UofG Spotlight

As COP31 gets underway in Antalya, Turkey, we're talking about the politics of climate change, locally, nationally, and internationally on the UofG Spotlight podcast. Regular host Professor Nicola McEwen is joined by guest co-host Chris Stark, who is Head of Mission Control for Clean Energy 2030 at the UK Government and an Honorary Professor here at the Centre for Public Policy. First up, Nicola talks to Chris about the journey he has been on as Head of Mission Control for Clean Energy 2030 and the work of moving towards a clean power system in the UK, in the context of political and geopolitical change. Then, they speak to two guests from the University of Glasgow: - Dr Hannah Salamon, Research Associate at the Centre for Public Policy - Professor Patrick Bayer, Professor of Political Economy and Deputy Head of School for Research in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Glasgow We discuss what role COP plays in driving climate action, what key topics we might expect the conference to focus on, and what we might see come out of discussions this year. Then we talk about the politics of climate policy and action. We look globally, reflecting on the US midterm elections, and what that might mean for climate policy. And closer to home in Europe, the UK, and Scotland, we discuss how challenging ambitious climate action from governments is in the context of rising energy costs and the cost of living? Is long-term climate ambition being traded for short-term politics? Tune in and subscribe. Sign up to the Centre's newsletter: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/publicpolicy/about/

In today's episode of UofG Spotlight, we're looking at last week's UK Budget, announced by Chancellor John Healey on 28 October. Regular hosts Professor Nicola McEwen and Professor Kezia Dugdale are joined by:

• fellow podcast host Professor Graeme Roy, Head of the College of Social Sciences at the University of Glasgow and Chair of the Scottish Fiscal Commission
• Professor David Bell, Professor of Economics at the University of Stirling, and an Honorary Professor at the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow

We look at the announcements in the UK Budget, such as help with energy bills and whether this budget will make a difference to the cost of living for people in the UK. We also look at the politics of this budget, as the first for new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

Finally, we explore what the announcement means for Scotland and the challenges the Scottish Government faces in its budget, including the announcement about ring-fenced preventative spending, and how that might work in the context of devolution.

This and lots more - tune in and subscribe.

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In today's episode of Spotlight, we're shifting focus to the US and the mid-term elections happening on 3 November.

Hosts Nicola McEwen and Kezia Dugdale speak to UofG's Chris Carman and Jason Boxt, Founder of 3W Insights, about what might happen in these mid-term elections, what you need to look out for, and how significant they are for politics in the United States.

The conversation covers key issues shaping the campaigns, including the economy and AI data centres; what the polls are saying and what we might see happen on election day; the stand-out candidates; concerns about turnout; and what we might see from President Trump when the results come in.

Chris Carman is Stevenson Professor of Citizenship at the University of Glasgow, and Jason Boxt is Founder of 3W Insights, a political and corporate consultancy based in Washington DC.

Tune in and subscribe.

Tickets for our in-person event on 26 October: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/theres-no-money-left-can-we-still-build-a-fairer-society-tickets-1999520542769?aff=oddtdtcreator

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In today's episode, we're marking Challenge Poverty Week. Regular podcast host Kezia Dugdale is joined by guest host and Centre for Public Policy colleague Claire MacRae to speak to two guests working in this area. We discuss child poverty and the Scottish Government's targets, social security and the backdrop of Scotland's challenging financial outlook, what role local government can play in tackling poverty, and more. We talk to Charlotte Gorman from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Professor Stephen Sinclair from the Poverty and Inequality Commission about newly published reports that look at the progress we're making towards eradicating poverty in Scotland in 2026 and how we can continue to work towards this goal. Charlotte Gorman is Senior Policy Adviser at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and author of the JRF's new Poverty in Scotland 2026 report. The report says that with targets missed and poverty too high, radical change is needed, and that local government needs to play a bigger role in poverty reduction. Professor Stephen Sinclair is Chair of the Poverty and Inequality Commission and Professor of Social Policy and co-Director of the Scottish Poverty & Inequality Research Unit at Glasgow Caledonian University. The Commission's new report looks at the role of universal and targeted approaches to tackling poverty. Tune in and subscribe. Read the Joseph Rowntree Report, Poverty in Scotland 2026: https://www.jrf.org.uk/understanding-poverty/poverty-in-scotland-2026 Read the Poverty and Inequality Commission report, The role of universal and targeted approaches in addressing poverty and inequality in Scotland: https://povertyinequality.scot/publication/universal-and-targeted-approaches-to-tackling-poverty-key-messages-from-the-poverty-and-inequality-commission/ Hear more from the Centre for Public Policy – sign up to our newsletter: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/publicpolicy/about/

In today's episode of UofG Spotlight, we're looking at Andy Burnham's 'devolution revolution', and what that might mean for the UK devolved nations of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Plus, we look at two significant developments in UK constitutional politics.

