Welcome to your Full Scottish, live from our Cowcaddens studio in Glasgow.
Full Scottish programme starts at 12:00 on Sunday 31st March 2019
This week, Ellen Hoefer is presenting the Full Scottish and she is joined by guests, Dr. Craig Dalzell and Ken McDonald of iScot Magazine to talk about the big stories in the week’s news.
The Brexit burach continues, with Theresa May’s “not a meaningful vote” or MV2.5 being rejected by Parliament on Friday. After the sitting, MPs and House of Commons staff had to run the gauntlet of abuse and threats by Brexit supporters gathered outside the Palace of Westminster, angry that their Brexit Day dreams had been dashed by MPs faced with legislating for a Brexit which will not wreck the UK economy. The fact that any form of Brexit will cause serious damage to the UK economy seems irrelevant to the hard-core of British Nationalist brexiteers who marched into Parliament Square to the tune of an Orange Order flute band.
So we are still in the EU, and after Friday’s defeat, the House of Commons returns to round two of indicative votes on Monday. Predictions are still difficult, but a long extension to Article 50 and UK participation in the EU Elections in May, now seem likely. The most likely purpose of the extension is looking like a General Election as there still seems a bit to go to get a second referendum despite it looking like the only way to resolve the impasse which Parliament is now in. This continuing Brexit uncertainty is particularly difficult for EU citizens living in the UK and for UK citizens living in other EU countries.
Elections are also in the News in Ukraine and Slovakia this weekend, as the news came in last night that anti-corruption activist and liberal lawyer Zuzana Čaputova had been elected as Slovakia’s first ever female president. Meanwhile in the first round of the presidential elections which take place in Ukraine today, a TV star and comedian has emerged as the front runner in some strange art imitating life scenario. Volodymyr Zelensky is polling 25% above his rivals; sitting President Petro Poroshenko and ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko. If no-one emerges as overall winner today, there will be a run-off between the top two candidates on April 21st.
A new opinion poll published by Progress Scotland shows that 63% of voters in Scotland think Scotland will become an independent country while only 37% do not think it will happen. You can see the full details of the poll here.
We always try to ensure that we have a gender-balanced panel, however this week has proven quite difficult to get a female guest and the main reason for that – this weekend is Mother’s Day. Our only possible response to that is to wish all mothers everywhere, a very happy Mother’s Day and hope you will be watching.
Dr. Craig Dalzell
Dr. Craig Dalzell is Common Weal’s Head of Policy & Research and has been part of the team since 2016. His background is in laser physics but through a strange series of events after the 2014 independence referendum he found himself in the world of politics, economics and statistics. His hobbies include playing the tuba and practicing archery but you’d never believe him if he listed all of them.
Ken McDonald
Ken McDonald is the Managing editor and founder of iScot Magazine, a monthly pro Scot publication in both digital and print. Previously Ken worked as a senior director of a No 1 US EMS American 500 company as Business Development Director for global strategic supply chain manufacturing solutions.