Best Nicola Sturgeon Podcasts (2024)

1
2024 PONSONBY & MASSIE POLITICAL AWARDS 1:02:54

2h ago1:02:54

1:02:54

Who will win a coveted Ponsonby and Massie coffee mug as Bernard and Alex convene in the Kilderkin Bar on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh to hold their own annual Scottish political award ceremony over pints. Also, after Nicola Sturgeon was paid £25,000 to take part in an ITV election programme, Bernard reveals for the first time how much the BBC offer…

1
Bella Freud: "I've definitely got more daring with age" 1:00:48

1h ago1:00:48

1:00:48

My guest today is the fashion designer Bella Freud. Bella launched her eponymous label in 1990. Over thirty years later it remains resolutely independent, one of the very few that hasn’t been subsumed by a fashion conglomerate. Bella’s clothes are for wearing and have become a byword for women who want to be glamorous but not girly with a bit of ad…

1
STV's JOHN MACKAY: New Book on Biggest Stories of His Career 46:23

1h ago46:23

46:23

Anchorman, John Mackay, is one of the best known faces on television in Scotland as the lead presenter of STV's top rated news programmes. In his new book "Scotland Today & Yesterday" John records the biggest stories of his career from Dunblane to the Independence Referendum and tells Bernard and Alex what it was really like living in front of the …

1
EXCLUSIVE: ANAS SARWAR: "I Won't Wait for Westminster to Fix Scotland's Problems" 57:50

2h ago57:50

57:50

In his most revealing and in-depth interview yet, Anas Sarwar outlines Scottish Labour’s agenda for government should he become First Minister in 2026 and what motivates him in politics. •On post 2026 co-operation with SNP “"On individual issues, I will not turn my back or close my eyes to any politician of any party." •Swingeing cuts to SNP bureau…

1
Donna Ashworth on finding her calling in midlife 58:14

2h ago58:14

58:14

My guest today is a woman who is credited with putting poetry back on the map, Donna Ashworth…. Donna came to prominence in 2020, when a poem she wrote about lockdown was read in a viral video to raise money for the NHS. She subsequently self-published her first volume of poetry, To The Women, which sold over 100,000 copies. Unsurprisingly the publ…

1
Assisted Dying - Liam McArthur MSP 55:09

24m ago55:09

55:09

There are currently two bills on Assisted Dying - Kim Leadbeater MP introduced a Bill to the UK Parliament in October and Liam McArthur introduced a bill to March in the Scottish Parliament. Liam joins Bernard and Alex to discuss this sensitive subject, the legislation and its ramifications. If you'd like to find out more or this issue affects you …

1
DAME JACKIE BAILLIE 44:10

30m ago44:10

44:10

Scottish Labour Deputy Leader, Dame Jackie Baillie, joins Bernard and Alex in the Press Bar to discuss: Scots are paying too much tax for failing services Her admiration of the SNP's Kate Forbes Her belief that the NHS is broken Why she'd like to be Health and Social Care Minister if Labour are elected in Scotland. Her early life in Hong Kong and h…

1
Baroness Lola Young: "you can't be what you can't see, but somebody has to go first" 1:02:12

8h ago1:02:12

1:02:12

My guest today is one incredible woman. Baroness Lola Young of Hornsey is an actress, academic, campaigner for social justice and a cross bench peer in the House of Lords. By anyone’s standards she has achieved. She studied at the New College of Speech and Drama and started her career as an actress in the 1970s and 80s, before becoming professor of…

1
SNP 2026 CANDIDATES 37:34

1h ago37:34

37:34

Bernard and Alex are back considering: SNP Registration of candidacy - Stephen Flynn, Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf have all thrown their hats in the ring. Can Flynn really be an MP and MSP despite party attitudes and are Sturgeon and Yousaf's intentions even real? PLUS Neil Gray - Does anyone believe the story of why ministerial trips were take…

1
Jennifer Cox: why women are furious (and getting angrier) 54:04

2d ago54:04

54:04

My guest today is the forensic psychotherapist Dr Jennifer Cox. She trained at the Tavistock and now has an extensive practice specialising in treating women with undiagnosed anger. As part of this work she developed the Women are Mad approach to help women who can’t afford therapy to “think below the surface” about where their rage might be coming…

