In this week’s @lesleyriddoch Podcast and following Lesley's Scotsman column this week, we turn the Commonwealth Games upside down and give them a good shake. Men’s emotions, rugby support, the strength of TV pictures, the ‘new’ Glasgow kiss, amongst other things, get a good airing. We also talk cycling and badges.

This week’s @lesleyriddoch Podcast is an outside broadcast from the Western Isles, recorded in the ‘Mediterranean’ swelter of Luskentyre. Lesley has touring the Western Isles with Angus Brendan MacNeil MP as part of the “Blossom and Bu Choir’ tour.

Together they cover the topics of remote communications on islands, including an interesting insight into how UK telecoms works and what 4G could do. Both are learning Nordic languages and are taking different things away from that experience.

With 8 weeks to go; what’s the temperature of Westminster about the #indyref ? Will the Commonwealth Games have an effect ?

And finally, the role of boiler suits in politics?  This podcast is full of the craic.

We are trying to catch up on a busy week which included appearances on the Daily Politics , ‘Any Questions’, a hutting rally and some powerful writing about national security and child abuse at Westminster.

Lesley takes us behind the scenes and explains what it’s like to prepare for these types of political programmes and offers an insight as to why some panels are more amenable than others and why you need panda jokes.

This week’s @lesleyriddoch Podcast starts by trying to unpick BBC2’s “Scotland:For Richer or Poorer?”  and Channel4’s “The Great British Break-Up?”.

Both programmes seem to illustrate a couple of problems which are leading to ‘debate fatigue’. There is also a mention of intimidation which Lesley wrote about and we examine that in a bit more detail. Lesley also offers a few thoughts about how this malaise in the #indyref could be addressed.

Which in turn leads to some views about transport infrastructure priorities and Glasgow Airport Rail Link.  

We also talk about  “Time To Dump Trident For Good" and Lesley reveals more of the  background to why the polls don’t always reflect the reality of Scots’ opinions about nuclear weapons.

At the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, we met up with Kay and Brian. Both are keen 'skiffers' and involved in the local Portsoy community. It was good to get them into the pod to talk about the Festival, skiffs and, inevitably politics. If this referendum debate is about anything, it’s about understanding ourselves and listening to different voices.

We hope you enjoy this ‘special podcast’ and we’ll be back around the kitchen table momentarily.