Holyrood's Chris Marshall talks to Sean Duffy, chief executive of the Wise Group, and SNP MSP Rona Mackay, a member of the Scottish Parliament's Criminal Justice Committee, about Scotland's stubbornly high prison population and the effectiveness of community-based alternatives to incarceration. This podcast is sponsored by the Wise Group. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

After a bruising week in which the statutory regulator, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, found itself in the eye of the Gender Recognition Act storm, Mandy Rhodes interviews its chair, Baroness Kishwer Falkner. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

After a paper written by the former SNP policy lead, Chris Hanlon, on ‘devo max’ sparked an almighty row about what question or questions should be asked in any future Independence Referendum, Mandy Rhodes speaks to SNP President, Mike Russell, former Labour MSP Neil Findlay, and academic, Professor James Mitchell, on why it mattered. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

Scottish Labour’s Richard Leonard talks to Louise Wilson about his political career and why he decided to step down as party leader earlier this year. Elsewhere, the Holyrood team discuss the coming Omicron wave and whether the controversy over Downing Street parties has made it less likely that people will follow guidelines this Christmas. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

In this special COP26 edition of the podcast, Louise Wilson hears from Alistair Dutton of SCIAF about who is feeling climate change first and worst, the missing $100bn climate finance, and the achievements of COP so far. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

In this special COP26 edition of the podcast, Louise Wilson speaks to WWF Scotland’s Fabrice Leveque about cautious optimism, how Scotland can prove it’s a climate leader and the work still to be done. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

In the latest edition of the podcast, Mandy Rhodes speaks to SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford about the latest push for independence and the UK Government’s decision not to award a carbon capture plant to Scotland. Elsewhere, the team discusses the upcoming COP26 climate summit and asks – does Glasgow really have a rat problem? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

Following the murder of Sir David Amess MP, there is renewed focus on the growing level of threat and intimidation politicians face, particularly online. In this edition of the podcast, journalist Margaret Taylor speaks to SNP MP Carol Monaghan about what it was like to receive a death threat. Elsewhere, the team discuss whether Sir David’s death will lead to a tightening of security for elected officials. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

Former Scottish Conservatives leader Jackson Carlaw is the guest on this week’s edition of the podcast, fresh from being named Wag of the Year at the Holyrood Political Awards. He reflects on a career in politics and what really happened when he stepped down as leader last year. Elsewhere, the team discuss Nicola Sturgeon’s comments about having “time on her side” when it comes to a second independence referendum, and why the First Minister and Tory leader Douglas Ross are so keen to show off...

In this edition of the podcast, Mandy Rhodes speaks to former SNP deputy leader Jim Sillars about his life in politics and why he believes the current party leadership is failing to articulate the case for independence. Elsewhere, the team discuss a landmark legal ruling by the Supreme Court and Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s speech to the Conservative party conference. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

As the Labour Party meets for its annual conference in Brighton, journalist Andrew Learmonth talks to recently elected MSP Michael Marra on how the party can get back into government both at Holyrood and Westminster and how it heals itself following the division of the Jeremy Corbyn era. Marra also reflects on being named One to Watch at the recent Holyrood Political Awards. Elsewhere, the team discuss the fuel crisis and whether there is finally some cause for optimism when it comes to the...

After striking an historic Green deal and announcing its 12-bill programme for government, has the SNP run out of steam or is it ready to power forward to independence? Mandy Rhodes interviews Professor James Mitchell. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the cooperation agreement is a “leap of faith,” but which party has more to gain, the SNP or the Scottish Greens? Join the Holyrood team as they discuss all the latest developments, as well as the prospect of vaccine passports amid rising Covid cases and Michael Gove’s unexpected appearance in an Aberdeen nightclub. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

The guest on the podcast this week is journalist Yvonne Ridley, who was taken hostage by the Taliban while reporting from Afghanistan after 9/11. Also on this episode the team discuss the deal between the Greens and the SNP and the prospect of a "circuit breaker" due to the worrying rise in Covid cases. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

