Lesley Riddoch

On to Scalpay ...the journey continues

If you want to hear about Scalpay or Treasure Island, sheep, forests and the changing story of this part of the Outer Hebrides; then you are in the right place. Lesley meets a wide range of people who explain transport, religion and mountain bikes. She also climbs Clisham or is that cycles Clisham ? You decide as you listen to this week's repeat of On the Bike.

Have a break ....half way

In the process of putting together the repeats of 'On the Bike', it was obvious there would be some questions that Lesley could answer. If you've come to one of the book readings, you'll know the type. "Why did you choose the islands ?" and so on. So, this week we got Lesley to sit down and talk about some of her thoughts about the journey so far. She reveals the genesis of the journey and poses a question or two of her own. So have a break ... have a pedal down memory lane here in this special short 'half way stage catch up podcast', recorded with a near stationary Lesley Riddoch without bike. Next week, we're back on the bike and off to Treasure Island...

Lapping up Salmond's small beer

If case you missed Lesley's article in the 'Comment is free' website on Friday.

Alex Salmond was sitting on a platform in a darkened cinema at the Eden Court complex in Inverness last night – the venue for the 75th annual Scottish National party conference – the meaty smell of stovies floating round the packed room (think watery haggis with potatoes) as plates of Scotland's traditional peasant fare sat largely uneaten by the modern class of SNP delegate. The line-up at the trade union fringe meeting, however, was classic comrade – all-male and squeezed behind a too-small table with too few mikes and nervous, over-formal chairing.

In the midst of it all sat SNP leader and former banker Salmond, grinning cheerfully as if to the cloth cap born, flanked by leftwing, jargon-spieling English-born trade unionists and waxing lyrical about his aim of creating a Scottish social partnership modelled on advanced Swedish experience of co-operative industrial relations. And despite his support for American tycoons like Donald Trump, his championing of small business not workers' rights, his own past as a Royal Bank economist and his role as leader of a government about to cut jobs in the public sector, scarcely a brotherly voice was raised against him. To read more...click here.

If the Homecoming can illuminate inconvenient Scottish truths, it might yet be worth its subsidy

Scotland’s clan chiefs are coming in for stick as the bill for amusing Americans at the Clan Gathering in Holyrood Park has finally landed. Despite attracting 47,000 visitors from 40 countries and generating over £10 million for the Scottish economy, the centrepiece of Edinburgh’s Homecoming Week somehow failed to wash its saltire-emblazoned face making a £600,000 loss. The taxpaying clansmen and women of Scotland of course will pick up the tab --look at clan history and you may conclude it was ever thus – and the homecoming vehicle has been bailed out to allow a repeat bed-filling opportunity in 2012 or 2014 with the 700th anniversary of Bannockburn.

Can the SNP get 20 Westminster seats?

Read Lesley's article for 'Comment is free' at the Guardian website.

North Harris tourists and DJs...this week's On the Bike

A quick reminder that this week's repeat from 'On the Bike' is North Harris and the two DJs....and the tourists I met on the beach. At the SNP conference writing and if there is time, next week's 'On the Bike' will be a special one. Watch this space.

Nordic Council membership offers us a real alternative

Should an independent Scotland share military bases with England? Is the proposal from SNP Defence Spokesman Angus Robertson, a sensible and pragmatic offer or a naïve and unworldly piece of gesture politics.

Robertson says Scotland could “share bases, procurement and training facilities with the rest of the present UK… in exactly the same way as defence co-operation exists across the Scandinavian nations."

His political opponents have lined up to disagree.

Shadow Scottish Secretary David Mundell says, "Alex Salmond can't expect to break up Britain and have the rest of the UK dance to his tune."

And on from Lochmaddy...

This is a special On the Bike which I remember with warmth and affection. This is the programme where I met the MacKillop brothers; 'Splash' ( pictured here ) and John with their wives; Gloria and Kate. Sadly, Splash and John are no longer with us but the recording of our playful conversation is the highlight of this programme. Listening to it brought back happy memories and a smile. The conversation about seal oil is priceless.

 I hope you enjoy this special On the Bike.

The Tories and Sweden

The Tories new elderly care proposal is a shameless vote-winning wheeze, a cunning way to insure the escalating bill for residential care, or another borrowing from David Cameron’s surprising choice of model state -- the socialist Nirvana that is Sweden.