Question Time: How to end a civil war, psychedelic treatments, and will the Orkney Islands join N...

Why are the Orkney islands looking to explore options around joining Norway? Are psychedelics the future of mental health treatment? Does the path to a Labour majority include winning over National Trust members?
Join Rory and Alastair as they answer all these questions and more on today's Question Time podcast.
TRIP Plus:Become a member of The Rest Is Politics Plus to support the podcast, enjoy ad-free listening to both TRIP and Leading, benefit from discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, join our Discord chatroom, and receive early access to live show tickets and Question Time episodes. Just head to therestispolitics.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestispolitics.
Instagram:@restispolitics
Twitter:@RestIsPolitics
Email:[e-mail]
Producers: Dom Johnson + Nicole Maslen
Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport

[@jeremyrogers5103]

Rory - your Steiner quote was absolutely brilliant! It had me hooting with laughter!

[@skylineuk1485]

Great podcasts which deserve a much larger audience!

[@thegamingeconomist3831]

On Orkney, I don't think there's any serious move to embrace Norwegian government. They're using this to wring concessions out of both the UK and Scottish governments. And fair play to them.

[@QuantumWalnut]

Sadly, it seems either way they would be deemd "peripheral" from the capital (i.e. London, Oslo, or Edinburgh). Not sure how they could gain more political representation.

[@bigslydoc]

@@QuantumWalnutthe third way would be to become a self governing crown dependency like the Isle of Man.

[@thegamingeconomist3831]

@@bigslydoc Perhaps... but then they'd lose the oil and gas. As part of the UK (or an independent Scotland, or perhaps Norway) Orkney benefits from an extended EEZ of 200nm. If it were to become a crown dependency it would be deemed an enclave and its EEZ would drop to just 12nm. That's why they aren't talking about independence. They know perfectly well that their bargaining chip is the oil and gas in their waters. So they can play the UK, Scottish and even Norwegian governments off against each other, but actual independence is a non-starter because they'd lose their most precious asset. Personally, I support them in their strategy of trying to get concessions. It's incumbent on all political leaders to try to get the best outcomes for their constituents.

[@QuantumWalnut]

@@bigslydoc Didn't even know those things exist until you mentioned it. That does sound like a possible solution for a complicated problem.

[@QuantumWalnut]

@@thegamingeconomist3831 Not sure it would be a problem if Orkney becomes a Crown Dependency, since Shetland is further north and would remain part of the UK, so they won't lose the 200nm EEZ for potential oil exploration.

[@martincopeland8153]

I wonder if all the people opposed to psychedelic treatment for mental illnesses will be opposed to the taking of opioids when their family suffer from terminal cancer?

[@terryhackett2059]

I was in Mocha in 1980, and it was a great place, friendly people, lovely markets

[@michaelgoss9606]

Great talk, as always! Thank you.

[@barrylyons9296]

James Norton is a good shout.

[@nosuchthingasshould4175]

35:30 because Eton trains for privilege, not competition. ‘I’d like to be the director of National Trust’ ffs

[@ParcelOfRogue]

The Orkney Island would be better in C.I's / IoM type arrangement. Joining Norway would see their prices and taxes skyrocketing

[@hatjodelka]

The whole Lebedev thing does me me think of the Orange ex-Prez who said about Johnson "They call him Britain Trump" as if that was a compliment!

[@rsalt6015]

High Line - former standard gauge railway not a tram way.

[@TheTristanmarcus]

Just, by the way, why do you take a break? It's a podcast, so you could edit it so that it's continuous 😊 Not a problem, but . . . 🤔 Your podcast is like a conversation between Alcibiades and Lycurgus - fascinating 😎

[@costeris35]

I was mystified by the break too but then realised it’s a break to place a commercial, except the commercial doesn’t run everywhere, or every episode.

[@bishwatntl]

I wonder what the Shetlands would say if Orkney changed its status

[@fod2011]

Hayfever symptoms can be eased by Buteyko breathing

[@fiv4663]

Hiddleston playing a tough guy was so ridiculous. About as tough as my toy poodle.

[@maxine2798]

He is all bark. I’m sure your dog can bite as well

[@helencroft6745]

Gerrard Butler, obvs 👍

[@Gutenmorgenside]

Beconase is great for hayfever.

[@princedakkar2251]

Alistair totally glossed over the question about Labours role in Russian Influence of British politics and press 🥴

[@elspethgibson7625]

Campbell and Blair dumped labour party policy on press ownership when Murdoch wooed them. Total capitulation

[@CloudhoundCoUk]

Orkney Islands joining Norway. The political ruling class really don't get it. Many people in the UK want a Scandinavian-style economy. An economy with a well-resourced comprehensive welfare state and multi-level collective bargaining based on the economic foundations of social corporatism, with a large number of state-owned enterprises and public utilities. In the UK renationalisation. Evitably Thatcher and Regan's trickle down, privatisation economics has failed. Greed always fails the many. The reality is such an economic model fails humanity, in turn, the planet.

[@stuartgraca]

Scotland has never been suited to either Labour or the conservatives, the most it could be said is there is a lot of conservative rich in Scotland. The SNP was a starting point that never developed and as never encouraged other Scottish parties to form and create alternatives to Labour and Tories.

[@BohemianRaichu]

and AI will most likely add to how post-truth our world is.

[@shanemurphy8682]

23.11 Alistair could have just said "this labour party is just the tory party with less hateful ppl at the top....for now" brevity is the soul of wit!!

