In this week's episode, Lesley Riddoch and Fraser Thompson reflect on a more lively couple of days at the SNP Conference in Aberdeen. Far from the half-empty halls predicted by the right-wing press, Lesley reports a perkier atmosphere powered by an articulate new wave of young independence campaigners, frisky debates on land tax, and big questions on local democracy.

Topics Covered This Week

• A Perkier SNP Conference: Lesley gives her view from the Aberdeen floor, where Young Scots for Independence set an energetic tone right out of the gates. Meanwhile, Dave Doogan delivered a sharp, witty address as Westminster leader, landing cheeky jabs at both Andy Burnham's ten-year plans and Stephen Flynn's hair.
• SNP Policy Debates: key motions from the conference floor. Hannah Mary Goodlad and Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth brought forward a motion on investigating a Scottish Land Tax—provoking spirited discussion on shell companies, unregistered land, and compulsory purchase powers for tax dodgers.
• Bus Franchising & Andy Burnham’s Interventions: Re-regulating buses is firmly back on the menu. As John Swinney announced plans for public control over routes and fares, private bus operators threw a proper paddy, while Andy Burnham made a cheeky wee jaunt into proceedings from Motherwell to lecture Holyrood on centralisation.
• Local Democracy & Mega-Councils: At a packed Build a Local Scotland fringe meeting, Dave Watson (Jimmy Reid Foundation) and Cabinet Secretary Ivan McKee joined the fray. Lesley and Fraser discuss the confusion surrounding council reorganisation, comparing Scotland's remote mega-councils with Sweden’s hyper-local municipal setup, and making the case for a genuine Citizens' Assembly.
• De-Xing Holyrood: A near-unanimous conference vote backing an exit from X (formerly Twitter) sparks lively debate on toxic algorithms versus the practical need for public transport operators like CalMac to reach folk.
• Film Review – NAZA: Lesley shares her experience watching NAZA at the Dundee Contemporary Arts (DCA). The documentary presents clinical, unvarnished testimony from IDF soldiers detailing automated targeting systems, collateral civilian damage ("Naza" counts), and the total destruction in Gaza.

Links

• Better Buses Strathclyde Campaign: bringbackbritishrail.org/strathclyde
• Lesley Riddoch on Bus Franchising: The National Column (2024)
• The National Podcast with Ivan McKee: Watch on YouTube
• NAZA Film Documentary Review: RogerEbert.com
• Local Government Reform Article: Sceptical Scot