Profile: Lesley Riddoch

Lesley Riddoch

Columnist

Lesley Riddoch is a newspaper columnist, independence campaigner, land reform activist and expert on the Nordic countries.

In 2018 she made films about the Faroes, Iceland and Norway with filmmaker Al McMaster and another with Charlie Stuart in 2020 to celebrate the 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath.

Lesley has been Director of the nordichorizons.org policy group since 2010 and has just completed a PhD comparing Scotland and Norway. She has published three books with Luath Press – Blossom, Riddoch on the Outer Hebrides and McSmorgasbord – with the latest due out in August - Huts: A Place Beyond.

She was a trustee of the Isle of Eigg Trust leading to its community buyout in 1997 and an award-winning broadcaster on Radio Scotland, Radio 4, BBC 2 and Channel Four. She records a weekly podcast with Dundonian Pat Joyce available on lesleyriddoch.com.

Latest articles from Lesley Riddoch

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar photographed outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: What Scottish Labour's U-turn tells us about the Union
FMQs will be worth a listen today as Anas Sarwar attempts to explain the inexplicable ...

Betting against the future is risky, writes Lesley Riddoch

BOOK EXTRACT Lesley Riddoch: What exactly have we got a decade after the independence referendum?

WHAT have we got a decade after the indyref? Are there “wins” for supporters of independence – have cultural attitudes changed 10 years on?

Lesley Riddoch writes on Stephen Flynn's announcement

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Stephen Flynn should change his mind – here's why

Stephen Flynn should change his mind.

Donald Trump claimed victory in the US election on Wednesday

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Europe now has a chance to catch up and step up on climate

I'M overcoming the urge to go back to bed and pull the duvet over my head for the next four years...

Rachel Reeves delivered the Budget on Tuesday, October 30

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Here's what I made of the Labour Government's first Budget

LET’S be honest. That Budget was different. Britain’s first female Chancellor looked, sounded and behaved differently...

Scotland is one of the most centralised nations in Europe, writes Lesley Riddoch

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: The lessons Scotland can learn from Iceland

LAST week I went to Iceland. Not the shop. And warmed up properly for the first time in ages ...

In 2006, Chancellor Gordon Brown announced the smart meter revolution would be rolled out via the Tories’ privatised energy supply companies

comment Lesley Riddoch: Heating timebomb is being ignored by Scotland’s Labour MPs

ONE portrait held pride of place during Alex Salmond’s time in Bute House ...

Sue Gray arrives at the Covid Enquiry on May 16, 2024 in Belfast, United Kingdom.

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Nations and regions meeting exposes Labour's priorities

LET me see if I’m getting this right. The woman deemed not good enough to serve as Chief of Staff for Keir Starmer is good enough to connect him with all the nations and regions of the UK.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar in the main chamber of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, Edinburgh

comment Lesley Riddoch: SNP must be marvelling at their luck amid Labour’s polling implosion

JOHN Swinney isn’t a very demonstrative man. But he must be dancing in circles and singing hallelujah over the incredible implosion of his political rivals ...

General Secretary of the Unite union, Sharon Graham speaks during a debate on cuts to the winter fuel allowance during the Labour Party Conference

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: The speech that brought uninspiring Labour conference to life

SO that’s that then. After a gey shonky leader’s speech, with one transatlantic bound Keir Starmer was free.

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Lesley Riddoch

Latest articles from Lesley Riddoch

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: What Scottish Labour's U-turn tells us about the Union
FMQs will be worth a listen today as Anas Sarwar attempts to explain the inexplicable ...

BOOK EXTRACT Lesley Riddoch: What exactly have we got a decade after the independence referendum?

WHAT have we got a decade after the indyref? Are there “wins” for supporters of independence – have cultural attitudes changed 10 years on?

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Stephen Flynn should change his mind – here's why

Stephen Flynn should change his mind.

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Europe now has a chance to catch up and step up on climate

I'M overcoming the urge to go back to bed and pull the duvet over my head for the next four years...

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Here's what I made of the Labour Government's first Budget

LET’S be honest. That Budget was different. Britain’s first female Chancellor looked, sounded and behaved differently...

