Politics chat with the latest goings on at Holyrood and Westminster through the eyes of BBC Scotland journalists.
BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson discusses Ukraine, and journalism in warzones. What does it take to report from active conflict, and how do you make sure you're getting accurate information on the ground? Lucy, Nick, and Rajdeep chat to John Simpson about his experiences in Afghanistan and Sarajevo, the parallels between the current invasion of Ukraine and historic wars, and the emotional impact of being a witness to war.
What is The Gender Recognition Reform Bill currently tabled at Holyrood, and why has the debate around it grown so heated? Lucy and Phil are joined by BBC correspondent Lorna Gordon to discuss the legislation being debated in Scottish Parliament this week. What are the proposed reforms, what does it mean for Trans people and their legal identity, and what do groups for and against the bill have to say?
As Russia invades Ukraine, what happens next, and what will the UK and EU Governments do? Podlitical is joined by Ramsay Jones CBE, a former special advisor for the UK Government. As the situation is described as "among the darkest hours of Europe since the Second World War" by EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, the team discuss what it's like to be inside the heart of Government during such an event, the impact of sanctions announced by the Prime Minister and European leaders, and how the ...
Who will the cost of living rise hit hardest, and can anything be done to mitigate it? As the Scottish Budget is revealed, Mairi Spowage, Deputy Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde joins the team to look at some of the current global and domestic issues pushing up the price of goods in the UK, and what it means for the pounds in people's pockets. What impact has the pandemic had, and what are the longer term historic issues which led us to this point?...
Dr Hannah White of The Institute for Government joins the team to discuss political processes and public trust, as the initial report from Sue Gray into parties at Downing Street is released. What happens next, and what does the report mean for Prime Minister Boris Johnson? As a new "Levelling Up" scheme is announced to the backdrop of cost of living rises, and Westminster sees further fiery exchanges, the team take a look at how the public feel about politics, and whether recent events have dam...
The Downing Street parties scandal continues as Westminster waits for Sue Gray's report. When can we expect from the senior civil servant's inquiries into parties held during lockdown, and what might it mean for the premiership of Prime Minister Boris Johnson? As the Metropolitan Police launch a criminal investigation into the events that unfolded in 2020 and 2021, Boris Johnson has promised that the official report will be published "in full", but will the wait for Sue Gray's verdict increase p...
Accusations of intimidation are made, as the Prime Minister remains under scrutiny. The row over alleged parties held in Downing Street continues, with a Tory MP defecting to Labour ahead of PMQs on Wednesday. With the Government whips now under the spotlight after MP William Wragg accused them of threatening those suspected of plotting against Boris Johnson with the removal of government investment in their constituencies, what next for the Conservative Party and the premiership of Boris Johnso...
What next for Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he faces calls to resign? While his cabinet rallies around him, Scottish Conservatives including leader Douglas Ross and some Tory backbenchers have called on the Prime Minister to tender his resignation. After admitting to attending a drinks party during the 2020 lockdown, Boris Johnson has asked for the results of civil servant Sue Gray's inquiry to be released before decisions are made by his party, but as rows erupt amongst his own MPs and MSPs, ...
The team look back at and analyse the biggest political stories of the year, from the Salmond Inquiry and the mammoth evidence sessions given by the First Minister and her former mentor Alex Salmond, to the recent pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson as discontent in the Conservative backbenches builds. What had the biggest impact on Scotland and the UK's political landscapes, and what can we expect from 2022?
What does the Omicron variant mean for festive plans across the UK? As further guidance to stop the spread of the new Covid-19 variant is issued, the team discusses the similarities to December 2020, and what makes this year different. This week Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced one of the biggest Conservative rebellions in Westminster over further rules, and the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced guidelines for businesses over the festive period. Has Covid-19 turned more political than e...
Did parties at Downing Street last year breach Covid-19 rules? BBC political correspondent Chris Mason joins the team to discuss, as the Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced an inquiry after a video emerged of government staff joking about a "cheese and wine" party which took place on December 18th last year. Government spokesperson Allegra Stratton, who appeared in the leaked footage, has resigned, and now other Downing Street parties during that period are being investigated. Will this lates...
An in-depth conversation with former Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman. She shares the mood inside the cabinet during the first months of the Covid-19 Pandemic in 2020, her regrets over care homes, and the difficult decisions made on restrictions over Christmas. Freeman also discusses the ongoing public inquiry into safety at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, and a second independence referendum in 2023.
Have problems and pressure been growing for Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon this week? From flip-flops on vaccine passports to speeches mentioning Peppa Pig, the team discusses leadership. They chat through the differences and similarities on the situation the Prime Minister and First Minister find themselves in, and analyse BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg's interview with Nicola Sturgeon, including indyref2 and the handling of the pandemic. Why is there speculation over the political lo...
Listen to the full interview by BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg speaking to the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on the speculation about her future, a second Independence Referendum, and the handling of Covid-19 in Scotland.
There’s been weeks of political pressure on No10 over the Owen Paterson row.
