TODAY we can reveal that leading broadcaster and commentator Lesley Riddoch has joined The Herald's unrivalled line-up of columnists.

Lesley, who was formerly at the Scotsman, begins her new weekly column on Monday, and is one of a number of big-name writers who will be joining our Herald Voices section in the coming weeks and months.

An award-winning broadcaster and expert on life in Nordic countries, she will bring a unique perspective on issues facing Scots in 2021 exclusively to Herald subscribers.

She won the Saltire Society’s Fletcher of Saltoun Award 2020 for contribution to public life and was named Independence Campaigner of the Year by The National newspaper. She has written several books, and presented an acclaimed series of four films on Scotland’s Nordic/Baltic neighbours, and is a passionate advocate for land reform.

So what can you expect?

Lesley told us: "It would be great to write about the whole gamut of social and political issues facing Scots.

"I've spent most of the past twenty years arguing for land reform and more genuinely local control and as director of the policy group Nordic Horizons, I'm keen to encourage Scots to know more about small countries that share our population size and latitude.


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"Realistically, though, the constitutional question will dominate Scottish political life until a second indyref resolves it."

You can read an in-depth interview with Lesley tomorrow and in The Herald Saturday magazine, and the weekly column will appear every Monday in our print edition as well as online - exclusively for our subscribers.

With a digital subscription, readers can access exclusive subscriber-only content as well as experience up to 80% faster loading pages, for £2 for the first two months of a Premium Plus package.

Donald Martin, editor in chief of The Herald, said: “We are delighted to have Lesley join our fantastic team of brilliant columnists. She is a highly respected, powerful voice for Scotland and enhances our mix of politically diverse commentators.”