AGENDA has been perusing Jeremy Corbyn’s economic manifesto, which even lefty commentators like The Guardian’s Larry Elliott are picking holes in, saying it relies on the “magic money tree” (a species native to Scotland as it happens). The central tenet of Corbynomics is largely about enhancing the role of the “strategic state” in the direction of the economy. (“A strategic state cannot leave our infrastructure to deregulated privatised markets ... we need a strategy for a more highly skilled, productive economy ... the state has a vital strategic co-ordinating role to play in that”).

This assumes there is such thing as a judicious and all-knowing entity known as “the state” capable of making the right decisions about industrial and social policy. In fact, there is no such thing as “the state” – there is a collection of well-intentioned men and women in Whitehall and Victoria Quay generating policy. There are plenty of examples in Scotland as elsewhere in the UK of “the state”, Government or quangos getting it 100 per cent wrong, something Corbyn would gain more credibility for if he acknowledged it.

THE Asia Scotland Foundation is a reliable source of high-quality business speakers. Next up is India expert Alan Rosling, former chairman of the Jardine Matheson Group and executive director of the Tata Group. On September 17, he will be speaking on the forces driving India as a potential superpower rivalling China, and asking “Is [PM Narendra] Modi the reformer that India needs?” For details see www.asiascot.com.

Next up (October 7) is “Doing business in North Korea”, which can only be fascinating.