Scottish Independence

Giles Fraser explores Dr. Iain McGilchrist’s brain hemisphere theory, which argues that the left and right hemispheres of the brain perceive the world in radically different ways—and that modern society has become dangerously dominated by the left hemisphere’s analytical, fragmen ...  Show more

In this episode of Beyond Belief, Giles Fraser explores the deeply personal and often transformative phenomenon of religious conversion in prison. From heroin addiction and violence to spiritual awakening, we hear the raw and powerful testimony of Tony Winter, whose journey to fa ...  Show more

With the Scottish parliament election less than a week away, Jack Blanchard looks back at the history of the Scottish nationalist movement and explains how it shifted from a fringe pursuit to perhaps the majority view in Scotland. Former First Ministers Alex Salmond and Jack McCo ...  Show more

Rory Scothorne joins Tom to discuss the evolution of Scottish politics over the past century or so, and how best to understand a country that’s shifted from a centre right electoral majority in the 1950s to a Labour stronghold in the 1980s, to being governed by the SNP since 2007 ...  Show more

Host Ailbhe Rea hits the campaign trail in the greater Glasgow constituency of Rutherglen and Hamilton West, where a high-profile by-election battle between Labour and the ruling Scottish National Party looks very much like next year's general election in Scotland in microcosm. A ...  Show more

Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the SNP, has been pushing for Scottish independence since she was elected First Minister seven and a half years ago. The UK government has repeatedly rejected her calls, but after the local elections further strengthened the SNP, could a second refer ...