As we come up to the Scottish Parliament's summer recess, a lot has happened in the last week or so. Topics include the passing of Allan Macrae and Tommy Riley, Govanhill Big Noise, Alex Salmond and Muirfield, one year of ‘Better Together’ and the Saltire Housing Design  Award.

It seems everyone spotted @lesleyriddoch on last week’s ‘Question Time’. It was a lively programme for a number of reasons as Lesley will explain. Equally, a 40 minute journey to Eigg turns into an adventure and an opportunity for new discoveries.

Derry/Londonderry is the UK’s City of Culture this year, Lesley paid a visit and reports back. The Kirkcaldy Galleries have hosted a series of events as they re-open after renovation; we talk about what happens when celebrity Fifers, Ian Rankin and Jack Vettriano  meet. And finally, in this week’s @lesleyriddoch podcast, the US and UK have been snooping and Edward Snowden wants you to know.

Lord George Robertson warns of 'Balkanisation' in the independence debate. Lesley was a panellist in a very energetic meeting at Adam Smith College  and understands some of the background to the recent Edinburgh University survey into young people's attitudes to the independence debate.  The High Streets across Scotland are failing, whilst radical cycling plans for Edinburgh are being proposed ( and opposed ). What is the solution?

We cover a lot of ground in this week’s podcast.