Politics Galore! A Scottish Politics Podcast

After six years of Scottish political podcasting, it's time for us to bow out. We hope you've enjoyed it. We have. And in this final episode we reflect on the experience. So, goodbye, and thanks for all the politics.

In the last podcast before the summer, we look back on what's been going on in Scottish politics, mainly with the SNP, and wonder "What next?"

The Visitor Levy, dubbed a Tourist Tax by its detractors, could be a win for local democracy - or could it? Why talk politics when you can talk policy? Enjoy!

This week we talk with Fife councillor Graeme Downie about the latest Audit Scotland overview of local government in Scotland. Enjoy!

This week we welcome back Alastair Stewart and talk about Our Scottish Future and where we're at with visions for Scotland, whose visions they are and what information we all need to be able to make up our minds about what they should be.

This week Shona Robison warned of tight budgets ahead whilst The Promise (a flagship initiative of Nicola Sturgeon's government) recommended radical changes to the Children's Hearing System, which could cost a fair whack. How should a Scotland that self-identifies as progressive be spending its money?

"Commissioners to the left of them, commissioners to the right of them, into the valley of oversight rode the public authorities." This week we're talking about... commissioners! Any good? Too many? Not enough? Listen and learn!

We're finally back! Through fire & flood. Sort of. Anyway, this week we talk about continuity radicalism and other absurdities, pedestrian policy proposals; jury-less rape trails; Maggie Chapman's conflict of interest and Lorna Slater's boat. Enjoy!

This week we talk to Gordon MacRae of Shelter Scotland about what's needed to address Scotland's continued need for more affordable housing and to reduce the number of folk who are homeless.

We continue on with a theme from last week and talk about the Health Foundation's January 2023 report on health inequalities in Scotland: 'Leave no one behind.' You can find the report here: https://www.health.org.uk/publications/leave-no-one-behind

This week we talk about health inequalities in the context of the SNP leadership election on the back of the Poverty Alliance & Robertson Trust leadership hustings on solving poverty.

We review the ‘Bloody Tuesday’ STV News SNP Leadership debate, talk about the role of public affairs professionals at times like these and take a look at Scottish government funding transparency.

What more do we need to say? Fun, fun, FUN!

A bumper episode this week on... what else? The SNP leadership race! May joy be unconfined!

Is a vote for independence a vote to rejoin the EU? Scottish Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson, seems to think so. We discuss.

This week we discuss the stramash over the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Act 2022, the UK government's blocking of it with a section 35 order and related issues.

In our first podcast of 2023 we welcome Lucy Miller & Clare Slipper from Women in Public Affairs Scotland and talk about forthcoming big developments for that network as well as what's been on their minds when it comes to Scottish politics.

In our last podcast of 2022, we talk about the division, anger & absence of nuance which continues to characterise our Scottish politics and hope (probably naively) for a better 2023. Ho, ho, ho!

This week, the fallout from the Supreme Court decision on indyref2 and the SNP Westminster group's pistols at dawn feat. the splendidly acidic sarcasm of Pete Wishart. Enjoy!

In this month's Women in Public Affairs Scotland takeover, Clare Slipper, Lucy Miller and Kimberley Somerside talk the Supreme Court ruling on indyref 2, the cost-of-living crisis implications on health equalities and human rights, and Spotify wrapped.