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PODCAST

Holyrood Sources

Shortbread Media

The Holyrood Sources podcast analyses Scottish politics through the experiences of those who have lived and breathed it as Special Advisers to the Scottish Government, SNP and opposition parties. Join hosts Calum Macdonald, Geoff Aberdein (Chief of Staff to the First Minister, 2007-2014) and Andy Maciver (Former Head of Communications for the Scottish Conservatives) as they take you inside Scottish politics. Their insight is second to none - they"ve been there, lived it, and maintain remarkable

news

All Episodes

1:02:02

A Sticky By Election

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/08/02

There's huge excitement on the podcast this week as the live episode with Humza Yousaf approaches. Have you got a ticket? Email us to let us know! Also up for discussion this week, the by-election in Rutherglen and Hamilton West. We discuss expectation management: is it a foregone conclusion that Labour will take the seat from the SNP? How much does the size of their victory matter? Geoff becomes a Geoff-ologist. Plus, Allister Thomas, the Europe Editor of Energy Voiceis on the podcast to explain

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2:48

Special Announcement

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/07/27

Click holyroodsources.com/live Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/holyroodsources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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53:27

Electoral cul-de-sac... with Fergus Ewing

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/07/26

Fergus Ewing, SNP MSP for Inverness and Nairn (Constituency)joins Calum, Geoff and Andy. Road building, renewable energy opportunities, trust in government, and the path to Scottish independence are all on the table. Ewing criticises the Green Party and Scottish government's approach to new road building, arguing that emissions reduction should take priority. Ewing shares his perspectives on Scotland's economic potential in the energy sector, the divide between rural and metropolitan Scotland, and

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59:32

The Perception of Competence... with Stephen Flynn

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/07/19

Calum Macdonald, Andy Maciver and Geoff Aberdein are joined by Stephen Flynn - the SNP’s Westminster leader.We start by discussing the Labour Shadow Cabinet's defence of the two-child cap policy and the claim that Britain has no money. Stephen Flynn, as a Scottish nationalist, emphasises the need for clarity in their vision for Scotland, particularly in terms of economic growth and harnessing renewable resources.As more SNP MPs announce their intention to stand down at the next election, the

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29:57

MSPs in Recess

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/07/12

MSPs get in touch with Holyrood Sources to tell us how they're spending their summer recess. As well as holiday time, what policies are they pursuing? How are they representing constituents? We emailed every single MSP to ask them to send us a 30 second clip - and we're playing every single response we got. A couple of parties are missing (H/T Peter MacDonald on Twitter) Get in touch with us. Email hello@holyroodsources.com. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/holyroodsources. Hosted on

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44:34

Best of (some of) the Guests

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/07/05

Hear from Kate Forbes (SNP MSP and former leadership candidate), Jeane Freeman (Former SNP Health Secretary), Alex Salmond (Former SNP First Minister), Jack McConnell (Former Labour First Minister), Ruth Davidson (Former Leader of the Scottish Conservatives) and Anas Sarwar (Scottish Labour leader) for a recap of the podcast so far. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/holyroodsources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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52:21

Brexit, Indy Convention, Recess

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/06/29

Calum, Andy and Geoff gather for the last day of term before the Scottish Parliament heads into recess. Calum has arrived back from holiday to a cryptic note from Geoff saying: "Ask me about Brexit" - which he does, and an interesting conversation about the importance of Brexit at the next election begins. Then, it's onto the independence convention in Dundee - what on earth was that all about? Plus, what have been our highlights of our first 21 episodes and what have we learned? Who has talked the

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1:00:16

Sturgeon, Labour, Energy... with Kezia Dugdale

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/06/20

Kezia Dugdale, the former leader of the Scottish Labour party, joins Calum, Geoff and Andy. We discuss Nicola Sturgeon after she made her second public comments since being arrested and released without charge. Kezia also shares her take on Sir Keir Starmer's energy strategy and her doubts about whether the widely-reported surge in Labour support is real. The Bute House Agreement comes up in the context of energy strategy. Kezia tells us about her work on democracy and about encouraging more people

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1:22:38

Exclusive: Alex Salmond

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/06/14

Former First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond (Geoff's old boss) is on the podcast. He responds to the news of Nicola Sturgeon's arrest and analyses where the SNP stands. He talks about uniting independence-backing parties together ahead of the general election and next Scottish election. He and Geoff reminisce telling never-heard-before stories of the independence referendum campaign - including a near disaster in a helicopter - the release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi - and an odd phone call from

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1:02:58

Advice... from Jack McConnell

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/06/06

Former First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Jack McConnell, joins the podcast to talk about election victories and defeats. He remembers campaigns he won and lost. He tells us about 2007, when Labour lost control of Holyrood and how early he knew something was going wrong. He discusses Labour's current position on North Sea oil and gas. He tells us about his relationship with other First Ministers, either present or former. As he reflects on his time as First Minister,

