The Ordinary Elite

The Ordinary Elite is a Scottish podcast brought to you from Glasgow by John McGovern and Mike Dailly. Both are Solicitor Advocates - John a criminal defence lawyer and Mike a civil litigation practitioner and social justice campaigner. In episode 2 of Season 5 we consider the recent mass protests and political unrest in Iran. We speak with Kate Phillips. Kate is a retired international development worker previously based in the University of Glasgow. During a varied working life she prepared women to stand in democratic elections in Iraq, supported African women to take part in the World Women’s Conference in Beijing, get elected to and steer rights legislation through their parliaments. Kate researched the situation of girls indentured to factories in the Pearl River Delta in China, strengthened opposition movements in Iran, and trained trade unionists from many countries including Trinidad and Jamaica. With Iran due to enter into negotiations with the USA in Istanbul on Friday 6 February 2026, we ask what future for the people of Iran?

The Ordinary Elite is a Scottish podcast brought to you from Glasgow by John McGovern and Mike Dailly. Both are Solicitor Advocates - John a criminal defence lawyer and Mike a civil litigation practitioner and social justice campaigner. In episode 1 of Season 5, we chat with Scott Wortley a lecturer at Edinburgh University's Law School. Scott has a particular interest and expertise in drafting legislation and statutory interpretation and has worked with the Scottish Law Commission and been an adviser to the Scottish Parliament's Justice Committee, as well as having qualified as a Scottish solicitor. We examine the quality of legislative drafting in Scotland and consider some of the high profile law reform problems that have arisen over the last few years.

The Ordinary Elite is a Scottish podcast brought to you from Glasgow by John McGovern and Mike Dailly. Both are Solicitor Advocates - John a criminal defence lawyer and Mike a civil litigation practitioner and social justice campaigner. In our final episode of Season 4, we provide some reflection and thoughts on Hogmanay of the shows we've done during 2025. We hope you will enjoy. We would like to wish all of our guests and listeners good health and a very happy new year when it comes at the bells.

The Ordinary Elite is a Scottish podcast brought to you from Glasgow by John McGovern and Mike Dailly. Both are Solicitor Advocates - John a criminal defence lawyer and Mike a civil litigation practitioner and social justice campaigner. In our 12th episode of Season 4, we're joined by Dean M Thomson, a lecturer in logic and philosophy with Beijing Normal - Hong Kong Baptist University, United International College (UIC). Dean has written an essay entitled, "Why Labour Hates Juries: The Unmanageable Heart of English Liberty". We examine Labour's longstanding desire to abolish trial by jury in England and Wales - which is also an issue that many MSPs at Holyrood appear to favour too. We ask why do our politicians hate juries?

The Ordinary Elite is a Scottish podcast brought to you from Glasgow by John McGovern and Mike Dailly. Both are Solicitor Advocates - John a criminal defence lawyer and Mike a civil litigation practitioner and social justice campaigner. In our 11th episode of Season 4, we are we're joined by Annmarie Ward, the founder and CEO of the charity Faces & Voices of Recovery UK (FAVOR UK). Last month, the Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill fell at Stage 1 in the Scottish Parliament. We ask Annmarie now that the Bill has fallen, what hope is there to reduce the horrendous death rate from drug overdoes in Scotland?

The Ordinary Elite is a Scottish podcast brought to you from Glasgow by John McGovern and Mike Dailly. Both are Solicitor Advocates - John a criminal defence lawyer and Mike a civil litigation practitioner and social justice campaigner. In our 10th episode of Season 4, we discuss Glasgow homeless crisis. We're joined by Homeless Project Scotland's (HPS) Colin McInnes who runs a night shelter and soup kitchen in Glasgow city centre for people who're street homeless; and Govan Law Centre's head of homelessness services and senior solicitor, Lorna Walker. Last week Glasgow City Council refused planning permission for HPS's night shelter; at a time when the homeless crisis in Glasgow has never been more acute and desperate.

The Ordinary Elite is a Scottish podcast brought to you from Glasgow by John McGovern and Mike Dailly. Both are Solicitor Advocates - John a criminal defence lawyer and Mike a civil litigation practitioner and social justice campaigner. In our 9th episode of Season 4, we discuss the ongoing genocide and famine in Gaza with acclaimed Scottish screenwriter, Paul Laverty and Legal Partner at Govan Law Centre, Rachel Moon. We examine the worrying trend of peaceful protest and demonstration in Scotland being mixed up with alleged terrorist offences; and the launch of a new campaign group, Scottish Lawyers Against Genocide.

The Ordinary Elite is a Scottish podcast brought to you from Glasgow by John McGovern and Mike Dailly. Both are Solicitor Advocates - John a criminal defence lawyer and Mike a civil litigation practitioner and social justice campaigner. In our 8th episode of Season 4, we consider some of this week's book reviews of Nicola Sturgeon's new autobiography, "Frankly". The book hasn't went down so well in Scotland, with its many omissions and attempted re-writing of history raising many questions and critiques.

The Ordinary Elite is a Scottish podcast brought to you from Glasgow by John McGovern and Mike Dailly. Both are Solicitor Advocates - John a criminal defence lawyer and Mike a civil litigation practitioner and social justice campaigner. In our 7th episode of Season 4, we talk to Sharif Abdel Kouddous, a journalist and Middle East editor at Drop Site News. The United Nations has today warned that time is running out for Gaza as it faces a full-scale famine. The State of Israel is pursuing a deliberate policy of mass starvation in Gaza. Aid blockades by Israel are illegal under international law. Will the genocide, mass starvation and war crimes end? Meanwhile Prime Minister Starmer has announced today that the UK will follow France and recognise Palestine as a state at the UN General Assembly in September.

The Ordinary Elite is a Scottish podcast brought to you from Glasgow by John McGovern and Mike Dailly. Both are Solicitor Advocates - John a criminal defence lawyer and Mike a civil litigation practitioner and social justice campaigner. In our 6th episode of Season 5, we are back from our summer holidays! We consider the numerous policy failures and woes that Prime Minister Keir Starmer now faces; while we reminisce on the loss of Glen Michael - a family favourite for "Glen Michael's Cartoon Cavalcade", which aired on Scottish Television from 1967 to 1992.