Scotcast

As world powers gather for talks to secure peace in Ukraine (without Ukraine), and Prime Minister Keir Starmer talks of sending British troops there, how do those who have fled the war view their future? Alona and Iryna, who arrived in Scotland after Russia’s invasion, tell us they don't know when (or whether) they can return home. And BBC Ukrainecast presenter Vitaliy Shevchenko reacts to an extr...

The big council tax freeze is over. Scotland's local authorities are setting their tax rates, with many considering rises of up to 10 per cent to balance the books. It comes after years of concerns about pressures on local budgets. Roads filled with potholes, cuts to bin collections, schools in disrepair - these are some of the regular complaints. Is it time to rewrite the entire council tax syste...

First, four lynx. Then, a group of feral pigs let loose in the Cairngorms. Do the Highlands need the reintroduction of a permanent predator? We speak to rewilding campaigner Peter Cairns on the virtues of wild cats and wolves, and the BBC’s climate editor, Justin Rowlatt.

A BBC investigation into Scotland's biggest children's psychiatric hospital, Skye House, has exposed a ‘culture of cruelty’ at the NHS unit in Glasgow. We hear from BBC Disclosure’s Mark Daly and Shelley Jofre about the art of investigative journalism in an era of fake news. They tell us how they made their documentary, Kids on the Psychiatric Ward, which features the testimony of six young women...

An emergency law to free inmates early is coming in to bring down the prison population. We hear from Barlinnie's governor, Michael Stoney, and a former inmate on what it's like inside Scotland’s biggest and busiest jail. And after Super Bowl LIX, Natalie hears about Martin’s former life as an NFL host. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Hig...

As homelessness stats reach record highs in Scotland, the team asks what it’s really like not to have a home. We talk to the editor of The Big Issue, Paul McNamee, and Sylvia Douglas, who experienced homelessness as a child and now supports women in poverty, about how to fix this complicated problem. And Martin and Laura discuss whether they’re sick of looking at their own faces. Get in touch with...

Donald Trump says America will 'take over' Gaza, resettling most of the native population. His comments have drawn astonishment and anger. Humza Yousaf, former First Minister, has a personal investment. Members of his wife's family are still living in Gaza. In conversation with Martin Geissler, Yousaf reacts to Trump’s overnight press conference, and what it might mean for a two-state solution. Ge...

We drink it, wash with it and curse it when it falls from the sky. But how much do we really know about our water supply? The man in charge of it, Scottish Water's Chief Executive Alex Plant, talks to Martin about supply, demand, rising bills and why we need to think seriously about how much water we use. Scotcast is the BBC's Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Natalie Higgins and Laura...

As Keir Starmer becomes the first UK Prime Minister to join a meeting of EU leaders since Brexit, could the decision to leave the union ever be unpicked by our politicians? We ask the BBC’s Glenn Campbell and Angus Robertson, the member of John Swinney’s cabinet responsible for European relations, who tells us why Brexit should be reversed. And Martin Geissler and Laura Miller debate whether it’s...

Will a legal win for environmental campaigners stop new North Sea oil and gas? As extreme weather events become more common, the team asks whether climate change is a political priority anymore - with Tessa Khan, founder of climate action organisation Uplift, and Professor Paul de Leeuw from the Energy Transition Institute at Robert Gordon University. And Martin and Natalie discuss the spike in vi...

With incidents of fraud soaring, can scammers be stopped in their tracks? Harleen Nottay from BBC’s Scam Interceptors gives us a flavour of the fraud she encounters on a daily basis. Plus, ‘Lisa’ tells us the impact a romance scam has had on her life. And Martin and Laura discuss why Harrison Ford is selling whisky. Get in touch with the Scotcast team by emailing scotcast@bbc.co.uk

After the UK Government ruled out compensation for women affected by an increase to the state pension age, is the Waspi campaign over? On the day MPs debate the issue, Waspi campaigner Anne Potter tells us her story and BBC political correspondent Kirsten Campbell explains why it’s a headache for Scottish Labour. And Martin and Natalie discuss the resignation of Stuart Kettlewell, who quit as mana...

John Swinney is promising tens of thousands of extra NHS appointments: how is his government going to deliver them? We reflect on the First Minister's latest plan for the health service with Cancer Research UK’s Dr Sorcha Hume, a former junior doctor, and pharmacist Elizabeth Roddick, whose industry is absorbing an increasing number of potential GP appointments. Get in touch with Martin Geissler,...

With Edinburgh on the verge of approving the country’s first tourist tax, can Scotland cope with tourism at its current levels? We ask Dr Guillem Colom-Montero, an expert in overtourism, and Jo de Sylva, who runs a hospitality business in Inverness. And Martin and Natalie get BBC weather presenter and meteorologist Calum MacColl's take on Storm Éowyn and the red weather warnings in place for parts...

Children aren’t supposed to be able access pornography, but they do in significant numbers and at a very young age. We ask Mary Sharpe, a Scottish lawyer campaigning for stricter regulation of the industry, if adult content is harming our kids and how we can stop them from accessing it. And Martin and Laura Maciver discuss your reaction to our episode about "petrifying" maternity unit failings. Ge...

After a BBC exclusive revealed safety failings at a Edinburgh Royal Infirmary’s maternity unit, we hear about one mum’s 'petrifying' experience. The BBC’s Claire McAllister and Lisa Summers reveal how they came to report on the story, and what it says about the challenges facing the NHS. And Martin and Natalie reflect on Donald Trump’s first 24 hours back in the White House. Get in touch with the...

Donald Trump is back in the White House: can the president’s family and business links to Scotland be exploited? We ask Torcuil Crichton, the Labour MP for the Western Isles who has invited President Trump to his mother’s birthplace of Lewis, and the BBC’s Scotland Correspondent David Wallace Lockhart. And Martin and Laura Miller explore the rights and wrongs of pronouncing ‘Scotcast’ with a glott...

Average rents are edging towards £1,000 a month and house prices are on the up. We ask John Boyle from Rettie estate agents and campaigner Ruth Gilbert from Living Rent why housing is so expensive. And Martin and Natalie discuss the rise of Reform UK in Scottish politics. Get in touch with the Scotcast team by emailing scotcast@bbc.co.uk

With the Lockerbie disaster back in the news, the team recall Britain's worst terror attack and discuss where the story goes from here. Kaye Adams reveals what it was like to be one of the first reporters on the scene. And the BBC's David Cowan explains how a new trial offers more questions than answers. And Martin and Laura Miller chat about the most expensive Gaelic drama ever made. Get in touch...

Are organised crime gangs fuelling a rise in shoplifting? And is the crime out of control? Martin hears from the BBC’s Jim Connolly, who’s investigated the issue, and campaigner Stephanie Karté from Retailers Against Crime. And Laura Miller reveals all about her scramble to board the ferry that seemed to take forever to build. Get in touch with the Scotcast team by emailing scotcast@bbc.co.uk

Will a new NHS facility which allows people to take heroin and other drugs under medical supervision be harmful or helpful? We ask the BBC’s Chris Clements, who’s making a documentary about why Scotland has the worst drug death rate in Europe. And we hear from Barry, who started taking heroin when he was 14. And Martin and Natalie discuss Alex Salmond’s widow urging the former First Minister’s cri...

What you can expect to hear from the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler.