Angela Rayner, Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, joins Sunday Mail Editor Lorna Hughes and Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon on the Planet Holyrood podcast ahead of the General Election in July

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Rishi Sunak has been accused of holding Scotland in 'contempt' after he called a general election for the first week of the school holidays in most parts of the country.

The First Minister John Swinney responded to Sunak's timing by saying: "This is perhaps the latest act of disrespect from a Conservative government to call an election during the Scottish summer school holidays. It shows the contempt the Tories have for Scotland."

Swinney added the election will be a challenge given the “tough time” the SNP have had recently.

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John Swinney took over at Bute House following Humza Yousaf’s botched handling of the decision to kick the Greens out of Government.

Axing the Greens has resulted in Swinney leading a minority Government with no guarantee of winning votes at Holyrood. He immediately called for greater cross-party cooperation and urged political rivals to work together.

However, Biffa, the waste firm, has launched action against the Scottish Government to recoup cash in the Court of Session for the Government's botched Deposit Return Scheme. Former Green Minister Lorna Slater's personal assurances are being cited by Biffa as a reason for their legal action.

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Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon is joined on the Planet Holyrood podcast by Sunday Mail Political Editor John Ferguson and Scottish Express Editor Ben Borland to discuss John Swinney’s appointment as Scotland’s First Minister and his choice of ministers for his cabinet. But will the new ‘caretaker’ FM be able to get a budget through the Scottish Parliament with a minority government - or will we see an election sooner rather than later? And will the appointment of Kate Forbes as Deputy First Minister antagonise the left wing of the SNP?

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Kate Forbes has ruled herself out of the SNP leadership contest after John Swinney confirmed this morning he is standing. Swinney had praised Forbes when he announced his bid and said she would be a "significant" part of the Scottish Government.

The Record's political editor Paul Hutcheon is joined by the Sunday Mail's John Ferguson and Ben Borland of the Scottish Daily Express.

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Humza Yousaf has confirmed he has terminated the Bute House Agreement between the SNP and Scottish Greens "with immediate effect".

The First Minister confirmed at a hastily arranged press conference in Edinburgh this morning his party would now form a minority government.

But the decision prompted a furious backlash from Greens co-leader Lorna Slater, who accused Yousaf of "political cowardice" and caving in to the "most reactionary forces in the country".

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Daily Record political editor Paul Hutcheon is joined by the Sunday Mail's Hannah Rodger and Douglas Dickie of the Scottish Daily Express to look at the latest from the crazy world of politics

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Paul Hutcheon is joined by Hannah Rodger and Ben Borland to look at the latest from Holyrood and across politics

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Paul Hutcheon is joined by John Ferguson and Douglas Dickie to look at the latest from the crazy world of politics

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Daily Record Political Editor Paul Hutcheon is joined on the Planet Holyrood podcast by Sunday Mail Chief Reporter Hannah Rodger and Scottish Express Editor Ben Borland to discuss why National Clinical Director Jason Leitch’s next move after standing down amid covid WhatsApp scandal - will he stand as an MSP? The panel also debate if the Scottish government have taken their eye off the ball as drug deaths soar by 10%, Michael Matheson being found to have breached Holyrood code of conduct over iPad expenses claim and Creative Scotland’s controversial funding of hardcore sex film.

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