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: The lessons Scotland can learn from Iceland

LAST week I went to Iceland. Not the shop. And warmed up properly for the first time in ages ...

comment Lesley Riddoch: Heating timebomb is being ignored by Scotland’s Labour MPs

ONE portrait held pride of place during Alex Salmond’s time in Bute House ...

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Nations and regions meeting exposes Labour's priorities

LET me see if I’m getting this right. The woman deemed not good enough to serve as Chief of Staff for Keir Starmer is good enough to connect him with all the nations and regions of the UK.

comment Lesley Riddoch: SNP must be marvelling at their luck amid Labour’s polling implosion

JOHN Swinney isn’t a very demonstrative man. But he must be dancing in circles and singing hallelujah over the incredible implosion of his political rivals ...

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: The speech that brought uninspiring Labour conference to life

SO that’s that then. After a gey shonky leader’s speech, with one transatlantic bound Keir Starmer was free.

Lesley Riddoch

Latest articles from Lesley Riddoch

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: What Scottish Labour's U-turn tells us about the Union FMQs will be worth a listen today as Anas Sarwar attempts to explain the inexplicable ...

BOOK EXTRACT Lesley Riddoch: What exactly have we got a decade after the independence referendum? WHAT have we got a decade after the indyref? Are there “wins” for supporters of independence – have cultural attitudes changed 10 years on?

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Stephen Flynn should change his mind – here's why Stephen Flynn should change his mind.

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Europe now has a chance to catch up and step up on climate I'M overcoming the urge to go back to bed and pull the duvet over my head for the next four years...

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Here's what I made of the Labour Government's first Budget LET’S be honest. That Budget was different. Britain’s first female Chancellor looked, sounded and behaved differently...

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: The lessons Scotland can learn from Iceland LAST week I went to Iceland. Not the shop. And warmed up properly for the first time in ages ...

comment Lesley Riddoch: Heating timebomb is being ignored by Scotland’s Labour MPs ONE portrait held pride of place during Alex Salmond’s time in Bute House ...

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Nations and regions meeting exposes Labour's priorities LET me see if I’m getting this right. The woman deemed not good enough to serve as Chief of Staff for Keir Starmer is good enough to connect him with all the nations and regions of the UK.

comment Lesley Riddoch: SNP must be marvelling at their luck amid Labour’s polling implosion JOHN Swinney isn’t a very demonstrative man. But he must be dancing in circles and singing hallelujah over the incredible implosion of his political rivals ...

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: The speech that brought uninspiring Labour conference to life SO that’s that then. After a gey shonky leader’s speech, with one transatlantic bound Keir Starmer was free.

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: What Scottish Labour's U-turn tells us about the Union
FMQs will be worth a listen today as Anas Sarwar attempts to explain the inexplicable ...

BOOK EXTRACT Lesley Riddoch: What exactly have we got a decade after the independence referendum?

WHAT have we got a decade after the indyref? Are there “wins” for supporters of independence – have cultural attitudes changed 10 years on?

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Stephen Flynn should change his mind – here's why

Stephen Flynn should change his mind.

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Europe now has a chance to catch up and step up on climate

I'M overcoming the urge to go back to bed and pull the duvet over my head for the next four years...

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Here's what I made of the Labour Government's first Budget

LET’S be honest. That Budget was different. Britain’s first female Chancellor looked, sounded and behaved differently...

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: The lessons Scotland can learn from Iceland

LAST week I went to Iceland. Not the shop. And warmed up properly for the first time in ages ...

comment Lesley Riddoch: Heating timebomb is being ignored by Scotland’s Labour MPs

ONE portrait held pride of place during Alex Salmond’s time in Bute House ...

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: Nations and regions meeting exposes Labour's priorities

LET me see if I’m getting this right. The woman deemed not good enough to serve as Chief of Staff for Keir Starmer is good enough to connect him with all the nations and regions of the UK.

comment Lesley Riddoch: SNP must be marvelling at their luck amid Labour’s polling implosion

JOHN Swinney isn’t a very demonstrative man. But he must be dancing in circles and singing hallelujah over the incredible implosion of his political rivals ...

COMMENT Lesley Riddoch: The speech that brought uninspiring Labour conference to life

SO that’s that then. After a gey shonky leader’s speech, with one transatlantic bound Keir Starmer was free.