It's been a tough week to be a former political party leader. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson has resigned as an MP ahead of a damning report by the Privileges Committee, where MPs found he had deliberately misled parliament and the committee over pandemic rules breaches. Johnson says the report is a "political assassination". Meanwhile in Holyrood, and former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was arrested and released without charge over the continuing police investigation into SNP party finan...
Jun 15, 2023•32 min
Having announced he's standing down at the next election, what's next for Ian Blackford? The SNP MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber since 2015, Ian Blackford joins the team to discuss his time as an MP and SNP Westminster leader, as well as his current role as the party's independence business ambassador and what the future holds for him. Blackford talks about the Deposit Return Scheme, Margaret Ferrier's suspension, and Stephen Flynn taking over as Westminster leader. He discusses the uncertainty i...
Jun 08, 2023•36 min
The former Scottish Labour leader candidly surveys the political landscape from the sidelines. Kezia Dugdale discusses Labour leaders past and present, and the challenge of moving politics in Scotland past the constitutional debate. She gives her verdict on controversial recent adverts from Labour, and the "lads, lads, lads" culture that exists. The former politician also has a revealing assessment of so-called progress at Holyrood, compared to Westminster, and shares exclusive information about...
Jun 01, 2023•29 min
Speculation around a potential by-election is heating up. Will it be a contest in Rutherglen and Hamilton? Is it ok to say we're missing election fever? We look ahead to the next General Election and where the parties might be concentrating their efforts. The team is joined by polling expert Mark Diffley to give trending insights, polling analysis and informed speculation on the elections ahead.
May 25, 2023•25 min
How does the Scottish independence movement compare to those in other countries? Where do independence campaigns share similarities, and where do they differ? The team is joined by journalist Guy Hedgecoe in Madrid, and Will Hayward, Welsh Affairs Editor for WalesOnline, to compare and contrast the Catalan and Welsh independence movements with Scotland, and get a sense of the political and public sentiment for the movements.
May 18, 2023•30 min
Do coalition governments work for the parties involved, and do they benefit the voters? As talk of potential future coalitions with Labour continue in Westminster after their local election gains, Lucy is joined by political editor Glenn Campbell and political correspondent Kirsten Campbell to look at Scottish and Westminster coalitions and power sharing agreements. Have coalitions, both past and present, typically helped or hindered the parties involved? What does it mean for voters when the po...
May 11, 2023•25 min
Ahead of the Coronation of Charles III, the team looks at UK attitudes to the monarchy. Lucy and Phil are joined by Professor Ailsa Henderson of the University of Edinburgh, to look at how Scotland and the wider UK feel about King Charles and the monarchy. How do people's views vary by area, party, and constitutional belief, and how have opinions changed since the death of Queen Elizabeth?
May 04, 2023•20 min
First Minister Humza Yousaf meets Prime Minister Rishi Sunak amidst continued SNP turmoil. The team discuss the talks between the new First Minister and the Prime Minister, including the cost of living crisis and devolution. The difficult start to Yousaf's premiership looks set to continue, with former FM Nicola Sturgeon saying the SNP crisis is her 'worst nightmare'. This week saw former SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford clash with the current Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who revealed t...
Apr 27, 2023•25 min
The team catch up post-recess, following the arrests of Peter Murrell and Colin Beattie. Both the former SNP chief executive Murrell and the now former treasurer Beattie were released without charge, in an ongoing investigation into the SNP's finances, which Police Scotland launched in July 2021 under "Operation Branchform" after receiving complaints about how donations were used by the party. Meanwhile in Westminster, a report on allegations of bullying by Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has...
Apr 20, 2023•30 min
The team discuss Humza Yousaf's first days as SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland. After being elected First Minister in Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, Yousaf has revealed his cabinet, and tackled a tricky FMQs disrupted by climate protesters. What do his picks for cabinet tell us about his plans for Scotland, how did he perform in his first days in the top job in Scottish politics, and why might the potential Commons suspension of former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier lead to his first electo...
