With both the Scottish and UK Parliaments back in session today, there is a back to school vibe for this week's podcast. After a quite week last week everything is kicking up a gear. We look at the Keir Starmer's mini mini reshuffle, which is a lot less sensational than expected, but seems to be centralizing power in Number 10. We talk about the number of departures from the Scottish Conservatives, and the fact that one of them, Graham Simpson going to Reform, might jeopardize the recall petition idea that he is pushing through as a private member's Bill.

We also talk about the Scottish Green's leadership election and what that might mean in terms of new leadership, the energy price cap, and Kemi Badenoch: drill, baby, drill. All of that and more.

Home Truths for Home Rule
3pm Kirkcudbright Parish Church Saturday 6th Sept
https://kbtfringe.com/events/06-09-2025-15-00-home-truths-for-home-rule-scotland-after-25-years-of-devolution

Scotland’s Parliament, established over 25 years ago, has changed how we do politics. But has its record and impact been as significant as its advocates claim? What have been its successes - and what could it do better? People feel increasingly alienated by party politics and the centralisation of ‘Edinburgh knows best’. How if at all can this change? Join journalist and campaigner Lesley Riddoch and former First Minister Henry McLeish assess the impact of devolution, the contours of next year’s Scottish elections, and what Scotland’s future should look like and how we might get there.

Links
On Sept 13 & 14 at Netherbow Theatre in Storytelling Centre Royal Mile Edinburgh 7pm.
https://scottishstorytellingcentre.online.red61.co.uk/event/913:6226/

“The Invaders’ Fear of Memories” is a theatre piece based on the life and diaries of Yosef Nachmani – a Russian Jew who migrated from Tsarist Russia to Ottoman Palestine in 1907. Nachmani became Director of the Jewish National Fund in the Galilee and subsequently played a central role in the ethnic cleansing of Palestine’s indigenous people. The play offers a perspective into the origins of settler-colonialism and apartheid in modern-day Israel, exploring themes of loyalty, violence, ideology, and grief.
The Invaders’ Fear of Memories is performed by Benjamin Rivers, the great grandson of Nachmani. Over the course of the play, Rivers performs 12 characters and sings in Arabic, Hebrew, Ukrainian, and Yiddish.

Tam Dean Burn as guest actor and a panel of distinguished academics for post screening Q&A
Since August 2023, The Invaders’ Fear of Memories has been performed to audiences across four continents.

Also Peter Kennard’s new exhibition “GAZA” from 6pm on Friday August 8th at 13A Dundas Street, Edinburgh, EH3 6QG extended till end September.

FREE SPEECH AGAINST THE GENOCIDE rally
2pm Saturday Sept 6th Queen Elizabeth House (Scotland Office) Edinburgh
https://www.scottishpsc.org.uk

The Promise
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-promisehttps://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-promise
Claire Foy and Christian Cooke star in Peter Kosminsky's BAFTA-nominated drama. Eighteen-year-old Erin sets out on an emotional journey when she retraces her grandfather's footsteps in Palestine.