1
Louise Doughty on the unrealised potential of older women 59:01

21d ago59:01

59:01

My guest today is Louise Doughty, the woman behind some of the knottiest thrillers to grace our bookshelves and TV screens in recent years. Her bestseller, Apple Tree Yard about a sensible middle aged woman who makes a very unsensible decision (involving sex in the house of commons!) sold over half a million copies and was turned into a smash hit B…

1
AN "OLD LABOUR" BUDGET? 37:24

15d ago37:24

37:24

Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie reaction and analysis of the first budget statement from Rachel Reeves - the first woman Chancellor to deliver a budget in British history. Is it a "workerist", old-Labour budget that the likes of Harold Wilson, James Callaghan and Denis Healey would be happy with? Bernard and Alex discuss. Hosted on Acast. See acas…

1
Kate Weinberg on the kindness of women & living with a mother-shaped hole 1:03:40

16d ago1:03:40

1:03:40

Today’s guest is a personal favourite. I first met Kate Weinberg (the bestselling author of The Truants) when I was stricken with long covid and a mutual friend put us in touch. “You need to talk to Kate,” she urged. “She’ll be able to help. Kate was able to help - and did. Thanks in large part to her I went from feeling like my old, functioning li…

1
UK BUDGET PRE-BRIEFING 50:27

22d ago50:27

50:27

Catherine MacLeod, former Political Editor of The Herald and Special Adviser (SPAD) to UK Chancellor, Alistair Darling, joins Bernard and Alex to preview Rachel Reeves first budget of the new Labour Government. Catherine's insights into how the Treasury and Chancellor prepare for a budget. PONSONBY - "This is the real day one of the new Labour gove…

1
Vanessa Feltz on divorce, dating and finally shaking off her inhibitions at 62 56:38

25d ago56:38

56:38

My guest today is the broadcaster Vanessa Feltz. Ever since the mid-90s, Vanessa has been a fixture on British TV and radio - and also, for better or worse, our front pages. She became known as the “British Oprah” and that applied not just to her consummate skills as a broadcaster and talent for saying the unsayable, but also what she describes as …

1
HOUNDED: JENNY LINDSAY 45:22

25d ago45:22

45:22

Poet and writer Jenny Lindsay tells her story: Being cancelled and "hounded" for being gender critical Her new book telling the story of her experience - "Hounded: Women, Harms and the Gender Wars" She says that gender is an open goal for politicians who should apologize to women and admit they got it wrong. Jenny's book is available here: https://…

1
PT2 - ALEX SALMOND 1954 - 2024 1:02:21

29d ago1:02:21

1:02:21

PART 2 of a 2 part exploration of the life and times of Alex Salmond who died at the weekend at the age of 69. Bernard and Alex pick up the story in 2011 through the zenith of his career at the 2014 Independence Referendum and onto the challenges of legal battles and the Alba Party in his post-SNP world. The programme concludes with a summary of wh…

1
Jane Campbell on reinventing herself at 40 – and again at 80! 49:33

2M ago49:33

49:33

If you sometimes worry you’ve left it too late to follow your heart, today’s guest should give you hope. At 40, Jane Campbell got a divorce and took herself off to university where she trained as a group analyst. 40 years later, at the age of 80, she had her first short story was published, after she sent Cat Brushing to the London Review of Books …

1
PT1 - ALEX SALMOND 1954 - 2024 44:06

1M ago44:06

44:06

Part 1 of a 2 part special reflecting on the life of "the most consequential Scottish politician of our time", Alex Salmond, who died at the weekend at the age of 69. It's a sincere attempt to capture in some depth the complexity and calibre of the man, his highs and lows. Bernard Ponsonby knew Alex Salmond professionally and personally for 35 year…

1
US PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL - With David Frum from The Atlantic 52:55

1M ago52:55

52:55

Bernard and Alex are joined by David Frum, Staff Writer at the The Atlantic for a deep dive into the US Presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. David Frum is widely quoted as the man who coined the phrase "Axis of Evil" while working for George W Bush. Today, he is a renowned writer and a Republican who won't vote for Trump. David…

1
Marianne Power: how to build a happy single life 1:04:46

1M ago1:04:46

1:04:46

My guest today knows a thing or two about being single, and she’s hear to tell you that there’s more than one way to live an emotionally fulfilling life. Marianne Power is a journalist who made a perfectly decent living testing things so you didn’t have to - mascara, spa retreats, you get the gist - until the decision to spend a year testing self h…

