As the 47th President touched down in the Highlands, I shared my thoughts on GB News. The bottom line? Scotland needs this visit to go well. Trump holds real leverage over key Scottish industries—£1 billion in whisky exports, £627 million in screen industry value, and nearly 11,000 jobs all hang in the balance. But First Minister John Swinney is playing to the peanut gallery, risking our national interest.

I’ve laid out my full perspective in the article linked below, where I explore the wider context behind my views in greater depth.

Dean M Thomson is currently a lecturer with Beijing Normal - Baptist University (BNBU), formerly known as Beijing Normal - Hong Kong Baptist University, United International College (UIC).

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As always, I seek to have nuanced and fun conversations with fascinating people. All guests participate assuming honest intent on each other’s part. And seeks to have sincere discussion concerning challenging topics. As G.K Chesterton once wrote, “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly”, and this is the benchmark we strive for.

My work is entirely reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber

Alternatively why not make a one-off donation? All support is appreciated

As always, I seek to have nuanced and fun conversations with fascinating people. With this in mind we are chatting about the political challenges facing the SNP amid a growing Scottish Labour resurgence mixing in with a need to solve the nation's shocking drug deaths epidemic. All guests participate assuming honest intent on each other’s part. And seeks to have sincere discussion concerning challenging topics. As G.K Chesterton once wrote, “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly”, and this is the benchmark we strive for.

(You can find the entire archive of Dean’s Discussions both audio and video here)

Susan Dalgety

A Scotsman journalist, author of ‘The Spirit of Malawi’, she was Chief Press Officer to Jack McConnell when First Minister. Susan was also an Edinburgh City Councillor and deputy leader. She is active in the ‘Women Won’t Wheesht’ campaign seeking to protect the sex based rights of women.

She can be found on twitter @DalgetySusan

Andrew Liddle

A columnist at The Courier, Andrew is also the author of 'Cheers, Mr. Churchill! Winston in Scotland' (2022) and 'Ruth Davidson and the Resurgence of the Scottish Tories' (2018).

He can be found on twitter @ABTLiddle

Dean MacKinnon Thomson

A contributor to Think Scotland, Dean graduated with a MSc in Development Studies from the University of Glasgow, going on to lecture 'Anglo-American Society and Culture' at Shangdong Agricultural University, Peoples Republic of China.

Being fully TESOL qualified Dean has taught English for Academic Purposes and modules in critical thinking in Wuhan and Xian Ning, Hubei.

He was a contributing author to ‘The SNP Record: good or bad? A review of the impacts and outcomes of SNP Government policies’.

He can be found on twitter @DeanMThomson

My work is entirely reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber

Alternatively why not make a one-off donation? All support is appreciated

The guests in this episode are:

Susan Dalegty

A Scotsman journalist, author of ‘The Spirit of Malawi’, she was Chief Press Officer to Jack McConnell when First Minister. Susan was also an Edinburgh City Councillor and deputy leader. She is active in the ‘Women Won’t Wheesht’ campaign seeking to protect the sex based rights of women.

She can be found on twitter @DalgetySusan

Andrew Liddle

A columnist at The Courier, Andrew is also the author of 'Cheers, Mr. Churchill! Winston in Scotland' (2022) and 'Ruth Davidson and the Resurgence of the Scottish Tories' (2018).

He can be found on twitter @ABTLiddle

My work is entirely reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber

Alternatively why not make a one-off donation? All support is appreciated

All of Scotland will need to live with whomever wins the in-house SNP contest, all citizen enjoy the fundamental right to insist upon a democratic, transparent and fair election process.

It’s a pity this does not appear to be the case.

My Substack is an entirely reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

My Substack is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Or alternatively why not buy me a coffee with a one-off donation?