The Jaggy Thistle Podcast

Want to vote tactically? Best of luck to you

THE JAGGY THISTLE PODCAST: Today, with the Holyrood election just days away, I am talking about tactical voting. Up to a third of Scots intend to vote tactically on polling day on Thursday, either to kick out the SNP or block the rise of Reform. But this is easier said than done, for reasons I explain. Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think. Leave a comment on this platform. Or, if you’d rather, email me direct at thejaggythistle@substack.com. I’ve been writing about this subject this week in The Times, where I do a weekly column on Scottish politics. You can read it here: https://www.thetimes.com/profile/kenny-farquharson I hope you’re enjoying The Jaggy Thistle Podcast. Please subscribe to this channel. That way you’ll never miss another episode. If you’d like to be better informed about Scottish politics and Scottish culture why not subscribe to The Jaggy Thistle newsletter on Substack, if you haven’t already? It’s a community and a conversation. You’d be very welcome. There’s a link in the blurb below. Alternatively, If you enjoyed this podcast why not buy me a coffee? You can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/thejaggythistle Two sugars, please! -o0o- WHAT IS THE JAGGY THISTLE PODCAST? The Jaggy Thistle is a podcast with a focus on Scottish politics and Scottish culture. The podcast is presented by Kenny Farquharson, an award-winning Scottish journalist who is a political commentator with The Times. The Jaggy Thistle is also a Substack newsletter with essays, reportage, analysis and documentary photography. Subscribe for free here: https://thejaggythistle.substack.com You may well enjoy this podcast if you are a fan of The Rest is Politics, The State of It, The News Agents, Newscast, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stushie, The Steamie, The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast, Coffee House Shots, The New Statesman Podcast, Scotcast and Americast. -o0o- “A chield’s amang you takin notes, And faith he’ll prent it.” Robert Burns -o0o- Get full access to The Jaggy Thistle at thejaggythistle.substack.com/subscribe [https://thejaggythistle.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Why is the SNP fighting this election on independence?

THE JAGGY THISTLE PODCAST: Today I'm looking at the SNP campaign in the Holyrood election and asking why it is focused so heavily on Scottish independence. I explain that there are only three possible election campaign messages in politics, and two of them cannot be used by the SNP in this election, or at least not with any credibility. This leaves only one. Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think. Leave a comment on this platform. Or, if you’d rather, email me direct at thejaggythistle@substack.com. I’ve been writing about this subject this week in The Times, where I do a weekly column on Scottish politics. You can read it here: https://www.thetimes.com/profile/kenny-farquharson I hope you’re enjoying The Jaggy Thistle Podcast. Please subscribe to this channel. That way you’ll never miss another episode. If you’d like to be better informed about Scottish politics and Scottish culture why not subscribe to The Jaggy Thistle newsletter on Substack, if you haven’t already? It’s a community and a conversation. You’d be very welcome. There’s a link in the blurb below. Alternatively, If you enjoyed this podcast why not buy me a coffee? You can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/thejaggythistle Two sugars, please! -o0o- WHAT IS THE JAGGY THISTLE PODCAST? The Jaggy Thistle is a podcast with a focus on Scottish politics and Scottish culture. The podcast is presented by Kenny Farquharson, an award-winning Scottish journalist who is a political commentator with The Times. The Jaggy Thistle is also a Substack newsletter with essays, reportage, analysis and documentary photography. Subscribe for free here: https://thejaggythistle.substack.com You may well enjoy this podcast if you are a fan of The Rest is Politics, The State of It, The News Agents, Newscast, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stushie, The Steamie, The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast, Coffee House Shots, The New Statesman Podcast, Scotcast and Americast. -o0o- “A chield’s amang you takin notes, And faith he’ll prent it.” Robert Burns -o0o- Get full access to The Jaggy Thistle at thejaggythistle.substack.com/subscribe [https://thejaggythistle.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Anas Sarwar's moral dilemma