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45:20

Cooperation and Collaboration...or not

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/05/31

Calum, Andy and new dad Geoff discuss the politics of the oil and gas industry, and the transition to renewables and net zero. After Keir Starmer suggested Labour would not allow new licenses in the North Sea - and Anas Sarwar, seemingly, backed him - we discuss why there can't be more cooperation on a way to achieve net zero. Plus, we look at the deposit return scheme and ask basically the same question: why try to create a constitutional argument out of something that isn't controversial and seems

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50:17

Your Qs: Election Strategy, The Greens, Indy Convention

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/05/24

Throughout the episode, we answer your questions. Calum, Andy and Geoff consider latest polling which suggests losses for the SNP at Westminster, including of Deputy Westminster leader Mhairi Black. We answer Mada's question on election strategies for Labour and the Conservatives. We discuss the Greens as Lorna Slater suggests the Deposit Return Scheme is: "All systems go" and consider Richard asking why the First Minister hasn't got rid of the Greens from Government yet. Then it's onto the

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58:19

Can we make politics better? With Adam Tomkins

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/05/17

Calum, Andy and Geoff are joined by Prof. Adam Tomkins. He was Conservative MSP for the Glasgow region from 2016 to 2021. He's a constitutional lawyer at the University of Glasgow. He was previously a constitutional advisor to the House of Lords Constitution Committee and the Scotland Office. We discuss the end of the road for a referendum route to independence, the latest from Humza Yousaf who has, once again, fallen ill with foot-in-mouth disease after an interview with a BBC Radio programme which

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51:21

Exclusive: Polling on IndyRef and party support

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/05/09

A new Survation poll, commissioned by strategic advisory firm True North and shared exclusively with the Holyrood Sources podcast, shows the SNP is losing the support of people who believe in independence. Calum, Geoff and Andy are joined by Fergus Mutch from True North, and Professor Sir John Curtice from the University of Strathclyde to discuss the results and the implications. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/holyroodsources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more

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59:46

Joanna Cherry: free speech, independence, the SNP

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/05/03

SNP MP Joanna Cherry joins Calum, Geoff and Andy. She's in the middle of a tumultuous week, saying she's been cancelled by The Stand Comedy Club, whose staff don't want to work at an event Joanna was booked to take part in. In light of that, we discuss free speech and how far politicians, and the SNP, are responsible for eroding open debate. She also tells us: "Idon't know what the SNP strategy for independence is at the moment." She talks about what the SNP need to do to head for independence and

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1:05:51

Does Labour deserve to win? With Anas Sarwar

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/04/26

Calum, Geoff and Andy are joined by the Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar who discusses the NHS, his relationship with the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, what his vision is for the general election in 2024 and the Holyrood election in 2026. Mr Sarwar describes how he wants to work collegiately and considers how Labour can appeal to all parts of Scotland - urban and rural. He says: "We've probably persuaded lots of people why we think the Tories and the SNP deserve to lose. I think the hardest part

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1:04:26

Opposition then and now...with Ruth Davidson

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/04/19

Ruth Davidson, former leader of the Scottish Conservative party joins Calum, Geoff and Andy. She discusses the sympathy she feels for Humza Yousaf given the ongoing SNP crisis. Geoff and Andy say the new First Minister's programme for government is getting lost as the crisis around the SNP continues. Ruth reminisces about preparing for First Minister's Questions - she describes the differing styles of Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond. She discusses the future of the Scottish Parliament, her memories

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54:07

Crisis Comms and Campervans

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/04/12

Calum, Geoff and Andy reflect on the last couple of weeks since our exclusive with former SNP leadership candidate and Scottish Government Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and conversation with former Health Secretary Jeane Freeman in our previous two episodes. Plus, we consider the woes of the SNP - has Kate Forbes dodged a bullet? How is Humza Yousaf handling the fallout from the police investigation into financial mismanagement within the SNP? How can the party that, for years, has claimed to speak

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1:03:55

Jeane Freeman: The Greens, NHS and Respect

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/04/05

Special guest Jeane Freeman joins this episode. Jeane served as Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport from 2018 to 2021. She was SNP MSP for the Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency from 2016 to 2021. Calum, Geoff and Andy question her on the relationship between the Greens and the SNP and whether The Bute House agreement is clear enough. Jeane also reflects on her days as Health Secretary during the Covid pandemic. She tells us about her biggest regret as Health Secretary as well as how

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48:15

Exclusive: Kate Forbes

Holyrood Sources ·

2023/04/01

Join us for a special conversation with Kate Forbes. In her first public comments since she lost out on the SNP leadership to Humza Yousaf, the Highland MSP, who came a close second in the SNP leadership election, says the accusation that her economic policies were a ‘lurch to the right’ was bizarre, and simply “spin and smear.” She speaks about her campaign almost being derailed in the early days by the reaction to her membership of the Free Church of Scotland and her views on gay marriage. She

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