Mar 30, 2023•29 min
Humza Yousaf wins the SNP leadership contest, so what next for the party? The team react to the result of the SNP leadership contest, which saw Health Secretary Humza Yousaf beat out Kate Forbes in the second round of voting, after Ash Regan was eliminated in the first round, pipping her to the post with 52.1% of the votes versus Forbes' 47.9%. As the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens looks to continue, it seems Yousaf's path to First Minister is clear, but with the vote so close, ca...
Mar 27, 2023•27 min
Nicola Sturgeon faces a fiery final FMQs, and Boris Johnson is grilled by MPs. The team discuss the final FMQs for the First Minister, the 'robust' questioning she faced by opposition parties, and her last statement to Scottish Parliament as First Minister. In Westminster, Boris Johnson faced some robust questioning too, as MPs on the Commons privileges committee hear evidence to decide if the former Prime Minister did deliberately mislead Parliament over the Partygate scandal. What does this we...
Mar 23, 2023•31 min
SNP media chief Murray Foote and chief executive Peter Murrell resign over membership row. The team react to the news that happened over the weekend, and explore how a row over membership figures snowballed into these two major resignations for the party. What does it mean for the three candidates vying to be the next leader of the SNP, and for the party itself?
Mar 20, 2023•22 min
The SNP has a row over membership and Chancellor Hunt presents his Budget. After initially refusing to release figures, the SNP has confirmed its membership has fallen to just over 72,000. The team discuss why the row over membership transparency started and what impact it might have on the party going forward during the leadership campaigns to be the next First Minister. In Westminster, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt presents his Budget, and confirms the UK will avoid a technical recession despite the ...
Mar 16, 2023•32 min
The team discuss the SNP leadership debate and PM Sunak's small boats bill. During the televised SNP debate on Tuesday, the barbs became personal between the three candidates vying to be the next First Minister, as Kate Forbes launched an attack on Humza Yousaf's record in government, while the health secretary returned pointed comments about protecting equal rights, and Ash Regan wrote off her colleagues as "wishy washy" on independence. The team talk about the pitfalls of personal attacks, and...
Mar 09, 2023•29 min
What's the shape of the SNP leadership race after the first hustings in Cumbernauld? The team talk about the first of the SNP leadership debates, what we learnt about the candidates' pitches to be the next First Minister of Scotland, and the row over media access. The Deposit Return Scheme is also causing headaches for the current First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and the minister responsible Lorna Slater, with many producers yet to sign up to the controversial recycling scheme despite the origina...
Mar 02, 2023•32 min
Who are the candidates who hope to be the next SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland? The team discuss the leadership bids of Kate Forbes, Humza Yousaf, and Ash Regan, and what we know so far about their vision for the future of Scotland, whether it's on independence, the NHS, or social issues such as trans rights. The first week since Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation has seen Forbes criticised for her comments on the Gender Recognition Reform bill and marriage equality, and Yousaf ...
Feb 23, 2023•28 min
Nicola Sturgeon has announced she is standing down after eight years as First Minister. The team react to the bombshell news which has sent shockwaves across Scottish politics. As the First Minister says she will stay on until a successor is chosen, she claims that the time is right for her to leave the top of Scottish politics. The team discuss why she's chosen to go now, what happens next, what it means for the independence movement, and who the potential candidates to her replace her might be...
Feb 15, 2023•29 min
Does the narrative of leaders in Holyrood and Westminster under pressure match reality? This week, Phil Sim hosts Podlitical and gets down to brass tacks with the team to ask, despite pressures faced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, if their positions really are under threat? The team discuss the big issues in UK politics this week, from council budgets and cabinet reshuffles, to the continuing trans prisoners row in Scottish Parliament and the pitfalls of pollin...
Feb 09, 2023•28 min
Tensions between the Scottish Government and councils continue as the budget is debated. The Scottish government says it has given councils an extra £570m for local services in its December budget, but local authorities are concerned that economic pressures will hit vital services like social care and education, and ring-fenced funds may lead to cuts in areas such as bin collections. Economist David Phillips, Associate Director of The Institute for Fiscal Studies, joins the team to explain some ...