Climate journalist Shreya Jai joins the team to talk COP26 from an outside perspective. How does Glasgow's climate change conference look to the rest of the World? The team discuss the political roles played by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, as well as the importance of not just the pledges made by big polluters such as the US, China, EU, and India, but the ways in which we could enforce these promises.
Roddy Dunlop QC is a lawyer and Head of the Faculty of Advocates in Scotland. He talks to Lucy and Phil about Covid-19 restrictions including mask mandates, vaccine passports, the knock on effects of lockdown and the politicisation of the legal profession in the press.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has unveiled the budget, but can he balance the UK's fiscal needs? From cutting Air Passenger Duty to criticism over a lack of climate-friendly policies ahead of COP26, the team are joined by Mairi Spowage, Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde, to chat through what the budget means for devolved nations, the Government's "Levelling Up" agenda, and the pounds in people's pockets.
Last Friday, Conservative MP Sir David Amess was killed in his constituency. It’s been five years since the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox and SNP MP Carol Monaghan is another MP who has suffered online abuse including death threats. While in-person attacks are rare, politicians continue to endure sustained abuse online. So what’s driving this abuse and what can be done to combat it?
It was one of the country's worst public health failures say MPs. Thousands of lives were lost following the UK’s failure to do more to stop Covid spreading, according to the report published earlier this week. The 150-page document, Coronavirus:Lessons learned to date looked at the response to the pandemic predominantly in England. The approach, they said, was for the government to try and manage infection rates and in effect, achieve herd immunity by infection. And there were accusations of ap...
Boris Johnson gave an optimistic speech at conference, but does his party feel the same? As the Prime Minister shared his enthusiastic vision of the UK's future, some worry that the new era of Johnsonism is going against what the Conservative party stand for. Meanwhile, Douglas Ross and the Scottish Conservatives may aim to emulate the Tory success in toppling the Red Wall with the SNP in Scotland, but is the lack of solid policies from the UK Government making their position as opposition diffi...
Post-Labour conference, the team discuss the Red Wall, the fuel crisis, and Indyref 2. Has Labour leader Keir Starmer managed to unite the party behind him, or is he prioritising victory in the next general election? Rajdeep shares what the mood was like inside the conference, from cheers to jeers, and talks about the new face that Labour is wearing. Where does Keir Starmer's "party of the Union" stance leave Scottish Labour in its attempts to rebuild post-election?
The team talk gas price rises, the ambulance service in crisis, and climate change. Is the outlook for winter looking bleak? The team discuss the impact that the Coronavirus pandemic and Brexit may or may not have had on the sectors under pressure, as well as the firefighting being done in Holyrood and Westminster to try and make sure our shelves are stocked and hospitals are under less pressure. Also, with COP26 approaching soon, will the Prime Minister make progress on reducing emissions durin...
The team discusses the latest Covid plans and Nicki Minaj's online spat with Chris Whitty. Health correspondents Lisa Summers and Nick Triggle join Phil and Nick to walk through the current state of vaccine passports, plans to vaccinate children, and the looming threat of winter. Will the NHS be able to manage a sharp uptick in cases, and are booster jabs going to help?
What are the Scottish Government's priorities as set out in the programme for government? The team discusses the key plans announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon; including restarting work on a second independence referendum, reforms to the care service, extra funding for frontline healthcare and mental health services, and more. Also, in Westminster, The Prime Minister Boris Johnson manages to pass a tax hike to national insurance, but may face flak from some of his own party.
The SNP and Scottish Greens agree to a power-sharing deal and form a Holyrood majority, but where can the parties compromise, and where can they not? BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell joins the team to analyse the areas where the SNP-Green majority may agree or disagree - from climate goals and the Gender Recognition Act, to the upcoming test as the Scottish Parliament votes on vaccine passports.
Listen exclusively to the full BBC Scotland Greta Thunberg interview on COP26 and more. The team is joined by BBC Scotland Environment, Energy & Rural Affairs Correspondent Kevin Keane, who talks us through the interview, and explains the process of getting to chat with one of the world's top climate campaigners about the upcoming Glasgow climate conference, and whether or not she's more optimistic about the future.
What does the announced scrapping of the SQA exams body mean for Scottish pupils? Education journalist Emma Seith joins to talk us through the current exams drama in Holyrood ahead of the Scottish parliamentary recess. Also, as we head towards the so-called "freedom day" when restrictions lift, the team take a look at the current spat between Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon over a travel ban.
Is the lifting of lockdown irreversible? Is the alternative too politically painful? The team discusses this and more with BBC Scotland health correspondent Lisa Summers. With further Covid legislation being rushed through Holyrood ahead of the parliament going into recess, and the Delta variant still threatening the progress the UK has made so far, what does it mean for our freedoms going forward?
The global vaccine rollout is set to be high on the agenda at the G7 Summit. Rajdeep Sandhu joins us from the train there to give us a preview of what to expect, including the meeting between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden. BBC global health correspondent Naomi Grimley also joins Lucy and Lynsey to chat through the massive logistical challenges facing developing countries in rolling out the vaccine. Also, there's a potential political football being kicked about in Scotl...
