Some weeks there are so many issues to get through but we try our best in this episode.The Covid Inquiry continues to throw a hard light on the incompetence and down right corruption of the UK government during the pandemic.We look at the latest revelations and testimonies from amongst others Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham.We also question the almost universal ignoring of the inquiry by the Scottish media.This is in stark contrast to the obsession with Michael Matheson's laptop, which spilled...

Hope is high that there will be a truce between Hamas and Israel meaning that there will be a release of hostages and a suspension of fighting in Gaza.Today saw Humza Yousaf present a motion to the Scottish Parliament calling for a ceasefire. We give our immediate reaction to the speeches.The Westminster vote last Wednesday on the SNP King's Speech amendment saw a rebellion by 56 Labour MPs who disobeyed the instruction to abstain. The narrative being that the SNP ceasefire proposal was a...

As yet another Tory Cabinet reshuffle took place we ask if Sunak is making the last throw of the electoral dice by ditching Braverman and bringing back Cameron?Was he trying to entice back "the blue wall" while assuaging the red meat right with the recall of Esther McVey?Massive pro peace demonstrations took place across the UK last weekend. This display of popular disgust at the Israeli destruction of Gaza and the ensuing loss of life seems to signal a shift, at least among the public,...

It was all pomp and circumstance at the State Opening of Parliament. We give our first impressions of King Charles' speech and consider the underlying significance of the cosplay.Suella Braverman is,once again,skating on the thin ice of inflammatory with her statements on the pro Palestinian marches labelling them "hate marches" designed to "desecrate Armistice Day" is she giving the green light to a crackdown on freedom of speech and Islamophobia?When allied to her sleeping rough is a...

All the political parties are having issues this week.The Tories lost two by-elections with massive swings to Labour.Labour cock a hoop but look to be in trouble with Sadiq Khan, Andy Burnham and Anas Sarwar all calling for an immediate ceasefire. Starmer's LBC interview where he did not, despite later "clarifications", condemn Israel's cutting off water, food, and electricity to Gaza leading to resignations by councilors right across the UK.The SNP saw Ash Regan, so recently a contender for...

Humza Yousaf's closing speech to the SNP annual conference in Aberdeen is the focus of this week's episode.He began as do we with his response to the developing humanitarian disaster in Gaza and the atrocities carried out by Hamas.We compare and contrast his measured and humane approach to that of Sir Keir Starmer before going on to give our initial impressions of the speech itself and the measures he announced within it.Tommy Shephard, one of the key movers behind the new SNP independence...

In this podcast special we feature the two contenders for SNP President .The current incumbent Mike Russell and challenger Graeme McCormick. ★ Support this podcast ★

We begin with our thoughts on the horrific events unfolding in Gaza and Israel.Has it been a case of out of sight, out of mind, for the plight of the Palestinians for the outside world? In responding to Hamas terror has the Israeli government engaged in the war crime of collective punishment? And are domestic politicians using this crisis for political gain?The Rutherglen and West Hamilton by election, no matter the spin over turn out and continuing support for Scottish independence, was a...

A bumper episode featuring Rishi Sunak, the Rosebank oilfield, the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election, and Robin McAlpine.The numerate among you will note that's four not three Rs but why ruin a good podcast title over arithmetic?Rishi Sunak seems assailed on all sides at the Conservative Conference in Manchester. Farage hob-nobbing with Priti Patel, Liz Truss re-emerging with her 60 "Growthers", and northern Tory mayors not at all happy with the rumoured cancellation of HS2.We look at...

Rishi Sunak was spooked, after a leak, into announcing his roll-back from Net Zero measures. This resulted in condemnation, not just from political opponents and environmental groups, but from within his own party and industry.We look at what might be behind this and ask if this is a last throw of the dice to stave off electoral disaster.Talking of disasters and Sunak he claimed yesterday that he was shocked to discover the runaway costs of HS2. Is he holding the poison chalice of a 2009...

This podcast extra features our conversation with Robin McAlpine.Robin is a Scottish campaigner who was the Director of the Common Weal think tank from 2014 to 2021. He previously worked as a journalist, and was the first director of the Jimmy Reid Foundation. In an earlier political incarnation he  worked as a political researcher for Labour MP George Robertson.He's currently Head of Strategic Development at Common Weal.Our starting point was Sorted  based on 10 years of policy work by...

We certainly cover a lot of ground in this week's episode.Kicking off ( pun definitely intended) with the retreat by Richard Turfitt on the draconian proposed restrictions on travelling Scottish football fans. The consultation document resulted in almost unanimous consensus in opposition right across the political spectrum.The decision by the Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain that it would “not be in the public interest to prosecute drug users” possessing drugs within a consumption room were one to...

Humza Yousaf delivered the SNP's Programme for Government for the next parliamentary year and we give our immediate reaction to the major proposals he outlined.Lesley was a speaker,and marcher,at the Edinburgh  Believe in Scotland rally last Saturday. She talks about what it was like,the significance of the First Minister's attendance,and why it was about so much more than the numbers.Sir Keir Starmer has just completed his Shadow Cabinet reshuffle and what appears to be the completion of his...

