Holyrood Sources

By Shortbread MediaNews

Holyrood Sources episodes

April 26, 2024 Votes of No Confidence...with Ross Greer
Scottish Green Party MSP Ross Greer joins us for an extended conversation about the termination of the Bute House Agreement, the Greens' time in Government and how the party plan to vote in the votes of no confidence being brought against Humza Yousaf and The Scottish Government.
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59 min
April 25, 2024 Humza Yousaf Dumps The Scottish Greens
The Bute House agreement between the SNP and the Scottish Greens has ended, leading to a minority government in Scotland. We discuss the reasons for the end of the agreement including policy challenges and frayed relationships. Humza Yousaf, the leader of the SNP, will now have to chart a new course and focus on issues that have public support.
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26 min
April 23, 2024 Embezzlement Charges, Climate Targets, and The Bute House Agreement
In this episode of Hollywood Sources, Calum, Geoff and Andy are joined by Kathleen Nutt, Political Correspondent, The Herald, to discuss various topics including the charging of Peter Murrell, former chief executive of the SNP, with embezzlement, the approval of the Green Volt offshore wind farm project, and the Scottish Government's decision to abandon its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 75% by 2030. The conversation also delves into the implications of these developments for the Scottish Greens and their involvement in the Bute House Agreement. Did the SNP made a strategic mistake by entering into the agreement? Did the Greens? There is speculation about the future of the coalition, with the possibility of the Greens leaving and the potential impact on both parties. The conversation also explores the potential consequences for the SNP and the Greens in future elections.
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46 min
April 17, 2024 By-Elections, The Cass Review and Holyrood's Rural Caucus
Calum, Andy and Geoff discuss the relationship between SNP MSPs and its MPs at Westminster, the representation of rural areas in government policy-making, and the need for rural MSPs to caucus together. They also touch on the upcoming local and mayoral elections and the impact of dissatisfaction with the Conservatives. The conversation ends with a discussion on the importance of rural areas in Scotland's future prosperity. We reflect on the Scottish Government's response to the Cass review, and the challenges facing the SNP in the upcoming general election. The hosts discuss the need for a caucus to represent rural areas, the lack of response from the Scottish government on important issues, and the potential impact of local by-election results on the SNP's future. They also touch on the need for better scrutiny of legislation and the possibility of a second chamber in Scotland.
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38 min
April 12, 2024 25 Years of Devolution: Susan Deacon
Susan Deacon was Labour MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh (Constituency) from 1999 - 2007 and Scotland's first health minister. We spend more time with one of the stars of our live podcast recording event.

Calum, Andy and Susan discuss the 25-year anniversary of devolution in Scotland and reflects on the successes and challenges of the Scottish Parliament. We highlight the need for constructive reflection and improvement rather than getting stuck in nostalgia. We discuss the performative nature of politics, the unintended consequences of policies, and the lack of leadership and intellectual capacity in Scottish politics. They also emphasise the importance of engaging with wider civic society and fostering meaningful debate. The episode concludes with a discussion on the need to move away from comparing Scotland to England and instead benchmark against global peers. The conversation explores the challenges and shortcomings of the Scottish political system, particularly in relation to the media, healthcare, and candidate selection processes. It highlights the tendency for political discourse to focus on comparisons and not on addressing underlying issues. The conversation also discusses the need for decentralisation and regional leadership, as well as the importance of bringing in diverse expertise and allowing for independent thinking within political parties.

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55 min
April 10, 2024 Wood-burners, Labour leads, and Hate Crimes Q&A... with Michael Foran
This week Calum, Geoff and Andy are joined by Michael Foran, a lecturer in public law at the University of Glasgow, to pick apart the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act. What does it mean? What does it say? Your (and our) questions are answered.

Plus, Labour leads the SNP for the first time in a decade, according to new polling by YouGov, and Scottish new builds will no longer be allowed to have wood burners. All on today's episode.
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57 min
April 03, 2024 3000 Hate Crime Reports in 24 Hours
The Hate Crime And Public Order (Scotland) Act is now in force, and more Police Scotland is logging yet more complaints, so what happens next? Calum, Geoff and Andy discuss JK Rowling's comments - which are not being treated as criminal - as well as a new MRP poll predicting a Conservative wipeout to less than 100 seats across the UK after the General Election, but the SNP holding onto 41 seats. Plus, as discussion continues from our 25 Years of Devolution event, what has the last quarter-century actually brought about?
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50 min
March 27, 2024 Hate Incidents and Humza Yousaf's First Year
First Minister Humza Yousaf has defended police after Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser threatened to take them to court for keeping a record of a hate incident made against him, despite concluding he had not committed a crime. Calum, Andy and Geoff assess the political fallout. Plus we reflect on last week's 25 Years of Devolution live recording. Plus, should MPs and MSPs keep talking about potholes, and is the First Minister right to still be saying it's the 'honour of a lifetime' to be in the role, one year in?
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41 min
March 23, 2024 Live: 25 Years of Devolution (Part 2)
Join Calum Macdonald, Geoff Aberdein and Andy Maciver for a Holyrood Sources podcast special. We’re bringing together guests who have been at the heart of the story of devolution over the last 25 years to reflect on how devolution happened, what’s happened since and what should happen next. As part of the night, we’ll reveal the results of exclusive polling assessing how people across Scotland view devolution, 25 years since the establishment of The Scottish Parliament.

In part two:
Alex Salmond,
Susan Deacon,
Liz Smith,
Kate Forbes,
Brian Taylor,
Bernard Ponsonby.

Open the Doors! By Edwin Morgan, narrated by Fiona Macdonald
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1 hr 14 min
March 22, 2024 Live: 25 Years of Devolution (Part 1)
Join Calum Macdonald, Geoff Aberdein and Andy Maciver for a Holyrood Sources podcast special. We’re bringing together guests who have been at the heart of the story of devolution over the last 25 years to reflect on how devolution happened, what’s happened since and what should happen next. As part of the night, we’ll reveal the results of exclusive polling assessing how people across Scotland view devolution, 25 years since the establishment of The Scottish Parliament.

In part one:
Fergus Ewing,
Wendy Alexander,
Henry McLeish,
Jim Wallace,
Lorraine Davidson
Jack McConnell,
Mark Diffley,
Nicola McEwen
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1 hr 36 min

About Holyrood Sources

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The Holyrood Sources podcast analyses Scottish politics through the experiences of those who have lived and breathed it as Special Advisers to the Scottish Government, SNP and opposition parties.…