Introducing...Nash Riggins
Age: 22
Education: 4th Year B/A Hons in Journalism at the University of Stirling
Twitter: @nashriggins
Blog:Political Insight
What's your blog all about?
Providing bite-size political commentary that is original, thought-provoking and irreverent
Describe your blog in three words
Blunt, Opinionated, Pertinent
Why did you start your blog?
I'm an aspiring political journalist with a heck of a lot to say - so much to say, in fact, that my posts could no longer be contained on the website of Stirling University's student-run publication (Brig). I was literally hijacking it with my political views, and thought (for the sake of everyone else) that I would create this surplus of political commentary its own home.
How long have you been running it?
Since July 2012
What makes it different from the rest?
My posts don't just regurgitate professional commentary from the national dailies - I predominately choose to write about stories that have received little mainstream coverage, whether they're happening in Westminster or Timbuktu. What's more, my posts strive to encourage others to view political events from new perspectives - whenever possible, I try to establish connections with other events in order to expose hypocrisy and prejudice in society. I haven't read a lot of 22-year-olds who are trying to do that.
Blogger of the week Nash Riggins
Who would be your dream guest blogger?
Owen Jones. He really encourages people to read between the lines, and his words can stir people into taking action. That's the kind of op-ed columnist I aspire to be.
What was your last blog post about?
My most recent post ('Gas crisis could have been avoided' 26/3) was a short political op-ed regarding the origination of Britain's March 'gas crisis'. In short, energy analysts have been repeatedly telling the UK government since November that Ed Davey's new energy policy was too ambitious, and would provide an energy shortfall that would cause an over-reliance on foreign imports - and subsequently, a price hike for energy customers. The government ignored these warnings, thinking it prudent to go-green as soon as possible by way of an ambitious restructure of the UK's power grid; however, now everyone is acting surprised that the UK is suffering a severe gas shortage that could lead to a £200 increase in household energy bills. OFGEM warned the government about this weeks ago, but they didn't listen - and now here we are, waiting desperately for foreign oil tankers to dock so that we can heat our homes. If Davey had taken the advice of industry analysts and established a longer time frame for his energy plan, we wouldn't be in this position right now.
What’s been your “blog highlight”?
I had a lot of fun writing my interview with Scotland's former First Minister, Lord Jack McConnell ('Exclusive Interview: Former First Minister Jack McConnell' 14/09). He came through for the day to the Stirling University campus, and I got to sit down and have a long chat with him about the Scottish independence debate. He had a lot of really interesting and original insights, and the final result got picked up by quite a few people.
