The Common Weal Policy Podcast

Episode 164 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast You can download the episode directly here . This week Craig talks to Simon Barrow from the SNP's Trade Union Group about the rise of trade union activities in Scotland and in the UK recently, how trade union groups within political parties work and how they advance policies, how the SNP TUG influenced the recently SNP leadership debate and what b...

Episode 163 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to Dexter Whitfield, one of the UK's foremost experts in scrutiny of Public Private Partnerships, about the impact they've had on Scotland and about his new research for Common Weal showing how much of Scotland's public money is being extracted by the companies running t...

Episode 162 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast You can download the episode directly here . This week Craig talks to Bill Johnston, mutual co-authors on their book All of Our Futures (available here ) about the new Scottish Government, the need for a Minister for Older People with a strategy for age and ageing and some comments on recent moves by the UK Government to adopt a "Mid Life MOT&quot...

Episode 161 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to Rosemary Harris from Platform to discuss their new report with Friends of the Earth Scotland - Our Power. This report collected interviews with offshore oil workers about their views on the future of the sector and what they would like to see happen in terms of a Just Transition int...

Episode 160 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to Claire Peden from Unite the Union and Eryn Browning from Together Against Debt here to talk about their campaign to End School Meal Debt. The discuss the scale of such debt in Scotland, its impacts on children and which Local Authorities have already decided to waive these debts an...

Episode 159 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast This week, Craig talks to Joe Ryle, Director of the 4 Day Week Campaign who recently helped coordinate a UK-wide pilot scheme which recently published its final report . They discuss the results of that pilot, the benefits of working less for both employees and companies and what challenges were faced by participants. Common Weal's work is only po...

Episode 158 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig brings you a series of live talks from the team at Common Weal. First is Craig himself giving an overview of the Scottish Government's energy strategy to the Just Transition Partnership's Reclaiming our Energy Conference. Then Chair of Common Weal's Board Malcolm Fraser talks...

Episode 157 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig is joined by Jonathon Shafi to discuss the breaking news of Nicola Sturgeon's resignation, her political legacy, what comes next for the SNP's independence strategy and for the grassroots independence movement. Common Weal's work is only possible thanks to our generous suppor...

Episode 156 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here . This week, the tables have turned and Craig is the one in the interview chair as Robin McAlpine asks him about his new policy paper for Common Weal, ScotWind: One Year On. They discuss how much Scotland has lost in potential auction fees by placing a maximum price cap on the 2022 auction, how much Scotland...

Episode 155 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to Harriet Protheroe-Soltani and Johnathan Evershed from Welsh pro-indy think tank Melin Drafod about the case for Welsh independence, the similarities and distinctions between the Welsh and Scottish cases for independence and about their recent seminar charting a strategy towards ach...

Episode 154 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to Malcolm Fraser, sustainable architect and Convenor of Common Weal's Board, about the proposed demolition of Glasgow's Wyndford Estate, what will happen to the community there, why this goes against the climate promised made in Glasgow less than two years ago and how Scotla...

Episode 153 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here . This week Craig talks to Prof Richard Murphy about the agreement between the Scottish and UK Government's to create two "Green Freeports" in Cromarty and Forth. They discuss the origin of Freeports, their promises of creating "jobs" in the freeport area and how those promises often...

Episode 152 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig brings you the final Policy Podcast of 2022 by inviting in the Common Weal team to discuss the year that has been, the most interesting and underrated news stories of 2022, where Common Weal has been influential in Scottish politics (and beyond) and what their hopes are for 2023. You can bu...

Episode 151 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast   You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to Dr Paul Dorfman, Chair of the Nuclear Consulting Group, about the UK's plans for new nuclear plants. They discuss how expensive new nuclear is compared to modern renewables, how it'll take too long build the new plants to make an impact on climate targets and why the &qu...

You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig is on a well-deserved break after working on Sorted: a handbook for a better Scotland , so Social Media & Communications Coordinator Rory Hamilton is filling in as guest host. Rory is joined by Common Weal Board member Allison Graham, former SNP Policy Development Convenor Chris Hanlon, and editor of the Vive Ecosse independence blo...

Episode 149 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to Keith Baker from Common Weal's Energy Working Group and Dr Marc Hudson, historian of climate science and climate policy. They look at COP27, the failure of politicians to make sufficient promises when it comes to averting climate change, why they then go on to fail to meet tho...

Episode 148 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to Simon Jones, political activist and founder of the Common Weal Consultation Club. They discuss why it is important for members of the public to engage with consultations, how they can impact policy and legislation in Scotland and how you can join the Consultation Club to get advice...

You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to James Meadway from the Progressive Economy Forum to talk about the political turmoil currently enveloping the UK, why has it brought down two Prime Ministers already this year, whether or not UK politics is now irretrievably beholden to “the markets” spooked by Liz Truss and what the UK Government should actually be doing to fi...

Episode 146 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to Cameron Archibald from Modern Money Scotland - a think tank that advocates Modern Monetary Theories in determining monetary and fiscal policy. They discuss the independence White Paper released by the Scottish Government this week and the implications for an independent Scotland if...

Episode 145 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here .  This week, Craig is doing something a little different with the podcast. Instead of interviewing a guest, he presents Common Weal's contributions to three recent public events around Scotland. First, Craig himself discusses the Common Weal Common Home Plan at the Edinburgh Climate Coalition's &qu...

Episode 144 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to Line Christensen from Jubilee Scotland who campaign against exploitative public finance deals in Scotland and internationally. Scotland has built up a legacy of Public Private Partnership (PPP) deals that now cost more than £1.4 billion per year and limit Scottish Local Authorities...

Episode 143 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here . This week Craig talks to Isobel Lindsay, one of the Vice Chairs of Scottish CND - the campaign for nuclear disarmament - about the 70th anniversary of Britain's first nuclear test, how the UK's nuclear strategy has affected Scotland over the past seven decades, why British PMs feel the need to thr...

Episode 142 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast  You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to Constitution expert Elliot Bulmer about Heads of State, what they do and how we could select one. The UK is currently undergoing a transition of Head of State for the first time in the lifetime of most of the current population but in other countries, this transition happens freque...

Episode 141 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to Prof. Mike Danson from the Basic Income Network Scotland about Universal Basic Income or UBI, how it compares to the means-testing that the UK demands of its benefit system and how a more universalist approach would have made the response to Covid and the coming energy crisis easier...

Episode 140 of the Common Weal Policy Podcast You can download the episode directly here . This week, Craig talks to David Gow from the European Movement of Scotland about the political and diplomatic implications of Scottish independence and the prospect of re-joining the European Union. This includes discussion about the process of rejoining the EU itself, some of the myths about that process, s...