Walks Like An Election, Talks Like An Election

How are politicians promoting their message, and what happens when narratives go rogue? This week saw tensions over Labour MP Diane Abbott's place in the party following her return from suspension, manoeuvring in Holyrood over the vote to sanction former SNP health secretary Michael Matheson, and Tories talking taxation. As the general election campaigning continues, the team discuss how politicians and their parties try and broadcast a clear message to voters, and how they can control - or lose control of - the narrative as unexpected events happen.

As general election campaigns kick off in earnest, how are they unfolding in Scotland? The team look at the first official week of the general election campaign, including the differences north and south of the border as parties look to exploit weak spots in each other's plans. In a week that's seen early gaffes, politicians paddleboarding, pledges on pensions, the NHS, & the economy, and an unusual case of a party which may have launched its campaign in no know UK constituency, Podlitical analyses the first five days of the 2024 general election.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called a snap election. What's next for Scotland? Following a day of febrile speculation, and despite it feeling like campaigning had already started months ago, the Prime Minister has officially announced a general election for July 4th. As parties throw themselves onto the campaign trail in earnest, the team explain what the mood was like on the ground on the day of the announcement, how the next weeks might unfold, what to watch, and what strategising might be going on inside political parties right now on how they'll sell themselves in Scotland. What might the Scottish political landscape look like post-election?

Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Alex Cole-Hamilton speaks to Podlitical post-conference. Cole-Hamilton explains how he was "always liberal", tracing his politics back to his parents and joining the Quakers, and explains the platform of change he wants the Scottish Liberal Democrats to run on in the next election, that the party have shown they "don't need to be in power to wield power" . Cole-Hamilton discusses toxicity in politics, including how abuse on the "abyss" of social media hurt his mental health, and how in Holyrood, the Liberal Democrats want to "behave like grownups" and meet the Scottish Government "on our own terms".For a range of political interviews, subscribe to Podlitical on BBC Sounds.

Podlitical sits down with the Presiding Officer to mark 25 years of Scottish Parliament, Kirsten Campbell talks to the Presiding Officer about how she got her start in politics, and how she nearly didn't put herself forward to be the next Presiding Officer. Alison Johnstone discusses why female representation in the job matters, how she deals with heated debates in Parliament, how she handles protesters interrupting proceedings, and the parts of the job we may not see. As we mark a quarter century of Holyrood, how would the Presiding Officer like to see things done differently in Parliament, and does she think devolution is working as well as it could be?For a range of political interviews, subscribe to Podlitical on BBC Sounds.

This week sees political giveaways, promises, pledges, and appearances on Loose Women. If we're not in an election campaign, why does it feel like we are, and why are the parties acting like they are too? The team discusses the Scottish Parliament declaring a housing emergency, a fund to erase school dinner debt, and the summit with Ferguson shipyards. In Westminster, Labour lays out its five pledges, the Westminster lobby awaits further potential defections from the Tories to Labour, and the Prime Minister appears on Loose Women.

Politicians reflect on the highs and lows of Holyrood to mark its 25th anniversary. Podlitical's Lucy Whyte and Glenn Campbell sit down with Scottish Labour's deputy leader Jackie Baillie, the SNP's Christine Grahame, and former Scottish Conservative leader Baroness Annabel Goldie, all of whom were elected in the first Scottish Parliamentary election in 1999, to look back on a quarter of a century of Holyrood. Has the devolved parliament lived up to expectations? Is politics more tribal? Should MSPs be more rebellious? From the initial exciting days, to the debates over independence, the panel discuss their feelings around some of the big events of the last twenty five years, what they would like to see done differently, and what the future holds for the Scottish Parliament.For a range of political interviews, subscribe to Podlitical on BBC Sounds.

What can we expect from the new First Minister of Scotland John Swinney? As he officially becomes First Minister this week, following no other candidates putting forward their names for leadership, what might be the priorities and challenges of the new John Swinney administration? With a familiar cabinet and the addition of Kate Forbes as the Deputy First Minister, will it be enough to satisfy the half of the party that backed her against Humza Yousaf last year? The team take a look at what we learnt so far about the SNP's priorities this week, including the FM's first FMQs, and how Swinney's time at the top might unfold.

John Swinney looks set to be first minister as he's backed by potential challenger Forbes. Following his announcement he was running to be the next leader of the SNP and new First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, the former deputy to Nicola Sturgeon for almost a decade, looks set to win the top job after potential rival Kate Forbes announced she is backing him. The team analyse what might happen next, whether anyone else will put their name forward for the role, and - if Swinney is unopposed - how his premiership might unfold. Will he be able to pull a divided SNP together, and will his second time as SNP leader go more smoothly than the first?

First Minister Humza Yousaf has announced his resignation. What happens now? The team chats about how events unfolded over the weekend, culminating in First Minister Humza Yousaf announcing his plans to resign on Monday, after just 13 months in post, following the fallout from his scrapping of the Bute House agreement with the Scottish Greens the previous week. With divisions in both the party and parliament exposed, are we now heading for a Holyrood election, or an internal SNP leadership election, and who might the candidates be? As names begin to be put forward, the team discuss what might happen next.