Scottish Independence Podcasts

In this special episode IndyPodcasters Fiona and Marlene take a break from the usual guest format for a more personal chat. After attending the Glasgow book launch of Frankly, Nicola Sturgeon’s much-anticipated memoir, the pair share their candid reflections on the event — and the unexpected TikTok reaction that followed. From going viral overnight to unpacking the diverse responses the book has s...

The Scottish Parliament went back to Holyrood last week for the final session before the elections in 2026.   Following the Holyrood debate on Palestine and his very welcome decision to stop giving public money to companies helping to arm Israel in the commission of a genocide,  First Minister John Swinney began today with a speech announcing the publication of the new Scotgov  paper "Your Right t...

🎙️ Top 10 Takeaways from Professor Danny Dorling at the Festival of Politics | Indypodcasters In this episode, Fiona and Marlene share their top 10 insights from the 2025 Festival of Politics at Holyrood, where they attended a powerful session with Professor Danny Dorling, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Oxford. From rising inequality to the politics of child poverty and electora...

🎙 Solving Scotland’s Housing Crisis – with Dr Craig Dalzell of Common Weal 🏘 In this episode, we speak with Craig Dalzell, Head of Policy at the Scottish think tank Common Weal, about urgent, practical solutions to Scotland’s housing crisis. The discussion is based on his recent article in The National, which is addressed directly to Màiri McAllan, the newly appointed Housing Minister in the Scott...

Indypodcasters bring you the latest in the meetings hosted by campaign group Glasgow Pensioners for Independencespeaking with politicians from all pro-independence parties. This time we’re joined by Cllr Anthony Carroll of the Scottish Greens for a lively and informative discussion on Scottish independence, local politics, and the road to Holyrood 2026.   The conversation dives into the Scottish G...

🎙️25 Years of Scottish Left Review with Bob Thomson In this special episode, Fiona and Marlene sit down with veteran trade unionist and political activist Bob Thomson to mark the 25th anniversary of Scottish Left Review. From his early days on the factory floor to the top of Unison, Bob shares a lifetime of experience in labour politics, trade unionism, and Scottish constitutional reform. A foundi...

Special Bonus Episode: Live from the Lord Provost’s Peace Garden – 80th Anniversary of Hiroshima Join us for a powerful special episode recorded on 6th August 2025, marking the 80th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing. We’re coming to you directly from the Lord Provost’s Peace Garden in Glasgow, where civic leaders, peace activists, and citizens gathered to honour the past and reflect on the futu...

In this episode Indypodcasters Fiona and Marlene sit down with economist and educator Jim Byrne to talk about his new online course, MMT101: A Beginner’s Guide to Modern Monetary Theory. Designed to make Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) accessible to everyone, Jim’s course breaks down complex economic ideas into clear, understandable lessons. Learn more at https://mmt101.org #indypodcasters #mmt #econ...

In this revealing episode recorded at the Bacchus Bar in Glasgow, Pensioners for Independence invite Colette Walker, leader of the Independence for Scotland Party to address the group as part of a series of events the group are arranging leading up to Holyrood 2026. Colette shares her unexpected journey into political leadership, her refusal to be defined by her visual impairment, and the challeng...

Exploring Scotland’s Cultural Heritage | Stuart McHardy & Roger Emmerson at the Independence Forum Scotland Conference In this thought-provoking episode of the Scottish Independence Podcast, we bring you a fascinating session from the recent Independence Forum Scotland conference, featuring historian Stuart McHardy and architect Roger Emmerson. Together, they explore Scotland’s rich cultural h...

Fiona and Marlene report from the Palestine march and rally in Edinburgh this weekend, with coverage of the march and the speeches from Elizabeth House, also known as Colonial HQ Key events: 00:07:30 Gathering at St Giles 00:08:06  Chanting in Parliament Square 00:08:38  Mick Napier outlines the purpose of the protest 00:10:36  Into the High Street 00:12:51   Speaker Doha Abu Amer 00:19:37   Speak...

🎙️ In this episode, Fiona and Marlene are joined by Esther Roberton, co-ordinator of the Scottish Constitutional Convention, the movement that laid the groundwork for the creation of the Scottish Parliament. Esther reflects on the original aspirations for a new kind of democracy in Scotland and assesses how far those ambitions have been realised over the past 20+ years. They also explore Esther’s...

