Shake It Off

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?

The team dissect the weekend's Labour conference, and Douglas Ross' final FMQs. After delegates met in Liverpool, have we learnt more about what Labour will deliver? Have they managed to reframe the gloomy economic outlook as a message of hope? Rajdeep shares her experience at conference, and talks about the mood on the ground with the Scottish MPs. Also, the Scottish Conservative leadership contest is reaching its conclusion, and Douglas Ross takes part in his final FMQs as opposition leader. What does new leadership hold for the party, as Holyrood eyes up the 2026 election?

Scottish Conservatives' leadership candidate Meghan Gallacher sits down with Podlitical. The MSP for Central Scotland sets out her vision for the Scottish Conservatives if she wins the leadership contest, including why she's calling for repair and unity after the contest because "broken parties don't win elections", the infighting reported on during the contest, her resignation as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives and how she felt she wasn't in the room when decisions were being taken by Douglas Ross. Gallacher also sets out her thoughts on a broader UK Conservative movement, which she hopes can come together "as a team" across devolved nations.For a full range of political interviews, subscribe to Podlitical on BBC Sounds.

Scottish Conservatives' leadership candidate Murdo Fraser sits down with Podlitical. The MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife sets out his vision for the Scottish Conservatives if he wins the leadership contest, including why the party needs to be "brave" to succeed in the 2026 Holyrood election, why he believes the messaging on independence has "lost its currency" with voters, as well as why he thinks former leader Ruth Davidson's comments on the contest were "not helpful", and how he felt excluded from decisions under the leadership of Douglas Ross.For a range of political interviews, subscribe to Podlitical on BBC Sounds.

2024 feels a bit 2014 as Scotland marks 10 years since the independence referendum. The team look ahead to what the future of the independence debate might be in Scotland, as well as talking about the news of the week, including reports that there are splits at the top of Labour over chief of staff Sue Gray being paid more than the Prime Minister, and criticism over the scale of gifts and freebies that the PM Keir Starmer has received, now topping over £100,000. Also, the Commonwealth games are coming to Glasgow, what does it mean for the city and for Scotland, and can it live up to the hype?

Co-leader of the Scottish Greens Lorna Slater sits down with Podlitical, talking about her journey to Scotland, and ahead of the 10th anniversary of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, shares her memories of the referendum and how she got engaged in Scottish politics. Lorna Slater shares how she feels having autism is an advantage in the job, how her experience with the Deposit Return Scheme left her with a "deep cynicism" of the UK Government, plus the collapse of the Bute House agreement, and how Humza Yousaf's resignation was about "brutal" parliamentary math. As the next Holyrood election begins to be considered, Slater discusses how it's "hard to imagine" supporting the Scottish Government's next budget without the "green stuff".For a range of political interviews, subscribe to Podlitical on BBC Sounds.

Scotland's only oil refinery is set to close, and the winter fuel payments row continues. Petroineos have confirmed Grangemouth will close next year, putting at threat hundreds of jobs at the UK's oldest refinery, with First Minister John Swinney saying he was "deeply disappointed" at the news. The First Minister also faces the prospect of a stand-off over the Scottish Government's next budget, after the Government were defeated in a Holyrood vote over free school meals. Labour also saw its first defeat in the Commons, but successfully won its vote on its plans to remove winter fuel payments from 10 million pensioners in England and Wales. Where does a week of belt-tightening and bleak warnings leave the two Governments? The Podlitical team discuss this and more.

Podlitical is back as parliaments return from recess bearing bad news for public spending. The new Labour government are pointing the finger at the previous successive Conservative governments for a "£22bn black hole" in the public purse, while drawing fire for their announced scrapping of winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners. Meanwhile, on the week of the Programme for Government, the SNP Scottish Government have announced £500m of cuts too, citing public sector pay deals and "prolonged" austerity from Westminster as part of the problem. The team try to cut through the blame-game to find out what these cuts and potential rejigging of priorities mean for Scotland and the UK, as the UK and Scottish Tory leadership contests continue, and all parties eye up the 2026 Holyrood election.

Finger pointing begins as Labour claim they found a "black hole" in public finances. On Monday, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced changes to the Winter Fuel Payment and later said the new government would have to raise taxes due to the discovery of a £22bn "black hole" in the public finances from the last Government, which former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt strongly denies. Is this political theatre or was it a genuine surprise to the incoming government and related public finance bodies like the OBR? Is this austerity, as some opposition parties have claimed, or are the government actually spending more than previously? And what does this mean for the money coming to Scotland? Before Podlitical breaks for recess, the team untangle this week's news, and look ahead to what we can expect in September and beyond when the Parliaments return.

The Podlitical team talk GB Energy, the two-child cap, PMQs, and pies. Following the suspensions of seven rebel Labour MPs for voting against the government on an SNP amendment to scrap the two-child benefit cap, the team discuss how the row unfolded, and what this means in terms of the optics that Prime Minister Starmer wants to project. As the new Prime Minister faced his first PMQs, with former PM Sunak as opposition leader, what was the mood like in the Commons, and what does it tell us about things to come? Also, do we have any clearer idea of who might be the next UK and Scottish Tory leaders, and could the SNP technically annex the moon right now?