Coffee House Scots

By The Spectator

A spin-off from The Spectator's flagship daily politics podcast, Coffee House Shots, all about the latest political news from Holyrood and beyond.

Hosted on Acast. See

... more

5

11 ratings

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about Coffee House Scots:

How many episodes does Coffee House Scots have?

The podcast currently has 30 episodes available.

Coffee House Scots episodes:

May 15, 2025 Ash Regan
In this special edition of Coffee House Shots, Lucy Dunn speaks to the Holyrood leader of the pro-independence Alba party, Ash Regan. Regan was formerly a member of the SNP and even ran to be the party’s leader after Nicola Sturgeon resigned in 2023. She defected to the late Alex Salmond’s Alba party 18 months ago and ran for party leader after his death.

On the podcast, she talks to Lucy about the difference between Alba and the SNP, the threat of Reform in Scotland, the ‘performative’ nature of Scottish politics, the Supreme Court ruling over what is a woman, and why she was right to resign over the Gender Recognition Bill.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
22min
May 09, 2025 Ash Regan on the rise of Reform in Scotland, what is a woman and why ‘no-one resigns anymore’
In this special edition of Coffee House Shots, Lucy Dunn speaks to the Holyrood leader of the pro-independence Alba party, Ash Regan. Regan was formerly a member of the SNP and even ran to be the party’s leader after Nicola Sturgeon resigned in 2023. She defected to the late Alex Salmond’s Alba party 18 months ago and ran for party leader after his death.

On the podcast, she talks to Lucy about the difference between Alba and the SNP, the threat of Reform in Scotland, the ‘performative’ nature of Scottish politics, the Supreme Court ruling over what is a woman, and why she was right to resign over the Gender Recognition Bill.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Patrick Gibbons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
22min
March 12, 2025 What will Nicola Sturgeon's legacy be?
Nicola Sturgeon has announced her intention to step down at the next Scottish Parliament election in May 2026. One of the original MSPs elected to Holyrood in 1999, Sturgeon has dominated Scottish and UK politics over the past two decades. The Salmond-Sturgeon era began in 2004 and she went on to serve as First Minister for the best part of a decade.

Stewart McDonald, former SNP MP for Glasgow South 2015-24, and Lucy Dunn join James Heale on this special Coffee House Scots to discuss Sturgeon's legacy. She brought Scotland the closest to independence for 300 years, yet resigned in 2023 under a cloud over party management. Attention turns to next year's election, could the SNP's winning streak continue without her?

Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Natasha Feroze.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
12min
February 21, 2025 Starmer's Scottish headache
'What does a party get after nearly two decades in office, collapsing public services, an internal civil war and a £2 million police investigation? Re-election again - perhaps with an even bigger majority', writes James Heale in The Spectator this week. He's talking about the SNP, whose change in fortunes has less to do with their leader John Swinney and more to do with the collapse of support for Scottish Labour and their leader Anas Sarwar.

Who could benefit from the increased fragmentation of voters in Scotland? Will demands for more time, money and attention cause even more issues for Rachel Reeves? As Scottish Labour meets for its conference in Glasgow this weekend, James and editor Michael Gove join Katy Balls to discuss the dynamics between Holyrood and Westminster. Michael also spots a positive avenue for Labour, should they wish to take it...

Produced by Patrick Gibbons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
11min
January 13, 2025 Sturgeon-Murrell split & Scotland's Reform challenger
Former Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced she is separating from her husband Peter Murrell, former chief executive of the SNP. The announcement comes as the police probe into the SNP’s funds and finances remains ongoing, with Sturgeon and ex-SNP treasurer Colin Beattie under investigation while Murrell was charged with embezzlement in April 2024.

Katy Balls is joined by The Spectator’s editor Michael Gove, and data editor Michael Simmons, to discuss the separation, why the investigation is still ongoing four years later, and what chances Scottish Labour or Reform have against the SNP in 2025.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
13min
April 29, 2024 Humza Yousaf quits – what next?
Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf has just announced his intention to resign. Lucy Dunn speaks to Katy Balls and Spectator contributor Iain Macwhirter about how the past few weeks have led to this point and what to expect from an SNP leadership contest.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
16min
April 20, 2024 Can things get worse for the SNP?
It's been quite the week for the SNP. Questions remain over the future of the Sandyford gender clinic, 'the tartan Tavistock'; the Scottish government ditched its flagship climate change target; and former party chief executive, and husband of Nicola Sturgeon, Peter Murrell was rearrested on embezzlement charges.

What does this all mean for the SNP? Lucy Dunn speaks to Iain Macwhirter, columnist at The Times, and Shona Craven, columnist at The National.

Produced by Natasha Feroze and Patrick Gibbons
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
16min
February 01, 2024 Sturgeon paints herself as perfect at Covid Inquiry
Nicola Sturgeon was emotional whilst giving evidence at the Covid inquiry today – a highly anticipated part of the inquiry given the issue of deleted Whatsapp messages. How did the former first minister come across today? And what else can the evidence tell us about how the Scottish government operated? Katy Balls speaks to Isabel Hardman and Michael Simmons.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
11min
October 17, 2023 Has Humza Yousaf turned things around?
At his first speech as SNP leader at the party's conference, Humza Yousaf gave a policy-filled address. He hasn't had an easy start to his leadership, but can he turn things around? Katy Balls talks to Lucy Dunn and Iain Macwhirter.

Produced by Oscar Edmondson and Cindy Yu.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
15min
October 12, 2023 Why did Lisa Cameron defect to the Tories?
Lisa Cameron MP has quit the SNP to join the Conservative party, just days before the SNP holds its party conference in Aberdeen. What does this say about the state of the Scottish National Party under Humza Yousaf? James Heale talks to Isabel Hardman and Lucy Dunn.

Produced by Max Jeffery and Cindy Yu.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
12min

FAQs about Coffee House Scots:

How many episodes does Coffee House Scots have?

The podcast currently has 30 episodes available.