First up, hosts Professor Nicola McEwen and Professor Kezia Dugdale give their take on two big developments in UK politics from the last fortnight. First, the exchange between Dundee SNP MP Chris Law and Prime Minister Andy Burnham at Prime Minister's Questions on grounds for an independence referendum, and second, the summit between the SNP, Sinn Féin, and Plaid Cymru in Cardiff, on the path to independence referendums.

Then they're joined by two guests: Dr David Waite, Senior Lecturer at the University of Glasgow and Dr Jack Newman, Lecturer in Politics and Public Administration at the University of Liverpool to discuss devolution.

Does the 'devolution revolution' extend beyond England? What can be learned from Manchester for regional devolution elsewhere? Are mayors an option for Scotland? And what might support success for Burnham's devolution drive?

Tune in and subscribe.

Read the report by Professor Kezia Dugdale and Stephen Noon, Scotland and the Constitution: Agreeing a way forward: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/publicpolicy/outputs/headline_1101096_en.html

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UofG Spotlight is back for series 8! And we're starting with the Scottish Government's Programme for Government, announced by First Minister John Swinney on 1 September. We discuss what's in (and not in) the new five-year Programme for Government, from the four over-arching themes and nine new Bills, to the detail of public service reform, independence and devolution, prevention, food price caps, and lots more. Regular podcast hosts Professor Nicola McEwen and Professor Kezia Dugdale are joined by leading voices in Scottish public policy and politics:

• Sarah Davidson, CEO of Carnegie UK and Honorary Professor at the Centre for Public Policy
• Peter MacMahon, writer, broadcaster and commentator on Scottish and UK politics

A brilliant conversation on what this announcement means for politics and policy in Scotland in the coming terms.

Tune in and subscribe.

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In this episode of Spotlight, we turn from devolved politics to global challenges, asking the important question: do we still value development aid?

Host Nicola McEwen is joined by leading researchers from the University of Glasgow and Queen Margaret University to unpack the changing landscape of international development. Together, they explore the long-term decline in UK and global aid commitments, the real-world consequences for communities in some of the world's most vulnerable settings and the new approaches to development finance emerging. This work is being supported by the Scottish Council for Global Affairs.

Later in the episode, Nicola speaks with SCIAF's Director of Public Engagement, Ben Wilson, about Scotland's distinctive role, the Scottish Government's commitments, and whether initiatives like aid match funding could create a different path forward.

As global pressures mount and political priorities shift, what does the future hold for development aid - and for the communities who depend on it?

In the final episode of our election podcast series, now 'After the Elections', we look at the results of the Scottish election, what it means for the future of public policy, and how soon we might see the impact of challenging public finances.

We're joined by two guests, Graeme Roy, Professor of Economics at the University of Glasgow and Chair of the Scottish Fiscal Commission, and Kate Higgins, former Special Adviser to the Scottish Government.

• How hard is it to deliver change in government?
• What is the fiscal context facing the new administration?
• What is the likelihood of an independence referendum?
• Can the MSPs find common ground, in a parliament that is more diverse and ideologically fragmented than ever before?

Tune in and subscribe. Over the last month, the Centre for Public Policy has published a range of academic insights from University of Glasgow experts, on justice, the economy, migration, the constitution and more. Visit our website to find out more: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/publicpolicy/elections/

In this episode of our On the Elections podcast series, we're looking to England and Wales, where elections are also being held tomorrow, 7th May.

In England, almost 5,000 councillors will be elected across 134 of England's 317 councils. And the Welsh Parliament – or Senedd – is also holding its election, with a new voting system and a 50% increase in the number of Senedd members being elected. We're joined by Professor Jane Green, Director of the Nuffield Politics Research Centre and Co-Director of the British Election Study, and Professor Laura McAllister from Cardiff University's Wales Governance Centre and one of Wales' leading academics. With Jane, we discuss England, from whether this election will be a test for Keir Starmer's government, to bloc voting, how well we expect to see individual parties do from Reform UK to the Greens, and more. And with Laura, we talk about Wales, from how the new electoral system might play out in the Senedd election, to the latest polls and frontrunners, and what has gone wrong for Welsh Labour. Tune in and subscribe. Read our joint report with Ipsos - Does Independence Still Matter?: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/publicpolicy/news/headline_1264446_en.html

Visit the Centre for Public Policy for more expert insights, from justice, to migration, the constitution, the economy, and more: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/publicpolicy/elections/

This week on the UofG Spotlight On the Elections podcast, we're talking about whether the next Scottish government can fix public services. What are the parties proposing to fix the problems in public services and help to sustain them into the future? What should they be doing? To talk about this, hosts Nicola McEwen and Kezia Dugdale are joined by Frances Mair, the Norrie Miller Professor of General Practice and Head of the School of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow, and Sarah Davidson, Chief Executive at Carnegie UK, and Honorary Professor here at the Centre for Public Policy. Tune in and subscribe. Follow the election day by day with the Centre for Public Policy on our website including live lunchtime webinars on key issues in the campaign, and written insights on policy issues facing the country. https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/publicpolicy/elections/