Podlitical

Headaches for political parties this week as high profile members voice their opinions. Whether it was Lee Anderson losing the Conservative whip for his comments on "Islamists" controlling London Mayor Sadiq Khan, former Prime Minister Liz Truss voicing thoughts on the "deep state" alongside presidential hopeful Donald Trump's former chief advisor, or the SNP's Fergus Ewing calling his own party "...

The Scottish Labour Leader on election plans, prejudice, and being called a "traitor". Sarwar sits down with Podlitical to talk about how his father's experience being the first Muslim MP initially made him want to "run a million miles away" from politics, his hopes for Labour in the next election, and why he wants to see less "playground politics" with an acceptance no one political party has all...

Chaos in the House of Commons as a vote on a Gaza ceasefire motion turns into a row. Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle is facing accusations he played "party politics" by granting a vote on Labour's Gaza ceasefire motion, breaking with convention and sparking fury from SNP and Conservative MPs. He said he allowed the vote to protect MPs' safety, and later apologised, but the row continues, with the SNP's...

The Scottish Greens Co-Leader and Scottish Government minister sits down with Podlitical. Patrick Harvie talks about his early exposure to Green politics and his career so far, including why he sees compromise and finding "genuine common ground" is how democracy should work, his feelings about the Bute House Agreement with the SNP, his belief that the "moral panic" over transgender rights has beco...

Michael Matheson resigns as Scottish Health Secretary ahead of a report on his iPad bill. Late last year, it was revealed that the then-Health Secretary Matheson had racked up a £11k roaming bill on his parliamentary iPad, subsequently admitting that his sons had used the iPad as a data hotspot so they could watch football. The team react to the news and the Scottish government cabinet reshuffle,...

The former Scottish Labour MSP on the next election, the COVID inquiry messages, and more. Neil Findlay sits down with Podlitical to discuss how his pre-politics career influenced his socialist ideology, why he thought Labour siding with the Conservatives in the 2014 independence referendum's Better Together campaign was the "kamikaze route", how he views Scottish Independence now, and how he "dod...

Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon appears at the UK COVID-19 Inquiry. As the Scottish portion of the inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic by UK Governments comes to close, this week we heard from ex-First Minister Sturgeon and former Deputy FM John Swinney, with the former denying that she presided over a culture of secrecy and that she politicised the pandemic. The team sits dow...

First Minister Humza Yousaf appears at the COVID Inquiry. The team sit down to discuss the week's big political news, which saw Humza Yousaf, who was both Scottish Justice and then Health Secretary during the Covid-19 pandemic, answering the questions of the UK COVID inquiry as it continues in Scotland. WhatsApp messages and their deletion played a large part of both the questioning and First Mini...

The former leader of the Scottish Conservatives on Israel & Gaza, the pandemic, and more. The MSP for Eastwood, Jackson Carlaw sits down with Podlitical to discuss his career, from representing Scotland's largest Jewish community and his thoughts on the Israel / Gaza conflict, to why he felt he wasn't ruthless enough to be Scottish Conservative leader. Carlaw talks about his unwillingness to b...

PM Sunak sees off a rebellion over his Rwanda Bill, and the Horizon scandal continues. Despite two senior resignations, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak managed to pass his bill to send asylum seekers to Rwanda in the Commons despite threats of rebellion, but now the legislation passes to the Lords, with the PM urging them to back the bill in a press conference. What's going to happen next, and is the R...

The longest currently-serving SNP MP on independence strategy and Top of the Pops. Pete Wishart joins the Podlitical team to talk about his early career as a musician and appearing on Top of The Pops, why he made the transition to politics, and his work at Westminster. Wishart discusses why he thinks there are "inherent contradictions" with the SNP's Scottish independence strategy, and that it has...

The team returns to discuss the Post Office scandal and conversion therapy laws. In Westminster, Prime Minister Sunak has announced emergency legislation to ensure hundreds of wrongly convicted subpostmasters, who were prosecuted due to faulty Horizon software used by the Post Office, will have their names cleared, with Humza Yousaf's Scottish Government looking to follow suit. Also in Scotland, t...

Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary Shona Robison MSP discusses the budget. Following her delivery of the Scottish budget to Holyrood on Tuesday, the Deputy First Minister sits down with the Podlitical team to talk about the "tough" budget and the "difficult" decisions that had to be made, the new tax band and council tax freeze, how she wants to keep discussions going with COSLA, and the...

