Unspun Live

In an Unspun Live first, all four of The Herald's political journalists share their thoughts on how Scottish politics will change after the upcoming Holyrood election. Political Editor Andrew Learmonth is joined by Deputy Political Editor Rebecca McCurdy and Political Correspondents Kathleen Nutt and Hannah Brown as the election campaign heats up.

New polling suggests Anas Sarwar's Scottish Labour Party will slump to fourth in May's Holyrood election. Political Editor Andrew Learmonth and Deputy Political Editor Rebecca McCurdy break down the party's conference in Paisley, where Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was the elephant in the room.

Alba Party leader Kenny Macaskill said his party may be unable to field candidates in the upcoming Holyrood election because of financial issues. Christina Hendry - who is the niece of party founder Alex Salmond - is one of the prominent members now in a fight to save the pro-independence party. But will it work?

Ever wondered what Alex Cole-Hamilton's pot noodle of choice is? Then this is the podcast for you. The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader shares his thoughts on the upcoming Holyrood election, working with the SNP and Scottish Labour.

With less than three months to go until the Holyrood election, Unspun Live speaks to Iris Duane, the Scottish Greens’ 23-year-old candidate for Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill, who could become the youngest MSP in the next Scottish Parliament.

Duane talks candidly about growing up in poverty, why she believes both the SNP and Labour have run out of ideas, and why tackling child poverty would be her top priority if elected.

She also discusses council funding, taxation, the Scottish Child Payment, and what she sees as the limits of devolution.

The conversation also explores representation and identity in politics, barriers facing trans people in Scotland, and whether the Greens would consider working with the SNP again after the collapse of the Bute House Agreement.

Deputy Political Editor Rebecca McCurdy interviews Richard Meade, the chief executive of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, as the organisation launches its Holyrood manifesto, demanding urgent funding to end the housing emergency.

Reform UK's only MSP Graham Simpson comes to the defence of his party leader Nigel Farage over claims he is "racist" and addresses the confusion over the party's stance on Scottish independence.

On Budget Day, the Office for Budget Responsibility unexpectedly released its economic forecasts before the Chancellor reached the despatch box — sending Westminster and the markets into a spin. In this episode of Unspun Live, Andrew Learmonth breaks down what the leak means, why it matters, and how Rachel Reeves’ second Budget will affect taxpayers, businesses and Scotland’s finances.

Andrew is joined by Ian McConnell, The Herald’s business editor, to unpack the big revenue-raising measures — from income tax threshold freezes to the changes on electric vehicle mileage, ISAs, salary sacrifice schemes and alcohol duty. They also look at Reeves’ decision to scrap the two-child limit, and what that means for the Scottish Government’s spending plans.

In this week’s episode of Unspun Live, Andrew Learmonth unpacks Holyrood's latest political and legal row.

After the Scottish Government told Parliament it could not comment on its prison guidance court battle with For Women Scotland, opposition MSPs accused ministers of misleading the chamber about the limits of the law.

To understand what the Contempt of Court Act, the Scottish Parliament’s sub judice rules, and the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act actually say, Andrew speaks to Edinburgh Law School’s Scott Wortley.

With Rachel Reeves laying the groundwork for potential tax rises on November 26, Andrew speaks to Dr João Sousa of the Fraser of Allander Institute about what that could mean for Scotland’s block grant – and the decisions that now land on Shona Robison’s desk.