[@benedictcowell6547]

By right Orkney and Shetland belong to Norway. It was a dowry but the bride died before the wedding. James III was as disreputable as Henry VII of England which is a low bench mark which even his son fell below and it got worse.

[@williamj8349]

Im so grateful for your podcast gents. Thank you both for taking the time to do it.

[@martincopeland8153]

Authorities say “do not go out”, so Rory goes out for a walk along the rail line. Another old Etonian Tory who thinks that guidance is only for other people? 😆

[@isthisthingon8055]

B O O M !

[@supersocashow3176]

For anyone interested in psychedelic treatment for mental health, mushroom season in the UK is late September to the first heavy frost. They like to grow in acidic loamy soils. Scotland, Wales, The Mendips and the Peak district are all good picking regions.

[@nicholasarrow2443]

And West yorkshire. Not sure though, that psychedelic treatment for mental health is a good area for self-medication!

[@supersocashow3176]

@@nicholasarrow2443 lol perhaps not. I'm sure a sage old hippie could advise.

[@michaelwilliams3232]

While listening to you guys I sometimes find myself pondering the hidden meaning in TRIP thumbnail. Alastair in a suit but no tie while Rory wears a tie and donkey jacket.

[@qeitkas594]

It cannot be emphasized enough, right wing populism and Brexit are both problems created by the older generations but the younger ones will suffer from them. Why not implement protective measures where votes of older people have less of a weight than younger generations and shift money from old to young?

[@stuartgraca]

Alistair there was an interesting report on France 24 about the use of LSD for a variety of physiological problems, I had not realized that LSD was in fact created for this use. The drug stimulates and promotes a more positive response in patience and allows them to live a more free life.

[@PMMagro]

As a foreginer this is quite refreshing :)

[@rainblaze.]

The only thing "Done" in this " union" is the Scottish people from from the starting gun of 1707 May i refrence the english alien act of 1706, the clearances, and stealing of oil and the revenew which kept london afloat through the cabacle of stagnation 1970s through the 80s even up to the present day in denying Scotland democracy by not recognising the mandate granted to SNP by the people of Scotland and in mentioning competency as an issue ? Whatever the faults of the SNP it is as nothing compared to if the price Westminster incompatance So lets not foget the the failed promises of devo max that the browns pile of vow made Lest we forget the failed promase of the only way of scotland staying in the EU was staying in the UK Least we forget the tens of hundreds of thousands of lifes lost to the covid rules where other island nations like new zeland counted their deaths in the tens Least we forget the billions of pounds lost on failed PPE and test and trace Least we forget the Barnard castle eye tests Least we forget the leaders That parties while people sacrificed in lock down the night before a royal funeral Lest we forget the tanking and the failings of the mini budget and the tanking of the pound and debts that makes ww2 lend and lease program that we did not finish paying off untill the 1990s look like bob a job week Least we forget intrest rates of 5+ percent and counting Least we forget inflation of 11 percent and counting Least we forget the fact that food banks now out number fast food outlets in the uk now And lest we forget the worst economic outlook since the war that will see familyis and children suffer from hypothermia and malnutrion Lest we for get the illegal prorogimpng of parliament Lest we forget the first G12 country to be issued a formal warning from the world bank Lest we forget the first prime minister AND Chancellor to be CHARCHED with a crime while still in office And lest we forget the the countless trading tariffs we raised through out Europe and the failing brexit that only succeed in making uk business poorer So between always being a hostage to english missfortoun or taking controll into our own hands? you should be in no doubt gentlemen . When the time comes SCOTLAND WILL MAKE IT's CHOICE Saor alba gu bràth >

[@QwentyJ]

Lol. We made our choice in 2014. Put down the tabard and claymore 😆😆😆

[@rainblaze.]

@@QwentyJ Democracy, if in fact it is to have any meaning what so ever, is not just a one off event that can be walked away from. A lot has changed in the last ten years. And a LOT of promises have been broken, not lest that Scotland was taken out the EU against its will. And the inheritors of those events did not have a chance to cast a vote in 2014. Yet have no alternative but to suffer the worst of the consequences of those choices. And whether you agree that Scotland should be independent from Westminster or not. The denial of the SNP mandate to hold another referendum is unjust on any terms not lest the concept of natural justace. And if the UK believed that the cause for staying in the union was sound .... why deny the people to answer the question they expected to be asked?

[@QwentyJ]

@rainblaze. have you been practicing those paens on the Herald Comments section? 😂 It's time to sober up: Indy is dead and the SNP are running a graveyard administration. Best you can hope for is a Labour government and a chance at some change from the shite we've had.

[@rainblaze.]

@@QwentyJ "Chance" should have no place in a "democracy". The people of Scotland should always.... ALWAYS get the choice and government they voted for, to make the laws under the legal system in which they live, by people who live here. The fact you had to resort ad hominem attacks, with your snide comments -- refering to the herald and "sober up" -- is alas typical of someone drowning not waving. And alas does you or your argument no favours what so ever ... but is also indicative of the standpoint of which you hold and indeed the people who hold them. So i should perhaps not be surprised. Ner the less is is also indigative of someone of which i do not wish to engage with again. Good day sir

[@leegarvey1]

Eton sport? Do you not understand how it works or was that a bit tongue in cheek?? Eton is a factory for money not sport. Besides sport means ambition and a mindset to go from bottom to top all those people are born with it all already!!