A new MRP "Mega Poll" is showing that the SNP are on track for a landslide victory in the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election with tactical voting working in their favour.

Plus, in the wake of Labour's By Election defeat (coming third behind the Greens and Reform UK) and refusing Andy Burnham's application to be a candidate, was Anas Sarwar right all along to call for Keir Starmer to resign?

Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie discuss.

Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bernard and Alex discuss political accusations made of the Lord Advocate, Dorothy Bain KC. They explain the nature of her role, the controversies and pontential conflicts of interest and ask if it's time for reform of the Lord Advocate's position.

Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What a week in politics

Bernard and Alex discuss the newspaper reports on the charges Peter Murrell (Nicola Sturgeon's former husband) will face in court and analyse where Anas Sarwar's calls for the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, to resign in the wake of the Epstein / Mandelson scandal have left the Scottish Labour Leader in the run up to the Scottish Parliament Elections.

Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded on the morning of Friday 6th Feb 2026 (It may all have changed by lunchtime)

Includes a moment to reflect on the life of Alex's Father, Allan Massie, who died earlier this week.

Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New polls report that 1 in 5 Scots claim they will vote for Reform UK at the Scottish Parliament Elections in May. Bernard and Alex analyse what is ahead.

• Tributes to Lord Jim Wallace
• Scottish Parliament Polling
• Burnham and Starmer
• Will unpopular Tories be any more popular in Reform?

Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We only took a well earned holiday in the cold months in advance of a busy year with the Scottish Parliament Elections. We're back and in this episode we look at the political year ahead domestically and Internationally.

Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With a live audience at the University of Glasgow Stevenson Trust for Citizenship, Bernard and Alex are join by Professor Chris Carman and questions from the floor, including Prof Sir John Curtice.

PONSONBY & MASSIE – STEVENSON LIVE PODCAST

00:00 – 00:01:16 | Intro & Format

00:01:16 – 00:03:34 | Early Predictions & Polling Landscape

00:03:34 – 00:05:55 | Labour’s Misread of Momentum (2010 vs 2024)

00:05:55 – 00:12:15 | Reform UK: Mood, Populism, Immigration

00:12:15 – 00:18:45 | Starmer’s Weakness & Impact on Scottish Labour

00:18:45 – 00:23:34 | Independence as Tactical Messaging

00:23:34 – 00:33:00 | 27 Years of Devolution: Has It Delivered?

00:33:00 – 00:40:00 | State Size, Means vs Ends, and 2026 Prospects

00:40:00 – 00:41:47 | Election Predictions

AUDIENCE Q&A (Chaired by Prof. Chris Carman)

00:41:47 – 00:44:48 | Q1 – What’s the Offer to Young Voters?

00:44:48 – 00:49:50 | Q2 – State Size & Social Democratic Mission (Sir John Curtice)

00:49:50 – 01:01:35 | Q3 – Scrutiny, Misinformation & Media Trust

Audience question.

01:01:35 – 01:09:20 | Q4 – Social Media, Democratic Innovation & Greens’ Prospects

01:09:20 – 01:20:29 | Q5 – Edinburgh vs Glasgow & Sustainability of ‘Free Scotland’ Model

01:20:29 – 01:27:00 | Q6 – Is Social Democracy Still Represented?

01:27:00 – 01:29:10 | Q7 – MSP Exodus & Legislative Overload

01:29:10 – End | Closing

Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bernard and Alex dig into the editorial crisis at the BBC, Comcast/SKY's potential takeover of ITV and Bernard (STV's former Political Editor and longest serving journalist of 34 years) says he no longer thinks the company has a future.

Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.