Holyrood Sources

On today's episode of Holyrood Sources, Calum Macdonald and Geoff Aberdein are live on College Green at Westminster as they discuss what the future of London politics will mean for Scotland.

The pair are joined by ITV Border political reporter Ollie Wright and Labour MP Torcuil Crichton and Conservative MP Harriet Cross to discuss where UK and Scottish politics is heading, just a couple of a weeks out from the Westminster summer recess.

They Discuss:
What kind of Prime Minister will Andy Burnham be for Scotland?
Who will be Scottish Secretary?
What does the future hold for Anas Sarwar and his relationship with UK Labour?
And has Nigel Farage already lost on his by-election gamble?

This episode is sponsored by the Scotch Whisky Association.
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On today's episode of Holyrood Sources, Calum Macdonald and Geoff Aberdein react to Andy Burnham's first major speech as presumptive Prime Minister. Will his plans to 'rewire Britain' and run some of the UK government from the new Number 10 North (of England), be beneficial or harmful to those living in Scotland?

Will Andy Burnham be a Prime Minister for the whole of the UK and not just England?
What will further devolution in Scotland mean, could we see metro-mayors appear across the country?
... and can the probable PM actually connect with voters once in power, something that Keir Starmer has failed to do so?

Later in the show Calum, Geoff and Andy answer some of your questions, including
Whether a independent pro-union party in Scotland mirror the CDU-CSU arrangement in Germany?
... and what would real fiscal autonomy mean for Scotland, government spending and the independence movement?
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Following the sentencing of former SNP Chief Executive Peter Murrell to over five years in prison, Calum, Geoff, and Andy sit down with The Scotsman’s Catriona Stewart to dissect the staggering evidence released by the Crown Office. From the infamous campervan to Nicola Sturgeon’s bookcase, we break down what this means for the future of the SNP.

Later in the episode, we look at the rumblings of a leadership challenge facing Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar as Westminster transitions under Andy Burnham. Plus, we are joined by the newly elected Conservative MP for Aberdeen South, Douglas Lumsden, fresh off a historic by-election victory driven by the energy policy battle.

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Read Catriona Stewart’s latest column in The Scotsman: https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/no-forgiveness-for-peter-murrell-as-his-ex-snp-peers-find-his-sins-beyond-redemption-8757602
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The overnight by-election results are in, and Scottish politics has been turned completely on its head! In this bonus episode of Holyrood Sources, Calum Macdonald, Geoff Aberdein, and Andy Maciver break down a seismic night that saw the Scottish Conservatives secure a historic victory in Aberdeen South—their first by-election win since 1973.

The panel dives into how Douglas Lumsden and Kemi Badenoch "dictated the terms" of the campaign by going all-in on oil and gas, leaving John Swinney’s SNP facing a brutal wake-up call over their muddled energy policy. We also look at the internal SNP friction exploding on X/Twitter between Stephen Flynn and Kate Higgins.

Plus, we head south to Makerfield where Andy Burnham's massive 55% win has triggered what looks like an inevitable, high-stakes Labour leadership battle with a defiant Sir Keir Starmer. Is Starmer completely delusional, or can he survive a battle of ideas?

💬 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! What is your reaction to the Aberdeen South result? Is the SNP's position on oil and gas completely broken?
📱 WhatsApp us: 0333 404 6507 (Start your message with the word Holyrood) and we might read your thoughts out on next week's episode!
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The Tartan Army takes over Boston, a knife-edge by-election battle in Aberdeen South, and a potential Labour coronation looming in Makerfield.

In this episode of Holyrood Sources, Calum Macdonald, Geoff Aberdein, and Andy Maciver dive into a massive week of political drama across Scotland and the wider UK. Fresh off his travels to see Scotland play Haiti at the 2026 World Cup, Geoff gives an insider look at Scotland’s massive "soft power" and how it ties into John Swinney’s economic push in the US.

Then, the team unpacks this week's critical Westminster by-elections. In Aberdeen South, Stephen Flynn’s old constituency is turning into an absolute two-horse race between the SNP and the Scottish Conservatives—where energy policy, the oil and gas sector, and the rise of Reform UK could entirely dictate the outcome. Meanwhile, is Arbroath and Broughty Ferry a guaranteed SNP hold despite ongoing party turmoil?

Finally, we head south to Makerfield, where Andy Burnham is dicing with political destiny. If Burnham wins, are we heading for a bloody leadership battle against Keir Starmer, or an outright coronation? And what does a potential Burnham premiership mean for Scottish devolution and fiscal autonomy?

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#ScottishPolitics #HolyroodSources #AndyBurnham #KeirStarmer #SNP #ScottishConservatives #AberdeenSouth #MakerfieldByElection #WorldCup2026
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