Podlitical

BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor shares anecdotes and analysis from his career ahead of his retirement from his role of nearly 30 years. He shares his beginnings as a political journalist, stand out moments from covering Scottish politics, and how he sees the future of Holyrood and Scotland in a more divided political landscape.

Professor Sir John Curtice joins the team to talk Independence polls and local lockdowns. Will the SNP sustain their polling lead across winter? How will the fight with Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham impact on Boris Johnson's government? The team also talk about Professor Curtice's career, why he's not interested in Instagram, and if England could see a rise in the 'F-Word': Federalism.

Is the Salmond inquiry leading to splits within the SNP and the Scottish Government? As the Holyrood committee investigating the Scottish government's handling of complaints against Alex Salmond continues, the team explains and discusses the rifts between the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her former mentor, the previous FM Alex Salmond. What could the fallout be, and will public spats over th...

NPR White House Correspondent Tamara Keith joins the team to talk the 2020 US Election, as we ask: How do you cover the race during a pandemic? Tamara shares her thoughts on Trump's spell with Coronavirus, polling, disinformation online, and how political journalism can be impacted by Covid-19 restrictions.

Pubs are facing another round of restrictions in Scotland, but will it slow the virus, and can the industry survive another blow? The team try to unpick some of the more confusing local restrictions starting ahead of the weekend, the praise and criticism the First Minister has faced, and wonder if these rules could be enforced in the rest of the UK too.

As the Coronavirus Act 2020 is extended - should emergency powers be under more scrutiny in Parliament? Those critical of the laws say Parliament should have more chance to debate and amend the rules, with some warning we risk our civil liberties. The Government argues it needs to react fast to reduce the Covid-19 infection rate. The team discuss this row boiling up in Westminster and Holyrood.

Naked Scientist Dr Chris Smith joins the pod as new Covid-19 restrictions are announced, to last 6 months or perhaps even longer - but will it help us handle a second wave, or should we be making more drastic policy decisions? Phil Sim and Rajdeep Sandhu answer your questions and get Dr Smith's expert opinion as a virologist. How long does he think we may live with the pandemic?

Is our democracy for sale? Peter Geoghegan joins the team to talk dirty money in politics, and how it it's utilised in a dark digital world to potentially influence elections. Lynsey Bews and Philip Sim ask him what we can do about it, how tech giants play a role, and how we can use the upcoming US election to learn lessons.

Financial Times journalist Sebastian Payne joins the team to discuss how a new bill on Brexit might break the law. The FT got a scoop revealing the UK's top lawyer was resigning over the so-called Internal Markets Act. Why might this breach international law, what does it mean for Devolution, and are we now heading for a No-Deal Brexit?

As Scottish Labour Leader Richard Leonard faces calls to quit, the team talk about party leadership and the complex process of picking a new leader. We discuss Douglas Ross taking over the Scottish Tories and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon publishing the draft Indyref2 bill. Where does all this leave the parties ahead of the 2021 Holyrood elections?

Will the next generation of MSPs be more diverse? Maryam Ahmed & Alys Mumford join to discuss what needs to change for more women, ethnic minority, and LGBT+ candidates to stand.

Joining us from all four nations of the UK, the team talks about the state of the Union, what's changed during the pandemic, and the possible impact of a looming Brexit.

The team returns as Education Secretary John Swinney faces continued exams controversy, including a no confidence vote - but will this affect the SNP's success in the polls?

Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw has resigned, so where does this leave the party? Phil Sim, Lynsey Bews, and Nick Eardley return for a bonus episode to discuss.

School is back, and Spanish holidays may be scuppered. The team returns to talk lockdown, and what changes are happening in Scotland.

What do Chancellor Rishi Sunak's new schemes mean for Scotland? The team returns to discuss whether his plans will help soften the economic blow caused by Covid-19.

The sun shines as lockdown lifts, but are the decisions being made politically motivated? On the last weekly episode this summer, the team talk school u-turns and rule confusion.

Emma Seith joins the team to talk Scottish back-to-school planning and why it's divisive, including funding issues, debates around the science, and the two metre rule.

As the Covid-19 crisis hits jobs and livelihoods, how can we save the Scottish economy? The Government's finance secretary Kate Forbes MSP joins the team to share her ideas.

Writer Claire Heuchan and musician Ransom FA have a frank talk on being Black & Scottish, sharing their experience as protests against George Floyd's death in the US continue.

Why are BAME Brits being so hard hit in the pandemic? Ashitha Nagesh joins to discuss, talking about the recent Public Health England report, and the current protests.

The team chat about Scotland's plan to start lifting lockdown restrictions a little bit, as well as Dominic Cummings' trip to Durham, and Phil considering taking up horse riding.

BBC journalist Mark Daly joins the team to talk about the UK's track and trace plans, as well as his recent documentary looking into Scotland's Coronavirus strategy so far.

Is this the week Covid-19 got political? The team asks if this is a test for devolution, and if joint strategies across the four nations are falling apart.

How do you convince a whole country to stay at home? Psychology Professor Steve Reicher describes what politicians need to do if we are to trust them.