Common Weal

Then the Tories have got an entire, an entire bloody planet [laughs] of think tanks supporting them.

The SNP don't really seem to have any, and the ones that they do have there to draw from, Future of Economy Scotland or Common Weal, things like that, they, they're a bit reticent when it comes to engaging with them, I think.

So yeah, I think the SNP does, does need to be reaching out cross-party to these various things, just to draw in more thinking, more policy ideas and, yeah, I think that would help combat this, you know, r- refrain that we're hearing again and again and again, like, "Well, they've been in power for 20 years.

They're all out of ideas." It's like everyone can get new ideas all the time.

And we still have such a low, uh, a low pension age.

Actually, I'm sort of remembering that, uh, that Common Weal actually had, uh, some very interesting stuff on this as well, which I don't think I'm going to be able to find fast enough.

But there's other ideas and thinking out there, which of course will get very much zero coverage.

Uh, speaking of things that did get coverage, I see you're front and center of opposition to, uh, the SMP's, uh, stated policy on independence.

So I've got a wee list here of the groups that were in attendance.

We have Yes Cymru, Ireland's Future, SDLP, Plight Cymru, Green Party Wales, Believe in Scotland, Business for Scotland, Scottish Independence Forum and Commonwealth.

And among those inside the room was political strategist and founder of Commonweal, Robin McAlpine.

So James Walker, our political reporter, spoke to him yesterday and he stressed that the gathering was still at a very early stage with much about what any future collaboration might look like yet to be decided.