This week’s podcast will be covering a lot of topics as we normally do each week. This episode though is to be dedicated to an independence giant, Iain Lawson. He was a regular on the podcast from May 2021 when we did our first videocast through until February 22.

I had interviewed Iain a couple of times in the audio version of TASP. When I changed the format and began the video version, he was a regular on the panel. His contributions to the episodes were immeasurable. Never dull, never bland and frequently amusing too. His knowledge of politics and his ability to articulate it in a manner that made it and him very relatable to our audience.

He was always good fun and concise in his comments. We agreed on the majority of topics, except one! When the Russians rolled into Ukraine in February 22 Iain and I found ourselves at loggerheads.

I have my entire life been anti-war, an American sceptic from the days of the Vietnam War and not in the least Russophobic. Iain being pro USA, NATO, war and hugely Russophobic we clashed and fell out. He felt TASP should take up his position and support the NATO/Ukraine position. He felt a neutral stance was the wrong way to go, I disagreed. That was just something neither the other members of the team, nor I could accept. Iain decided to walk away.

I am glad that after a time we were able to patch up our differences and in the recent past Iain has been back as a guest on the show. Indeed, it was my intention at the conclusion of hostilities in Ukraine to bring Iain back as a permanent member of the TASP panel. Sadly, fate has intervened and kyboshed that plan.

We therefore dedicate this particular episode to him and his memory. Gone but not forgotten.

I would have loved to have heard his opinions on some of today’s topics. The decision by AUOB to postpone the Edinburgh March and Rally and instead join the anti-fascist March in Glasgow on the same day.

We mull over Humza’s interventions this week and his threat to leave the country over his belief that the UK and by default Scotland is too Islamaphobic! His claim that his biggest mistake was sacking the Greens! Yeah, that one confused us too!

While everyone that is serious about independence sees the absolute necessity for unity in our movement John Swinney decided he doesn’t want unity, at least not with other independence parties. He held a summit with all the Unionist Parties including the Greens but excluded Ash Regan of the Alba Party. That action alone tells us that we need to do this on our own the SNP don’t want any non-believers in their gang!

One of their failed Westminster MPs Tommy Sheppard posted an article on the lack of ‘stifling debate’ on the recent losses at the General Election. Not seeing the irony, he blocked any comment or debate on this article! If only there was a category in Paris for irony Scotland and Tommy would have won gold!

While BBC Scotland is announcing a 50% reduction in its news output and Murdo Fraser throws his hat into the Scottish Tories leadership contest TASP declares we won’t be reducing our output if anything we might just increase it. Seeing the BBC viewer numbers, we are giving them a run for their money and we don’t have access to licence fee revenues or fancy studios and teams of researchers.

The entire UK submarine fleet is docked and aircraft carriers that cannot leave UK waters…. but ferries are the main BBC Scotland News item might explain why they find themselves in such a mess.

Now that posting on X or FB or watching but not participating in a riot can get you imprisoned and a criminal record we ask is democracy and free speech inside this accursed union collapsing?

We also cover some global.issues namely the Nagasaki Commemorative gathering and the boycotting by the genocide denying nations of USA, UK, France, Australia, Lithuania.

This denial has resulted in the slaughter of innocent men,women and children in Palestine as well as systematic raping of Palestinian prisoners by the IDF.

All this and more on your favourite Scottish Political review podcast.