Festival of Politics

The line-up has now been announced for this year’s Festival of Politics in Edinburgh.

Now in its sixth year, the award winning festival will run from Tuesday 17 to Saturday 21 August and includes 47 events, many of which feature famous faces, such as journalist and campaigner Martin Bell, political commentator Peter Kellner, and political elder-statesman Sir Malcolm Rifkind QC MP.

This year’s line up also features:
• Musician and campaigner Annie Lennox who will return to Holyrood in two supporting roles – as a special envoy to the Scottish Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and as a key speaker in the festival.
• A debate on the future of Scottish Football broadcast live on the Real Radio Football Phone-In.
• John Prescott, who was Britain’s longest serving Deputy Prime Minister, discussing his ‘Life in Politics’.
• Political campaigning comedian and Perrier award nominee Mark Thomas taking part in a discussion on the public’s involvement in politics.

Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson MSP said:
“The dynamic nature of politics and the constantly developing relationship between politicians, political institutions, and the public will lie at the heart of the 2010 Festival of Politics, under the over-arching theme of Changing Politics.
“Over the last five years, the festival – together with the excellent World Press Photo exhibition – has welcomed more than 175,000 visitors to the Scottish Parliament. This proves that whilst politics may be changing, people remain keen to engage with it.
“The Parliament is looking forward to opening its doors once again and welcoming audiences to the 2010 Festival of Politics. We have another interesting, imaginative and thought provoking programme which I hope the public will enjoy.”

The BBC also carry a full report.