Manchester by election had miserable 25% turnout. Excuse - no publicity & summer holidays. Reality - 'regional' mayors only work with big WM names like Burnham. UK councils are almost 20 times bigger than EU average. We need normal local councils not directly elected regional mayors buildlocal.scot

Award winning films by Palestinians in Lochinver Village Hall Aug 7-9th supported by Eden Court. Proceeds to Medical Aid for Palestinians & Galilee Foundation. Tix on door or www.justgiving.com/page/palestinefilmfestival

Anas Sarwar quitting ScotLab confirms old suspicions. In the branch office, promotion to head office is the stuff of dreams. Holyrood is always the lesser gig. Joining the world’s 2nd largest unelected chamber is always unproblematic. Rotten legacy for new leader www.thenational.scot/politics/264...

Lesley Riddoch: Anas Sarwar fleeing Scottish Labour's sinking ship proves one thing

NUMBER 10 of the North – aye, it’s actually south for Scots, but whatever ...

thenational.scot

Starmer leaves - really a dignified exit? Burnham arrives -it's a north of England cabinet charged with undoing the terrible damage of Thatcherism. Possible with borrowing constraints? Can Burnham square decentralisation with no new powers for Holyrood? lesleyriddoch.com/podcast

Reform 'clarify' Scots Gaelic wd only be banned in Eng/Wales elections. Yet legislation is UK-wide. Detail - who cares? How soon will Andy Burnham choose Chancellor & decide oil/gas? If he backs a wealth or land tax will Scotgov copy - or sd they have led? lesleyriddoch.com/podcast

Farage resigns as MP for Clacton prompting a by-election he intends to win. Speech slagged off media, Sky News, plus Whitehall ‘dirty tricks’. Farage is getting ahead of Commons inquiries - a by-election cd’ve been triggered anyway. Will other parties stand? What a mess. Scotland can do better solo.

Songwriter Bobby Motherwell recorded this Declaration of Independence, celebrating US 250th anniversary with an adaption of their famous case for Independence. youtu.be/aVG5Rcg29SM

A Declaration for an Independent Scotland

YouTube video by Bobby Motherwell

youtu.be

Is a Burnham/Manchester-led UK better for Scots than Starmer's/London-led Britain? Cd ‘fiscal devolution’ for English regions give Holyrood new borrowing powers too? Will Scotgov finally consider decentralising? Plus islands, fitba, defence, heat & tunnels lesleyriddoch.com/podcast

Interesting by @MonicaLennon7. Decentralisation in Scotland is long overdue. But her article & Burnham’s metro mayors are about REGIONAL not LOCAL control. Normal countries like Norway have BOTH - 15 regions & 357 councils. Scotland has 32 total. Power for city regions is not local control.

A tiny collection of fans on a tiny island off Donegal - rooting for Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Mercifully no heatwave in West Donegal. Got here after great Finland screening discussion in Belfast and now waiting with loaded bike for wee boat to island off Bunbeg . Only 19 degrees with a fair breeze. Bliss!!!!

What a day not to be doing a podcast! I’m on holiday travelling to Donegal. But an excellent special podcast about the radical potential of the Community Wealth Building bill will be online for everyone today. Somehow I’ll find Wifi next Tuesday.

Torn apart by civil war a century back Finland is now world’s happiest country nine years in a row. And in top ten for income equality. How did EU’s most remote country turn itself around? Still tickets for Finland film + Q&A @QFTBelfast tonight Monday 6pm lesleyriddoch.com/events

Andy Burnham will doubtless oust Starmer but can he fix Britain? Will emphasis on The (English) North help Scotland? Did tactical voting beat SNP in Aberdeen or did Tories win a referendum on N Sea oil drilling? Tartan Army - have fans won whatever the fitba result lesleyriddoch.com/podcast

BBC’s Chris Mason suggests Andy Burnham victory in Makerfield must be weighed against the combined vote for Reform and Restore suggesting his may not be a ‘real’ victory cos far right vote is split. Doesn’t Green candidate split the left vote? Ditto Lib Dems? Come on.

Like every other 60s Belfast child I started school at 4. But Finland was changing to 5 yrs kindergarten (50% of kids go free) & a school starting age of 7. Now they top child wellbeing & PISA charts. Why not Scotland & NI too? Finland film + Q&A @QFTBelfast Monday 6pm lesleyriddoch.com/events

Finland film screening @QFTBelfast + Q&A on June 22. Interesting to see what NI makes of a country that overcame brutal civil war 100 years ago to become world's happiest country for nine years running. lesleyriddoch.com/events

No podcast today. Waiting for results of three important by elections on Thursday - Makerfield, Aberdeen and Arbroath - cos I'm off to Donegal next week and no live podcast then. It'll be with you by Friday lunchtime.

Starting day filming at Portskerra Sutherland where many families cleared from Strathnaver left for Canada and Oz. Clearances didn’t just empty townships - they scattered Highlanders across the world.

Prof Jim Hunter at Dornoch conf on his game changing book, The Making of the Crofting Community, 1976. Says Highlanders didn’t wait to see what govt wd do in 1880s but formed Highland Land League. And now? Jim’s highland history masterclass for Strathnaver film now public youtu.be/U5dCbYELJa8

Highland Clearances - interview with Prof James Hunter

YouTube video by Lesley Riddoch

youtu.be

Scottish Greens' independent inquiry into all political party finances passed at Holyrood. Will this satisfy the public or is WM still considering a heavy-handed intervention? Belfast/Southampton riots - is Reform incitement to blame? What are Andy Burnham's chances? Listen lesleyriddoch.com/podcast

Waiting to see if Commons Scottish Affairs Committee votes for an inquiry into SNP finances this afternoon. So podcast tomorrow, Weds instead.

Looking forward to wee holiday in Donegal after screening of Finland film at QFTBelfast + Q&A on June 22. Interesting to see what NI makes of country that overcame brutal civil war 100 years ago to become world's happiest country for nine years running. lesleyriddoch.com/events

Eagle-eyed @andywightman.scot stopped Rosal Clearance Village in Sutherland being sold by Forestry Comm in 2013. Sales brochure trilled about 'fascinating insight into struggle for ownership of this land.' Site will be maintained & restored tx to community buyout. andywightman.scot/2014/04/rosa...

Big weekend for Strathnaver as community celebrates takeover of Rosal - site of village cleared by Patrick Sellar in 1814. I'll be there with Steve Rawson for new film. All welcome esp those with Naver/Clearance family histories. Syre Church service next day with Gaelic psalm singing (Sunday 1pm)

Big thanks to 328 folk who helped us hit crowdfunder target for two films about clearance in Strathnaver & women's resistance in Coigach. By way of grateful' tx there's an extra film. Full interview with Prof Jim Hunter, masterclass in Highland history, going to crowdfund donors first & then a'body.

A centralised and secretive political culture let Peter Murrell steal from SNP funds for a decade. Does that justify a Common/Holyrood inquiry? If so why not also investigate Labour over Mandelson's abuse of trade envoy role? It's a funny old world. Listen lesleyriddoch.com/podcast

Murrell’s conviction confirms the SNP’s closed shop leadership has been undemocratic for years. But independence belongs to the people & Yes movement. All the more reason to reassert our collective voice & turn out 6pm tonight at Scotparl after Section 30 vote. See you there soon.

Unplanned podcast on the Peter Murrell saga just recorded. It’ll be posted soon.

Greetings from cool Stromness. 13 degrees and lovely. Finland film on tonight in Town Hall 7.30. Come along if you fancy.