The Stooshie: the politics podcast from DC Thomson

Were you paying attention during the Scottish election? Do you have the brains to take on the toughest test in hyper-niche political questioning? Then you should play along with our traditional end of term Stooshie quiz. There is no prize other than personal glory. Enjoy.

Sir Keir Starmer has resigned. What will his departure mean, and can his likely replacement Andy Burnham succeed? We also discuss the by-election results in Arbroath and Broughty Ferry and Aberdeen South. And St Andrews University academic Dr Antonis Vradis speaks to us about his experience on the Gaza flotilla.  

Yet more cuts at Dundee University mean lots more job losses. The team assesses what’s gone wrong and digs into the political backlash. It’s also the week of three big UK by-elections, including two covering Dundee and Aberdeen. We spoke to voters in Aberdeen South for their views.

Six party candidates join the Stooshie to go over the priorities for the key by-election, being held on June 18. Join us for a 90-minute special edition with candidates from the Conservatives, SNP, Reform, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Green party.  

Plans to build a huge new AI data centre near a Fife village have proven divisive. But businessman Mark Wilson, the man behind the scheme, thinks it’s a “game-changer” for Fife. He speaks to us on the podcast about how he will address the concerns of Auchtertool villagers.

Politicians in London and Edinburgh are under pressure to listen to rural island voices and build better connections under the sea. We spoke to an engineer who builds tunnels around the world – but not our own islands. Andy Sloan has been talking to Westminster and Holyrood recently, and says infrastructure upgrades on that scale are a reality – it just needs political ‘champions’.

The former first minister is our special guest on the podcast this week. Mr Yousaf spoke candidly about Peter Murrell’s embezzlement conviction and the SNP campervan controversy. He also opens up about his in-laws being trapped in Gaza in late 2023 and gives his thoughts on the rise of Reform UK at the Holyrood election.

Just when you thought it was safe to forget about the election, along come two more. The team looks at the upcoming Westminster by-elections in Aberdeen South, and in Abroath and Broughty Ferry. John Swinney is sworn in as first minister once again - but what challenges lie ahead for his new government?

The team picks out the highlights from the Holyrood election and the stories behind the scenes. We look at the leaders, asking who is safe and whose coat is on a shoogly peg. We also assess the under-reported stories and concerns about a “spoiler” party targeting the Greens.  

The future of the north-east takes centre stage in a specially recorded live edition of the podcast in Aberdeen. Six candidates from all main parties across the region join host Andy Philip in front of an audience at The Press and Journal offices in the city. Debate, including sharp questions from the public, covers the energy economy, transport, a housing emergency, colleges and universities, and...

The Holyrood election on May 7 takes centre stage in a specially recorded Leaders Debate live edition of the podcast in Dundee. Six leaders of Scotland's main political parties join host Sean O'Neil in front of an audience at The Courier's offices in the city.      

The team talks through each of the six parties as we hit the final stretch. Can the  SNP win big or will they be pegged back? Who will win the battle for second place? And for the losers, what happens next?  

The NHS is the number one concern for voters at the upcoming Holyrood election. Dr Chris Williams, based in Grantown-on-Spey, talks about the strain on GPs at the moment. What does he think the next government can do to help after May 7, and will walk-in clinics help ease pressure?

The Stooshie looks through the results of our survey on election priorities. This week, the decline of the high street and what can be done to fix it. We also look at the state of play for political party manifestos while we wait for the SNP and Lib Dems to complete the set.

We look at a topic which is animating voters in rural Scotland ahead of the election. Campaigners from Angus to the Highlands worry about plans for giant pylons. They say it could blight the landscape and want to see the proposed schemes ditched. Energy giants SSEN say the upgrades are necessary for the country’s grid. So how much will this matter come May 7?

We look at each party as the Holyrood election gets into full swing. Tories and SNP start in Aberdeen with an energy focus, while Labour goes island hopping. Lib Dems think they should be back in parliament already. Reform are still trying to work out who their own candidates are. And the Greens had an almighty scrap with themselves. Onwards to May 7!  

Mum Beth Morrison opens up on her decade-long fight to change restraint and seclusion laws after her disabled son Calum was left covered in bruises and traumatised at school when he was 11 years old. @Enable_Tweets @djohnsonmsp

The SNP gathered for a pre-election gathering in Edinburgh – what’s the mood in the party? We hear from Stephen Flynn and Stephen Gethins, two MPs hoping to win a berth at Holyrood on May 7. Aberdeen University has become caught up in the Iran war at its Qatar campus. And we get a look inside a fighting Green party branch where bullying claims are causing bitter fall-outs.

The landmark plan to legalise assisted dying in Scotland has reached crunch time at Holyrood. MSP Liam McArthur explains how he's trying to convince wavering politicians to back the legislation next week. We also reflect on a week of turmoil in the economy from inside the energy debate in London. And we catch up on Scottish election developments, including a look ahead to Reform's candidates being...

To help us make sense of the UK Government’s economic plans, and problems, we’re joined by Mairi Spowage, Director of the Fraser of Allender Institute. That’s a good thing because Chancellor Rachel Reeves' latest spring statement looked out of date the minute she started speaking this week. Forecasts were ripped up as oil prices shot up and conflict spread across Iran and the middle east.   Notes:...

Tories and Lib Dems held special election conferences, both hoping to make an impact at the Scottish Parliament election on May.  We spoke to Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Lib Dem leader Ed Davey about their chances while the SNP continues to stay far in front. We also look ahead to Labour in Paisley this weekend and set out our own election planning 10 weeks from polling day.  

The Scottish Information Commissioner David Hamilton sits down with The Stooshie to talk about Freedom of Information in Scotland, transparency in our NHS, the Scottish Government and local authorities - and how AI could be a gamechanger. 

Former Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale joins us to rake over the chaos after Anas Sarwar stunned everyone by calling for the prime minister to quit. She knows a thing or two about what it's like to turn on the UK Labour leader, having worked with Jeremy Corbyn. Also joining us is Murray Foote, the former Daily Record editor and ex-SNP chief executive. He'd quite like to send Anas Sarwar some...

The Scottish Parliament election is three months away and every party is starting their campaign conference, beginning with Jeremy Corbyn’s new left alternative party meeting in Dundee this weekend. We mark the start of the campaign phase by speaking to Ballot Box Scotland guru Allan Faulds on what the public mood is for each party. Will the SNP get their referendum election? How does Labour respo...

Scotland is certainly feeling the heat now, and for the first time in years, it seems faraway threats are beginning to appear alarmingly close. From Donald Trump and Greenland, to Russia and a confused world order. We spoke to Andrew Neal, Professor of International Security at Edinburgh University, to make sense of the threat and impact across the north of Scotland.