Who owns our public spaces?

Today we talk with Leonie Nimmo from GM Freeze about regulation, deregulation, language games, lobbying, and the PR machinery behind the biotech industry.

We discuss “precision breeding”, corporate influence, food safety, environmental concerns, and whether the public is being properly informed about the future of food.

Featuring discussion around the reports:

https://www.gmfreeze.org/publications/disaster-by-design-uk-rules-new-gmos/

https://www.gmfreeze.org/publication-category/thin-ice/

We also take a moment to remember the murdered, displaced and occupied Palestinian lives of the past 78 years, marking the anniversary of the Nakba.

War, oil, language and power, and who pays the price.

In this episode we look beyond headlines to explore the realities behind tensions between Iran, the US and Israel. Alongside political analysis from Chris Bambery, we hear personal reflections from those with Iranian heritage, challenging dominant narratives and asking what this all means on the ground.

This is not about easy answers, it’s about understanding what’s actually at stake. The views shared reflect personal perspectives and are intended to provoke thought, discussion and further exploration.

Near the end of the episode, Bob, one of the contributors, speaks about a grassroots effort to support refugees in Athens, including a way to raise funds through switching utility providers.

If that’s something you want to explore, you can text 07792729857 (UK).

Scottish Ethnic Minority Autistics (SEMA) with Sofia Farzana

In this episode of The Ripple Effect, we step back and make space for a conversation that deserves full attention.

Fraser speaks with Sofia Farzana, co-founder of Scottish Ethnic Minority Autistics (SEMA), about the lived realities of navigating autism at the intersection of race, culture, and systemic inequality.

From late diagnosis and burnout to barriers within public services and within communities themselves, Sofia outlines the urgent need for change, not just in awareness, but in how support systems are built, funded, and delivered.

This is a conversation about:

what happens when people aren’t believed

SEMA is working across Scotland to train public services, support communities, and build long-term structural change but the demand far outweighs the resources currently available.

Media ownership, power and reclaiming the press.

Caspar Hughes from Media Sovereignty joins the programme to discuss efforts to reshape the UK media landscape. The conversation explores the concentration of ownership, the influence of overseas billionaires, and the push for greater plurality of voice and narrative through proposals such as the Media Sovereignty Act.

Part of a wider conversation on media, power and the ongoing Media Revolution.

Nuclear weapons, security and the question of safety.

Janet Fenton from Secure Scotland joins the programme for a conversation recorded in Edinburgh, exploring what “security” really means in the context of nuclear weapons.

The discussion looks at the presence of nuclear weapons in Scotland, arguments around deterrence, and how ideas of safety are shaped by politics, media and public perception.

Borders, mutual aid and resistance at the edge of Europe.

Bruno Alvarez from No Name Kitchen joins the programme to discuss the growth of a grassroots, mutual aid movement supporting people on the move at Europe’s borders. The conversation explores how the initiative began, the realities faced by migrants, and the violence and enforcement practices surrounding “Fortress Europe.”

It’s a discussion about solidarity in action, and how small, collective efforts can challenge dominant narratives and make a real difference.

Addiction, language and the politics of recovery.

This shorter episode is a reflective monologue exploring addiction as both a personal and social experience. The discussion challenges traditional terminology and models of addiction, instead examining different relationships with alcohol and how language shapes the way substance use is understood.

The episode also includes poetry, and introduces the programme’s new intro and outro music created by Shamanorak Shamaminal and Jasamine Jackdaw.

Big Tech, surveillance and digital resistance.

Patrick Leavy, founder of Rebel Tech Alliance, joins the programme for a conversation inspired by the #BigTechWalkout. The discussion explores the growing power of Big Tech and the systems of surveillance built into everyday digital life.

Together the conversation looks at how people can begin stepping away from corporate platforms, reclaim digital autonomy, and explore alternatives to surveillance capitalism.

Borders, migration and the industries that enforce them.

Guests Elizabeth Fairgrieve (Forth Valley Welcome), Rishi (People & Planet) and Dav (All About Change) join the programme for a wide-ranging conversation about border regimes, from local struggles in Scotland to experiences across Europe and the Balkans.

The discussion explores how border systems affect people on the move, the networks of solidarity that support them, and the private companies that profit from detention, surveillance and deportation.