may be gone, planning to step down, or determined to stay until Kingmaker Peter Mandelson hands over his jotters.

At the time of writing, before the Euro election results, before the junior ministerial reshuffle and before today's Parliamentary Labour Party showdown, there's nothing for commentators to do other than wait and speculate.

Riddoch Questions, 5th June

Lesley’s guests on Riddoch Questions this week are political columnist for the Independent, Bruce Anderson; former chairman of the Scottish Labour Party, Bob Thomson; and head of the office of the European Parliament in Scotland, John Edward.

Making the headlines this week: Hazel Blears, Jacqui Smith, Beverley Hughes, Tom Watson...the Cabinet resignations are piling up and piling the pressure on the Prime Minister to reassert his authority. Who’s next to jump before they’re pushed? Amid rumours of up to 80 Labour MPs ready to sign a letter calling on him to quit, could it be Gordon Brown himself? And what will the results of the local council and European elections hold? How badly will the Labour Party suffer as voters make known their feelings in the wake of the MPs expenses scandal?

Email your questions 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.