Feb 02, 2023•27 min
From a trans prisoner row to tax troubles, it's been another busy week in politics. In Holyrood, just as the dust settles from the hotly debated Gender Recognition Reform bill, a new row over a transgender rapist has broken out, and tensions grow between the Scottish Government and councils over funding for teachers. Meanwhile in Westminster, legacy crises from the Boris Johnson era put pressure on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as his cabinet meet in Chequers, with Conservative party chairman Nadhi...
Jan 26, 2023•29 min
Podlitical takes an in-depth look at the impact of delays in the Scottish Courts. A huge backlog of cases has left some of the most vulnerable women in Scotland waiting to have domestic and sexual abuse cases heard. We hear directly from those affected, those working on the frontline of the problem and we consider some of the solutions. If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in this podcast you can visit www.bbc.co.uk/actionline
Jan 25, 2023•20 min
What is a Section 35 order, and why has it sparked a row about devolution and democracy? The UK Government has triggered Section 35 of The Scotland Act to formally block the Scottish Government's Gender Recognition Reform legislation from reaching royal assent. As First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the row will "inevitably" end up in court, Professor Nicola McEwen from the Centre on Constitutional Change joins the team to discuss the ramifications of this action on the constitutional debate. Wh...
Jan 19, 2023•28 min
An NHS in crisis and ongoing strikes spell trouble for the Scottish and UK Governments. The team discuss why the political temperature is still high heading into 2023 after the parliamentary recesses, and why it's not looking like it will calm down any time soon. As Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon are set to meet in Scotland with the backdrop of strikes, NHS pressures, and the cost of living crisis, what does the year ahead hold for politics in the UK?
Jan 12, 2023•25 min
After several days of intense debate, the Gender Recognition Reform bill passes. From the early mornings to the late nights, the team discuss this week in Scottish Parliament, as MSPs debated and voted on amendments to the Gender Recognition Reform Bill into the early hours, enabling the Scottish Government to get the legislation passed before the Christmas recess. As this week saw protests outside Holyrood, the team asks why has the bill been so controversial in Scotland, what have been the big...
Dec 22, 2022•26 min
What does the Scottish Government's budget mean for taxes, welfare, and independence? The team are joined by Emma Congreve from the Fraser of Allander Institute of the University of Strathclyde to take a deep dive into acting finance secretary John Swinney's budget. As tax divergence grows between Scotland and the rest of the UK, has this so-called 'left leaning' budget served to further highlight the differences between the Scottish and the Westminster Government, and what has been the politica...
Dec 16, 2022•27 min
Internal tensions continue as Stephen Flynn takes over as SNP Westminster group leader, with senior figure Pete Wishart resigning from the front bench, saying he was "bemused" as to why Flynn had sought to replace Ian Blackford in the role. Ex-PM Gordon Brown also revealed a package of proposed political reforms, claiming the Labour plan would make the UK work for Scotland, but the SNP described the measures as "underwhelming". Political science Professor Ailsa Henderson of the University of Edi...
Dec 08, 2022•30 min
Ian Blackford has announced he will stand down as leader of the SNP Westminster group, but why now, and what does this tell us about divisions within the SNP? The team discuss the news, who might take over, as well as the thorny issues in PMQs and FMQs from housing stock to a National Care Service. Are party leaders placing policy 'tanks on lawns' ahead of the next General Election, and what does it tell us about the potential future 'battlefields' of politics?
Dec 01, 2022•23 min
What's next for the pro-independence movement after the Supreme Court ruling? Judges at the Supreme Court have ruled that the Scottish government cannot hold an independence referendum without the UK government's consent. The team discusses the implications of the ruling for the Scottish and Westminster Governments, what 'war-gaming' is happening, and how using the next general election as a 'de facto' referendum may or may not work. Is this a decisive moment for Scotland's constitutional questi...
Nov 24, 2022•34 min
Chancellor Hunt lays out tax rises and spending cuts to try to fill the budget black hole, from freezing income tax thresholds to cutting back help with energy bills. In his first Autumn Statement, the Chancellor acknowledged the UK was in a recession, and announced support for the most vulnerable, including rises in line with inflation of the state pension, benefits, and tax credits. Alongside other measures such as an expanded windfall tax on energy company profits, what does the Autumn Statem...
Nov 17, 2022•29 min