Lesley's back frae film making in Denmark and the first part of this week's episode are her hame thochts frae abroad. Not giving the game away too much but safe to say she loved what she saw and reflects on what Scotland can and should learn from our Nordic neighbour.One of the other benefits of being away and so busy has been her non exposure to X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. So she missed the online stooshie over what exactly Kezia Dugdale said about Scottish...

Seamas Carey is a Cornish artist/bloke best known for the podcast series The Reason Why, a humorous and thought-provoking exploration of the social issues and culture wars of contemporary Cornwall.He's making his Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut, in a one-man comedy show about "second homes, xenophobia and bagpipes": Help! I Think I’m A Nationalist. Seamas has watched a wave of gentrification sweep through his hometown in Cornwall. There’s nowhere to live - yet second homes stand empty. At a...

In this week's episode we ask whether Humza Yousaf will live up to his promise of being "First Activist" and reach out to the broader independence movement,no matter how far out of the SNP comfort zone that takes him.We also compare and contrast the differing fates of two SNP elected outliers,Fergus Ewing and Angus MacNeil. Opprobium has been heaped on the Bute House Agreement and it has taken much of the blame for the fall in support for the SNP. Is this justified?As the Bibby Stockholm lies...

As Lee Anderson tells asylum seekers to "F###k off back to France", if they don't like living on a barge, and Sunak claims the opposition are mounting an attack on motorists we examine the developing culture war narratives the Tories will spin at the next General Election. Grant Shapps on BBC Radio 4's World at One trotted out the line that the UK is leading the world on transition to Net Zero. Lesley looks at the reality behind the claim. As the first asylum seekers take up occupation on the...

Rishi Sunak(private) jetted up to Scotland for his big announcements on UK energy strategy. We try and pick our way through Tory sleight of hand to analyse the reality behind his claims on the UK becoming energy independent,driving down energy prices,and increasing energy security all by granting 100s more oil and gas exploration licences. While still pursuing Net Zero.Patrick Harvie was on GMS answering attacks,from Labour peer Lord Haughey, on the Scottish Government's heat pump policy....

The recent English byelection results have thrown the possibility of a Labour government after the next general election into sharp relief.We examine those results and the messages both Labour and the Tories seem to be taking from,in particular,Uxbridge and South Ruislip. Will they both jettison their Net Zero commitments for short term political expediency?The Labour National Policy Forum,despite pressure from Unite and Momentum, endorsed Starmer's economic and social...

Lesley's back frae her grand tour and it's provided her with plenty of food for thought on Brexit,land ownership,rural housing and the power of story to reconnect us with Scotland's past and potential future.Sir Keir Starmer is fond of repeating Harold Wilson's famous quote that Labour is a moral crusade or it is nothing. In the light of his abandonment of the pledge to get rid of the two child benefit cap, on top of all the other policy u-turns, we ask just what does Labour now actually...

After the marathon political catch- up last week we have more of a meander through various topics this episode.We reflect on Mhairi Black's announcement that she, along with currently six other SNP MPs, won't be standing for re-election,the toxicity and the allure of Westminster and its bubble.Much is being made of tensions,even splits,in the SNP but all is not well in the Labour Party. It looks like left leaning candidates are not being selected and there's disquiet over shifts in policy...

If a week is a long time in politics, what's a fortnight?Yup, it's definitely a catch-up episode after the hiatus for the Joyce flit.After a labyrinthine link from the Lord's test match to the SNP Independence Convention in Dundee we get down to analysing Humza's speech and strategy of "A vote for the SNP is a vote for independence", at the next General Election.On a day when Orkney Council debated its future with the UK and Scotland we try and look behind the media feeding frenzy at the...

In this podcast extra we speak with Naz Miah and Cameron Coyne of the Dunfermline Yes Hub. Cam and Naz are definitely from the younger generation of indy supporters and, in addition to all their activism, have been producing videos of folk telling their stories of how they came to support independence.Lesley features in one of these and was so impressed with their energy, enthusiasm, and commitment that she knew we had to have them on the podcast.After listening to them I think you'll agree...

There's a definite fin de siècle feel about Westminster these days reminiscent of the last days of the Major government in 1997.The Prime Minister, who last weekend got all tough over Johnson's honours nominations, bottled the debate and vote on the Privileges Committee report, as did another 285 of his MPs. It duly passed but revealed the weakness of Sunak, and the extent, excluding the SNP, of mutual cross-party self-congratulation that permeated Tory and Labour benches.Westminster operates...

It was some 72 hours in British politics beginning with the resignation as an MP on Friday by Boris Johnson,Nicola Sturgeon being arrested on Sunday, and the internal Tory Party fall out over Johnson's honours listWe try and pick through all this beginning,naturally, with the latest on Nicola Sturgeon  and analyse the reaction not just from the media but from within the SNP with calls for her party membership to be suspended.Meanwhile at Holyrood Lorna Slater announced the delay of DRS until...