THE JAGGY THISTLE PODCAST: Today I'm talking about a grave moral peril in this Holyrood election. Is Anas Sarwar, leader of Scottish Labour, willing to use Reform MSPs to become first minister of Scotland? The answer seems to be yes. I argue that Sarwar should refuse to take power of the back of votes from Nigel Farage's party. And I urge a new chapter of co-operation between Labour and the SNP to freeze out Farage from a functional role in Scottish governance. Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think. Leave a comment on this platform. Or, if you’d rather, email me direct at thejaggythistle@substack.com. I’ve been writing about this subject this week in The Times, where I do a weekly column on Scottish politics. You can read it here: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/anas-sarwar-reform-nigel-farage-election-d8cwh63t8 I hope you’re enjoying The Jaggy Thistle Podcast. Please subscribe to this channel. That way you’ll never miss another episode. If you’d like to be better informed about Scottish politics and Scottish culture why not subscribe to The Jaggy Thistle newsletter on Substack, if you haven’t already? It’s a community and a conversation. You’d be very welcome. There’s a link in the blurb below. Alternatively, If you enjoyed this podcast why not buy me a coffee? You can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/thejaggythistle Two sugars, please! -o0o- WHAT IS THE JAGGY THISTLE PODCAST? The Jaggy Thistle is a podcast with a focus on Scottish politics and Scottish culture. The podcast is presented by Kenny Farquharson, an award-winning Scottish journalist who is a political commentator with The Times. The Jaggy Thistle is also a Substack newsletter with essays, reportage, analysis and documentary photography. Subscribe for free here: https://thejaggythistle.substack.com You may well enjoy this podcast if you are a fan of The Rest is Politics, The State of It, The News Agents, Newscast, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stushie, The Steamie, The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast, Coffee House Shots, The New Statesman Podcast, Scotcast and Americast. -o0o- “A chield’s amang you takin notes, And faith he’ll prent it.” Robert Burns -o0o- Get full access to The Jaggy Thistle at thejaggythistle.substack.com/subscribe [https://thejaggythistle.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Reform UK is fomenting racism in Scotland

THE JAGGY THISTLE PODCAST: Today I am talking about the racist tropes used by Reform UK’s Malcolm Offord in the Holyrood election campaign. I locate these tropes in the centuries-long fight for civil rights in the United States. And I argue that their incendiary use in the Scottish Parliament election campaign must be called out at all times. I’ve been writing about this in my weekly column in The Times. You can read my column here: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/malcolm-offord-is-recycling-a-dangerous-racist-trope-lv09ktkv7 Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think. Leave a comment on this platform. Or, if you’d rather, email me direct at thejaggythistle@substack.com. I hope you’re enjoying The Jaggy Thistle Podcast. Please subscribe to this channel. That way you’ll never miss another episode. If you’d like to be better informed about Scottish politics and Scottish culture why not subscribe to The Jaggy Thistle newsletter on Substack, if you haven’t already? It’s a community and a conversation. You’d be very welcome. There’s a link in the blurb below. Alternatively, If you enjoyed this podcast why not buy me a coffee? You can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/thejaggythistle Two sugars, please! -o0o- WHAT IS THE JAGGY THISTLE PODCAST? The Jaggy Thistle is a podcast with a focus on Scottish politics and Scottish culture. The podcast is presented by Kenny Farquharson, an award-winning Scottish journalist who is a political commentator with The Times. The Jaggy Thistle is also a Substack newsletter with essays, reportage, analysis and documentary photography. Subscribe for free here: https://thejaggythistle.substack.com You may well enjoy this podcast if you are a fan of The Rest is Politics, The State of It, The News Agents, Newscast, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stushie, The Steamie, The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast, Coffee House Shots, The New Statesman Podcast, Scotcast and Americast. -o0o- “A chield’s amang you takin notes, And faith he’ll prent it.” Robert Burns -o0o- Get full access to The Jaggy Thistle at thejaggythistle.substack.com/subscribe [https://thejaggythistle.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

An SNP majority is no mandate for independence

Today I’m talking about the issue of independence in the Holyrood election campaign. And I’m arguing that an SNP parliamentary majority on May 7 will not be a legitimate mandate for a new referendum on independence. Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think. Leave a comment on this platform. Or, if you’d rather, email me direct at thejaggythistle@substack.com. I wrote about independence in my column in The Times last week. If you’d like to read it here is a link: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/article/an-snp-majority-in-may-wont-justify-another-independence-push-9kcwkj5qm I hope you’re enjoying The Jaggy Thistle Podcast. Please subscribe to this channel. That way you’ll never miss another episode. If you’d like to be better informed about Scottish politics and Scottish culture why not subscribe to The Jaggy Thistle newsletter on Substack, if you haven’t already? It’s a community and a conversation. You’d be very welcome. There’s a link in the blurb below. Alternatively, If you enjoyed this podcast why not buy me a coffee? You can do so here: https://ko-fi.com/thejaggythistle Two sugars, please! -o0o- WHAT IS THE JAGGY THISTLE PODCAST? The Jaggy Thistle is a podcast with a focus on Scottish politics and Scottish culture. The podcast is presented by Kenny Farquharson, an award-winning Scottish journalist who is a political commentator with The Times. The Jaggy Thistle is also a Substack newsletter with essays, reportage, analysis and documentary photography. Subscribe for free here: https://thejaggythistle.substack.com You may well enjoy this podcast if you are a fan of The Rest is Politics, The State of It, The News Agents, Newscast, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stushie, The Steamie, The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast, Coffee House Shots, The New Statesman Podcast, Scotcast and Americast. -o0o- “A chield’s amang you takin notes, And faith he’ll prent it.” Robert Burns -o0o- Get full access to The Jaggy Thistle at thejaggythistle.substack.com/subscribe [https://thejaggythistle.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]