Reform and Refine

The National Care Service is delayed and the build-up to Holyrood 2026 continues. With the announcement that the National Care Service has been delayed, but not dropped according to the Scottish Government, and the original vision set out by former First Minister Sturgeon looking further away, what might be the fate of the National Care Service in Scotland, and might there be a UK version like Labour set out in its manifesto? Plus, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has caused a stir by putting his name forward to stand as an MSP in the 2026 Holyrood election, while also hoping to stay on as an MP in Westminster, and the Labour government frets over potential Trump tariffs.

What does the new US president-elect Donald Trump mean for Scotland and the wider UK? From threats of tariffs, to campaign clashes with the Labour leadership, the team discuss the implications of a Trump presidency on the UK, including the risk of export tariffs for Scotch whisky, and the kind of relationship the US and UK may have for the next four years. With new Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch taking her post this week, and Trump ally Nigel Farage's Reform UK seeing success in the UK general election, what influence might Trump's politics have on the national conversation?

Podlitical sits down with Scotland's Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes to talk budgets. Kate Forbes, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, and MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, chats with Podlitical following Labour's first budget in 14 years, discussing how she and the SNP-led Scottish Government feel it's a "step in the right direction" but worries for Scotland's pensioners, farmers, and the feeling of "betrayal" within the whisky sector. Forbes lays out how the SNP "took on the chin" the general election result, and how the minority SNP Government look to pass legislation like the Scottish Budget by "governing from the mainstream" and building consensus around plans such as a National Care Service. Plus, is she staying up to watch the US election results come in?For a range of political interviews, subscribe to Podlitical on BBC Sounds.

Podlitical breaks down the tax and spend on Labour's first Budget in 14 years. What implications do Chancellor Reeves' announcements have for Scotland, and the upcoming Scottish Government budget later this year? The team are joined by Mairi Spowage, Director at the Fraser of Allander Institute at the University of Strathclyde to deep dive into the taxation and spending plans, which Government departments see gains and which see cuts, and discuss at who might win, and who might lose out.

With less than a week before the UK budget, is Chancellor Reeves playing fiscal chess? The team discuss the upcoming budget, and what it might mean for Scotland in terms of spending, cuts, and taxation, and if we can expect any "rabbits out the hat". Also, Scottish and UK politicians find themselves in an international row after Donald Trump accuses Labour of "foreign interference" following the news of Labour activists campaigning for the Harris-Waltz camp in the United States, and an anecdote on accidentally doorstepping a candidate in a bathroom as the Tory leadership contest continues.

The team discuss the latest on Salmond's death, and the likelihood of big budget reveals. Following the news that former First Minister Alex Salmond's body is being flown back by a private individual, the team discuss the row (that perhaps wasn't a row) over using the RAF to return Salmond to the UK, and what the loss of Salmond means to the independence movement going forward. Also, in Westminster, journalists and politicians alike hold their breath as they wait to see the potential teases of what might be in Labour's first budget at the end of the month.

Podlitical discusses the legacy, life, and career of former First Minister Alex Salmond. Phil Sim sits down with BBC Scotland political editor Glenn Campbell and political correspondent David Porter, to share their memories of Alex Salmond, the interviews they did with him, how his career from the early days to Alba was defined by rebellion, his impact on Scottish politics, and more.

The team get conspiratorial over the Tory leadership race, and discuss budget 'nuggets'. With the news that candidate for Conservative leadership James Cleverly was knocked out of the race, leaving Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick as the last two running, the team discuss what went wrong for Cleverly as conspiracies fly around the corridors of Westminster. Plus, what more do we know about Labour's first budget coming at the end of October, and the new Council of Nations and Regions is set to meet. What will Scotland's First Minister John Swinney focus on discussing, and is this the start of a closer working relationship between the administrations?

The deputy leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats sits down with Podlitical. MP for North East Fife Wendy Chamberlain chats about her varied career, from working in the police force to becoming deputy leader of the Scottish Lib Dems, as well as chief whip and pensions spokesperson for the UK Liberal Democrats. Chamberlain explains how being an MP is the "best job" she's ever had, her background coming from a police family, how she joined the Lib Dems in 2015 after "crying at Nick Clegg on the telly", and the work of being a whip.For a range of political interviews, subscribe to Podlitical on BBC Sounds.

The team talk conference contentment, the national care service, and Taylor Swift. Why did the Conservatives seem so upbeat during the Birmingham conference? Why is the Labour donations row still dominating the news cycle several weeks in? Podlitical discusses the week's news, including Prime Minister Starmer returning £6k in gifts following a continuing row over donations, the new Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay settling into the role, and the unusually upbeat Conservative Conference for a party who just faced defeat in the General Election. Also, what's happening with the national care service in Scotland after local authorities voted to withdraw support?