Scotcast

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: Will Burnham’s big sell work in Scotland? - Politics Show https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00324k5 Lynsey, Phil and deputy political editor of the Daily Record Chris McCall talk about John Swinney (pictured) defending comments he made about proposed changes to the UK state pension amid claims he may have misled Parliament; the pitfalls of...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like ‘STV boss on costs, cuts and a backlash’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002nkws The BBC’s new director general Matt Brittin has said that some channels and radio stations may have to go as the corporation faces a drop in licence fee payers and an audience rapidly moving online. Martin Geissler speaks to TV industry veteran Stuart Cosgrove...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: ‘Meet the new Scottish Green leaders’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002j5l7 Ross Greer (pictured) has said Zionism is racist, following a controversial motion approved by the Green Party of England and Wales. We dissect Martin’s BBC Radio Scotland interview with the Scottish Green co-leader. Photo: PA Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: ‘Old Firm sanctions: why football bosses got tough’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0030xb8 Celtic’s major shareholder Dermot Desmond (pictured) has been targeted by fans critical of the 76-year-old's stewardship of the club. Martin talks to The Herald’s Stephen McGowan and Tino Callaghan, host of the Celtic Exchange podcast, about the Ce...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like ‘Shona Robison on Sturgeon, Murrell and her stalker’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0nz42h1 Humza Yousaf was the first First Minister to have family stuck in an active war zone while doing the top job. In his new book ‘Under Fire’, he details the four weeks his in-laws were in Gaza, just after the October 7th attack by Hamas on Israel - a...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: Independence manoeuvres, council shake-ups and political GIFs – Politics Show https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0031vgq Natalie, Phil and former Labour adviser James Matthewson talk about what the end of the triple lock on pensions could mean in Scotland; Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s (pictured) decision to address the future of the union i...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like ‘Why are so many men committing sex crimes?’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0p90gzq A High Court ruling last week has changed how corroboration can be used in sexual offence cases. Many of Scotland's leading criminal defence lawyers believe this could risk the accused’s right to a fair trial. Edith Forrest KC talks to Martin Geissler abou...

The government is failing to deliver ‘The Promise’ - first made by Nicola Sturgeon in 2016 – to support all the 12,000 kids living in care. That’s the verdict of the oversight board in a new report. Its boss tells us about the level of government bureaucracy he faces – and what needs to change. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast. This episode is hosted by Martin Geissler. Get in touch: sc...

Glasgow City Council has agreed to pause plans to fire and rehire more than 23,000 members of staff. Martin is joined by journalists Catriona Stewart from the Scotsman and Beth Templeton from the Glasgow Bell about why this story is decades in the making, and how might it be resolved. Photo: PA Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast. This episode is hosted by Martin Geissler. Get in touch: sc...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like ‘Weight-loss jabs and the NHS: a 'national disgrace'?’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0nml1lz Around 90,000 people are living with dementia in Scotland – and about 144,000 people care for them. But how close are we to stopping dementia in its tracks, through testing and preventative treatments? The neuroscientist Professor Tara Spires Jon...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: ‘Can Michael Marra stick to his indyref2 position?’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0031ss7 Natalie, Phil and former the Scottish Labour MSP Paul O’Kane talk about John Swinney’s (pictured) Holyrood motion on independence and how the new Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra (pictured) responded – plus the proposed major changes to council...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: ‘Is the Sandie Peggie ruling discredited?’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002njyw Sandie Peggie (pictured) is taking legal action against her trade union, the Royal College of Nursing, in a dispute over her gender-critical beliefs. Martin talks to the BBC’s Lorna Gordon, who watched the opening day of evidence at the employment tribunal...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like ‘Our problem with drugs’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0029hch Scotland’s drug supply is getting more and more dangerous, according to Dr Lorna Nisbet (pictured) of Dundee University's Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science. That’s because a new type of synthetic opioid, called nitazenes, are flooding the market. Five hundred ti...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: ‘The Scottish Labour leadership interviews’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0030b3d Michael Marra (pictured) overcame fellow MSP Joe Fagan to be elected Scottish Labour’s eleventh leader. As MSPs prepare to vote on the principle of self-determination, we ask the Daily Record’s Chris McCall and ex-Labour spokesperson James Matthewson how M...

If you're interested in this episode, you may also like: 'What it’s really like in A&E right now' https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0030yhw Cara McKee (pictured) was elected a Scottish Green MSP in May 2026, following decades living with a mysterious chronic pain. She talks to Laura about fighting for a diagnosis for trigeminal neuralgia - and her recovery from brain surgery. Scotcast is the...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: ‘Does the Cardiff summit boost indyref2 hopes?’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0031h0n David, Lynsey and former Deputy First Minister Shona Robison talk about John Swinney's meeting with the leaders of Plaid Cymru and Sinn Féin; the data centre debate at Holyrood; and the Scottish Labour leadership race. Photo: PA Scotcast is the BBC’s S...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: ‘How big is the Jackdaw decision’: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00315sy Greg Jackson (pictured) is the chief executive of Octopus Energy, the UK’s biggest domestic energy supplier. He talks to us about household bills, AI data centres and Rammstein. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast. This episode is hosted by Martin Geissler....

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: 'Octopus CEO on energy bills, Jackdaw and heavy metal' https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0031hbw Jacob Coxon (pictured), who quit AI giant Anthropic, has said people working on artifical intelligence are“genuinely frightened” by its advances. As MSPs prepare to vote on a Scottish Greeen motion to block the construction of new AI data centre...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: 'Has Burnham caved on indyref2?’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00315w2 The first ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have declared "Westminster's time is coming to an end" at a summit in Cardiff. We speak to The Herald’s Rebecca McCurdy and our Westminster correspondent Paris Gourtsoyannis whether the gathering boosts SNP...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: ‘How we convicted killer husband and made legal history’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002tzhl Sexual crimes recorded by Police Scotland are at their highest level since 1971. With the Scottish Government preparing to recognise misogyny as a "distinct form of prejudice and abuse" in law, we speak to Karyn McCluskey (pictured left), form...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: ‘Has Swinney had a good (re)start?’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0030xdv David, Lynsey and former Alba Party adviser Kirk Torrance talk about Andy Burnham’s independence comments; SNP ministers dealing with negative headlines; and Nicola Sturgeon teaming up with Michael Gove to take on Russia. Photo: PA Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish n...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: ‘Is the far-right behind the demos on our streets?’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002yw1x Police are treating a fire at a housing association tenement in Glasgow as deliberate amid social media claims it was being renovated for asylum seekers. We ask the BBC’s Chris Clements and Jen Gracie from the Scottish Federation of Housing Associa...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: ‘What is school for? - The Education Debate’: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0ngbw3l There has been a decline in attainment in maths and reading in Scotland, according to the Pisa international study of education standards in secondary schools. We ask the BBC's Lucy Adams and former headteacher John McGhee (pictured), Glasgow City Counci...

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like: ‘What will Burnham do about North Sea oil and gas?’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002yvvy The UK government is set to approve the Jackdaw gas field off the coast of Aberdeen, the BBC understands. We talk to the BBC’s James Cook and Paris Gourtsyannis about the environmental and political significance of allowing the project to go ahead....

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like ‘Who hacked M&S’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002d80d Jude McCorry (pictured) is chief executive of the Edinburgh-based Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland. She talks to us about 'ethical' hacking and the inside story of the cyber attack on car dealership Arnold Clark in 2022. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast. This episode is...