The team deep dives into the Scottish budget and the new tax rate. Following Tuesday's budget, where Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison announced a new 45% tax rate on earnings between £75,000 and £125,140, as well as an increase to the top rate of tax and confirmation of plans for a council tax freeze, Phil Sim sits down with BBC correspondent David Henderson and Mairi Spowage, Director of...

The team talk difficult decisions facing Holyrood, and the "Five Families" in the Tories. In Holyrood, the Scottish Government faces tough political choices ahead of next week's budget, and whether or not to appeal the ruling in favour of the UK Government in relation to blocking Scotland's Gender Recognition Reform bill, as well as a row with Lord David Cameron over how meetings with foreign lead...

The Lib Dem spokesperson for Scotland and Women & Equalities on GRR, Rwanda, and more. The MP for Edinburgh West joins Podlitical to discuss the Scottish Liberal Democrat strategy at the next General Election, why she "wasn't surprised" about a court decision to uphold the UK government's block on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, and why she thinks "divisive" policies such as the...

PM Rishi Sunak faces revolt over Rwanda plans, and Scotland faces a budget black hole. In Westminster, the Prime Minister said his patience was "worn thin" on trying to pass a bill to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, telling Conservative MPs to get behind the plans after immigration minister Robert Jenrick resigned, and former Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces questions at the Covid Inquiry. In Hol...

The Conservative MP and Minister for Nuclear & Networks sits down with Podlitical. Andrew Bowie speaks about moving away from the "toxic debate" around Brexit, and discusses his government's Rwanda asylum plans including why he thinks former Home Secretary Suella Braverman should "think about the consequences" of their words. Bowie reacts to the allegations that the Sellafield nuclear site was...

The team share thoughts on former Labour chancellor Lord Darling, who has died aged 70. From steering the UK through the 2008 global financial crisis, to his work on the Better Together campaign during the 2014 Scottish Independence referendum, the team look back on the former Edinburgh MP's long career, and the tributes that have poured in from fellow politicians across the spectrum.

The SNP Westminster leader and MP for Aberdeen South sits down with the Podlitical team, discussing his year in post so far, his relationship with former Westminster leader Ian Blackford, the challenges the SNP has faced over the last 12 months, and more. Flynn talks about the recent news of Scottish Health Secretary Michael Matheson's iPad bill, and the criticism he faced following Remembrance Su...

The Matheson iPad saga continues and Chancellor Hunt delivers the Autumn Statement. The team discuss the latest developments of Scottish Health Minister Michael Matheson's £11k iPad roaming bill, with the Scottish Conservatives threatening a vote of no confidence, but not yet following through in Parliament. In Westminster, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has delivered the Autumn Statement, announcing tax...

Ash Regan, former cabinet minister and now sole Alba MSP in Holyrood, talks to Podlitical. Speaking to Phil Sim, the MSP for Edinburgh Eastern discusses the reasons she had for quitting her cabinet post in Nicola Sturgeon's government, her unsuccessful leadership bid, and why she moved to the Alba party. Regan talks about the comments made by First Minister Humza Yousaf after she left, as well as...

Suella Braverman is sacked, and ex-PM David Cameron returns to government. Following a row over a Times article by the then-Home Secretary Suella Braverman ahead of the Armistice Day weekend, Monday saw her sacking and the shock return of David Cameron to frontline politics. The team react to the surprising turn of events, discussing if this is the end of Prime Minister Sunak's troubles with Brave...

Headaches for the UK and Scottish Governments around WhatsApp, roaming iPads, and marches. In Holyrood, opposition parties claim First Minister Humza Yousaf misled parliament over government WhatsApp messages sent during the pandemic, which the FM has denied. This was followed with the news that Scottish Health Secretary Michael Matheson racked up an £11,000 roaming bill on an iPad he took to Moro...

The Lib Dem peer and former Deputy First Minister shares thoughts from his career. Lord Wallace talks to Lucy Whyte and Kirsten Campbell about the early days of Scottish Parliament, his conversations with First Minister Donald Dewar and Prime Minister Tony Blair, and his role as acting First Minister. Wallace shares his thoughts Brexit and Independence, as well as the UK Conservative/Liberal Democ...