October 03, 2025

Power, Politics and Possibilities - with Lena Swedlow

52 minutes

"Politics, Power & Possibility – A Conversation with Lena Swedlow from Compass"

In this episode IndyPodcasters Fiona and Marlene reflect on our visit to A Scottish Spring conference back in April, where we were struck by a standout talk from Lena Swedlow, a researcher at the progressive think tank Compass.

After a busy summer, we finally caught up with Lena for a wide-ranging conversation about the current political landscape in Scotland and the wider UK, including the deeper causes behind the shifting trends we’re seeing—from growing voter disengagement to the challenges facing progressive movements.

Whether you’re interested in politics, grassroots change, or the future of the UK’s political system, this thoughtful and energising discussion offers fresh insights and hope for what comes next.

key themes:

00:03:21 The Class of 2014

00:08:46 What is Compass?

00:11:03 labour's Dilemma

00:14:55 How does Democracy deal with Liars?

00:16:53 Why are people voting for "Reform" party?

00:21:34 Impacts of Inequality

00:23:24 Racism in the UK

00:26:27 Is Scotland aiming high enough?

00:30:57 Is Holyrood pushing the boundaries enough?

00:34:00 Labour's response to Palestine Action

00:37:41 PR versus FPTP

00:48:00 Still optimistic?

Find out more about Compass here - https://compassonline.org.uk

Find Stuart Donald's paper here - https://www.compassonline.org.uk/publications/the-temper-trap-how-proportional-representation-tames-the-populist-right/

Find our episode on A Scottish Spring here - https://youtu.be/iXZ7PByGONY

#compassthinktank #lenaswerdlow #progressivepoliticsuk

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Music:

Inspired by Kevin MacLeod

Scottish Independence Podcasts is not party political. Opinions expressed by guests do not necessarily represent our views.

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