Holyrood Sources

Are the days of the United Kingdom numbered, or was the recent Cardiff summit between First Ministers just political theatre?

Calum Macdonald and Andy Maciver are joined by SNP National Secretary Alex Kerr MSP to discuss the summit and ask whether it puts Scotland (and Wales and Northern Ireland) any closer to independence.

They also discuss Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s recent comments at PMQs and whether Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland share a viable constitutional roadmap to independence.

Later, Andy and Calum discuss the possibility of a unionist party pact, amid reports that Scottish Labour are considering trying to form an alliance to lock out the SNP.
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On a special hustings episode of the Holyrood Sources podcast, Calum Macdonald, Geoff Aberdein and Andy Maciver are joined by Scottish Labour's leadership candidates: Joe Fagan and Michael Marra.

The two leadership contenders debate their visions for the party's future, how to reconnect with working-class voters across Scotland, and the scale of the challenge ahead.

What sets Michael and Joe apart, and how they plan to rebuild Scottish Labour across every region?
How can Scottish Labour become a power contender again?

They also share their immediate reactions to Andy Burnham's comments on a second independence referendum at Prime Minister's Questions.

To round off the show, Calum and Andy are joined by Lindsay Paterson, Professor of Education Policy at the University of Edinburgh, on fixing Curriculum for Excellence, after this year's PISA statistics were revealed.
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On the first of our Holyrood Sources energy specials in partnership with Energy Voice, Calum MacDonald, Geoff Aberdein and Andy Maciver are joined by Energy Voice News Editor Erikka Askeland (live from Stavanger) and Editorial Director of DC Thomson, Dave Lord.

Together, the panel breaks down the high-stakes political and economic battles that will define the energy debate in Scotland and across the UK in the coming months.

Will Rosebank and Jackdaw be approved? What does the future of Scotland's renewable future look like? and how will this all affect Scotland's economy?

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The Scottish Fiscal Commission just revealed an extra £860 million in the budget for this financial year—but is it actually good news for public spending, or a sign of deeper structural issues caused by devolution?

In this episode of Holyrood Sources, Calum Macdonald, Geoff Aberdein and Andy Maciver break down the latest fiscal update, public service reform under Ivan McKee, and incoming tax pressure from the UK Treasury.

Plus, they debate the headline-grabbing £45,000 taxpayer bill for John Swinney’s trip to the World Cup in America. Was it bad optics during a cost-of-living squeeze, or vital trade promotion for Scottish business?
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In this episode of Holyrood Sources, Calum Macdonald, Geoff Aberdein and Andy Maciver unpack another week Scottish politics.

The team reacts to the official Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) figures, analysing Scotland's £25.3 billion public spending deficit, falling North Sea oil revenues, and what upcoming public service reforms mean for John Swinney’s government.

We also dive deep into the Scottish Labour leadership contest as candidates Joe Fagan and Michael Mara prepare to battle it out following Monica Lennon’s exit.

Plus, the team addresses listener questions on the environmental impact and energy demands of large-scale data centres versus net zero targets, and runs a political thought experiment: what would Scottish politics look like today if Rishi Sunak had won the 2024 general election?
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