Amid political recriminations following the Taliban's seizure of Kabul, the Holyrood team talks to Afghans living in the UK, a former soldier and ex-International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander about whether the two-decade conflict was worth it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

Environmentalist James Curran joins Holyrood editor Mandy Rhodes to discuss the publication of the IPCC’s report on climate change, which was described as a “code red for humanity”. Also in this episode, the Holyrood team discuss the growing row over the Cambo oilfield in the North Sea and the possibility of a deal between the SNP and Scottish Greens. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/holyrood/message

Roddy Dunlop QC, one of Scotland’s leading lawyers and dean of the Faculty of Advocates, joins deputy editor Chris Marshall to discuss recent political attacks on the legal profession, the Scottish Government’s controversial new hate crime legislation and the future of the not proven verdict. Also in this episode, the Holyrood team discuss the lifting of COVID restrictions and what can be done to tackle Scotland’s drug-death emergency. Remember to Follow and Subscribe wherever you listen to...

Scottish Lib Dem leader bows out leaving a gap in the political photo opportunity market.  Remember to Follow and Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. You can follow our hosts, Mandy, Chris, Louise, Jenni and Andrew on Twitter, and you can keep up to date with the latest news from Holyrood online at Holyrood.com, or on our Twitter @HolyroodDaily. Lastly, remember to read the last issue of Holyrood Magazine online here. This show was hosted by the Holyrood Editorial Team and produced by...

Glasgow MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy, the first permanent wheelchair user elected to the Scottish Parliament, joins deputy editor Chris Marshall on the podcast to talk about some of her struggles growing up and her determination to make Scotland a better place for people with disabilities. Elsewhere, the Holyrood team discusses the easing of COVID restrictions and the stuttering attempt to vaccinate Scotland’s young adults. Remember to Follow and Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. You can...

The Holyrood team chew over a week in politics and the editor, Mandy Rhodes, interviews Professor Linda Bauld, chair of public health at the University of Edinburgh about where we are with the pandemic and where we are heading. Remember to Follow and Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. You can follow our hosts, Mandy, Chris, Louise, Jenni and Andrew on Twitter, and you can keep up to date with the latest news from Holyrood online at Holyrood.com, or on our Twitter...

As the parliament goes into recess for the summer, we explore the rise in holidays at home with Amanda Cupples, the general manager for the UK and Northern Europe with Airbnb.  Remember to Follow and Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. You can follow our hosts, Mandy, Chris, Louise, Jenni and Andrew on Twitter, and you can keep up to date with the latest news from Holyrood online at Holyrood.com, or on our Twitter @HolyroodDaily. Lastly, remember to read the last issue of Holyrood...

Mandy Rhodes interviews public policy analyst, Lisa Mackenzie, about how public policy has been affected by the conflation of sex and gender. Remember to Follow and Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. You can follow our hosts, Mandy on Twitter, and you can keep up to date with the latest news from Holyrood online at Holyrood.com, or on our Twitter @HolyroodDaily. Lastly, remember to read the last issue of Holyrood Magazine online here. This show was hosted by Mandy Rhodes and produced...

With Pride: Mandy Rhodes interviews Lady Rampant, Scotland's Best Political Queen at the Glasgow Drag Awards 2020 about sex, gender and the stalled GRA reforms. Remember to Follow and Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. You can follow our hosts, Mandy on Twitter, and you can keep up to date with the latest news from Holyrood online at Holyrood.com, or on our Twitter @HolyroodDaily. Lastly, remember to read the last issue of Holyrood Magazine online here. This show was hosted by Mandy...

Pride Month was always going to be a scaled down affair this year because of the pandemic but with the role of the UK’s largest LGBTQ+ charity, Stonewall, in shaping public policy under the spotlight, the debate around women’s rights and trans rights has captured the headlines. Mandy Rhodes interviews a founder of Stonewall, Simon Fanshawe. Remember to Follow and Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. You can follow our hosts, Mandy on Twitter, and you can keep up to date with the latest...