Highlights from the Independence Forum Scotland Conference | June 2025 |  In this episode, Indypodcasters Fiona and Marlene share selected highlights from the Independence Forum Scotland summer conference, held in June 2025. They explore key moments from a day packed with fresh ideas, thought-provoking questions, and bold visions for Scotland’s future. Whether you're passionate about tackling pove...

A Bonus episode with updates on three important topics discussed at the IFS spring conference in March 2025: 00:01:34  Scotland's Land Reforms - John Hutchison 00:10:00  Scotland's Energy - John Proctor 00:24:50  Scotland's Democracy - Geoff Bush 00:30:55  Comment from the floor 00:34:35  Forward look This Friday's podcast episode will be the Poverty and Wellbeing session from the Summer conferenc...

🎙️ IndyPodcasters, Fiona and Marlene chat with award-winning journalist and filmmaker Lesley Riddoch about her latest documentary project – a powerful new film exploring why Finland is the happiest country in the world 🇫🇮✨ Scotland has already adopted Finland’s famous Baby Boxes, but what else can we learn? Lesley dives into: 🔹 Finland’s world-renowned education system 🔹 Distinctive land owners...

In this upbeat episode, Indypodcasters Fiona and Marlene speak with Fatima Joji, a member of the National Executive of Women for Independence (WFI), about the organisation’s bold relaunch on International Women’s Day . WFI played a vital role in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, building a respected and influential grassroots network of women-led local groups. But over the last decade, mo...

In this timely episode, Glasgow Pensioners for Independence sit down with Colin Fox, national spokesperson for the Scottish Socialist Party, for a wide ranging discussion on Scotland's shifting political landscape. Recorded just ahead of the Hamilton by-election, the conversation explores the future of hte independence movement, the role of left-wing politics in Scotland and what might lie ahead a...

In this powerful episode, recorded live at a Yes Glasgow NW event, guest speaker Scott Donohoe from Glasgow Trade Union council delivers a passionate and informative talk on the planned closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery — a decision that threatens thousands of jobs, livelihoods, and the stability of the local community. Scott outlines a detailed historical timeline of events, highlighting th...

Pat Kane is in conversation with John Drummond on the TNT Show in this week's podcast episode.  This is a fascinating and wide ranging conversation covering topics as diverse as the leadership required to respond to climate related migration, the factors which could be better harnessed to promote Scottish independence and the possible post American future world order!   You can also watch the vide...

A guest episode from Iain Bruce's climate justice show Rising Clyde, this week focussing on the links between the fossil fuel giants and the far right and how they are exploiting the climate crisis for profit and power.   Iain's guests are activists Ash and Quan and he begins the episode with footage from a protest outside Glasgow based company Seapeak Maritime. You can watch the video version of...

With only 1 year left of the Scottish Government's current term First Minister John Swinney set out his Programme for Government for  2026-26. Indypodcasters Fiona and Marlene listened to the main speeches and then went digging into the detail - and we found quite a lot that caught our eye. Our verdict?  Mainly highlights but also the occasional lowlight.  As the old saying goes- the devil is in t...

Building a Democracy for the 21st Century On 26th April the Electoral Reform Society held a conference in Edinburgh called A Scottish Spring with a range of excellent speakers covering topics such as the rise of polarisation in democracy, Scottish public opinion, Civic and local democracy in Scotland , engagement and debate. Indypodcasters Fiona and Marlene were there and very much enjoyed the dis...

Scotland in Europe:  Our journey to the European Parliament! In this special episode of our podcast, Indypodcasters Fiona and Marlene share our exciting journey to Brussels where they joined a delegation organised by campaign groups Yes for EU and Europe for Scotland.   Our mission? To promote Scotland's place in Europe and meet with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs ) in support of an inde...

English Council Elections Fallout: What can Scotland learn? In this episode, Fiona and Marlene are joined by regular guests Bill Ramsay and Isobel Lindsay to discuss the recent English local council election results and the growing momentum behind far right organisation Reform Uk.  What do these political shifts mean for Scottish politics?  could they signal change - or opportunity - north of the...

Join Fiona, Marlene and Lynne as they look back at everything April threw their way - from local activism to international campaigning.   In this NOT-a-livestream episode, the trio break down their month, share behind the scenes stories and react to standout moments from Holyrood and Westminster. Subscribe for sharp chat, smart laughs and solid political insight - even when it's pre-recorded! Key...