1
IS SNP INDY DREAM ON HOLD .. 39:18

1M ago39:18

39:18

Bernard and Alex discuss the significance of First Minister, John Swinney, bringing former SNP strategist, Stephen Noon, back into his close circle as a Special Advisor (SPAD). What does it say about the SNP's current strategy and given the positions both Swinney and Noon have taken in the past, does it mean Independence has been kicked into the lo…

1
Louise Minchin: why midlife is the time to take more risks 58:59

2M ago58:59

58:59

My guest today is author, endurance athlete and ex BBC breakfast presenter Louise Minchin. Louise is, of course, best known for her twenty year stint on BBC Breakfast’s sofa but she has also been main news anchor on the BBC News, presented The One Show and participated in a host of reality TV shows including I’m a Celebrity get me out of here. Sinc…

1
New Scot Tory Leader Facing Crisis in 2026 31:31

2M ago31:31

31:31

Bernard and Alex discuss whether the New Scottish Conservative leader, Russell Findlay, will face an existential crisis with the party at the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election. Do a series of factors, including the emergence of Reform, mean there is "no chance they're going to hold second place in 2026"? Also, Rosie Duffield's resignation from Labo…

1
CHANGE? WHAT CHANGE? - Is Labour Facing Mid-Term Blues Already? 39:40

2M ago39:40

39:40

Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie delve into the challenges facing the new Labour government in the aftermath of Keir Starmer's first conference speech as Prime Minister. Labour stood on a platform of "Change" but is it immediate enough for the electorate? Where will the money come from in Rachel Reeves upcoming budget? Is the new government facing …

1
Moon Unit Zappa: "We're all just growing each other up" 1:01:48

2M ago1:01:48

1:01:48

Today’s guest is the American actress, writer and singer Moon Unit Zappa. Moon shot to fame in her early teens when her vocals featured on her father Frank Zappa’s unlikely hit Valley Girl. Subsequently she has been an actor, singer, presenter and artist. I’m about a year older than her and I know I’ve pretty much been aware of her ever since But s…

1
WARNING FOR STARMER + US Elections + SNP / Labour Coalition in 2026? 37:03

2M ago37:03

37:03

Bernard is in the USA. Alex is on the Isle of Jura. Bernard says Keir Starmer needs to deliver growth or face the anger of the electorate over growing errors. Alex says that naive and loose-lipped press briefing by new staff in Government and the freebie scandal raise questions over Starmer's judgement. Bernard analyses the US Presidential race fro…

1
Carol Vorderman on finding her voice (and how!) at 60 54:49

3M ago54:49

54:49

My guest today is a woman who has truly come into her own in middle-age. A broadcaster, engineer, statistician and entrepreneur, at the age of 63 Carol Vorderman is now best known for fearlessly calling power to account. Sick of the sleaze and corruption she saw emanating from our politicians she decided it was time to speak up. And her million twi…

1
Indy Ref - 10 Years On - The Verdict 40:32

3M ago40:32

40:32

It's 10 years since Scotland's Independence Referendum. Bernard and Alex reflect on what happened, where we are now and will there be an Indy Ref II? Including Bernard's insights into what really happened behind the scenes at the TV debates and on referendum night. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

1
SALMOND & STURGEON - Part 2 Reaction & Analysis 36:05

3M ago36:05

36:05

PART 2 - Bernard and Alex were consulted during the production of BBC Scotland's "Salmond and Sturgeon: A Troubled Union". In this episode, released directly after the documentary's broadcast, Bernard and Alex focus on part two of the two part series. They give their thoughts and analysis of both the programme and relationship between Alex Salmond …

1
SALMOND & STURGEON - Part 1 Reaction & Analysis 32:01

3M ago32:01

32:01

PART 1 - Bernard and Alex were consulted during the production of BBC Scotland's "Salmond and Sturgeon: A Troubled Union". In this episode, released directly after the documentary's broadcast, Bernard and Alex focus on part one of the two part series. They give their thoughts and analysis of both the programme and relationship between Alex Salmond …

1
Bella Mackie: "Nobody tells you motherhood is a choice" 57:04

3M ago57:04

57:04

My guest today is Bella Mackie. Until her mid-30s Bella was a journalist, then she wrote a book called Jog On and her trajectory changed - dramatically. Ostensibly a book about running, Jog On was actually a soul-baring account of Bella’s battle with anxiety, OCD and depression and how, ultimately, running saved her. It was one of a wave of books t…

1
MICHAEL MARRA - 2026 Labour victory "nowhere near a done deal" 49:05

3M ago49:05

49:05

Labour's Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Michael Marra MSP, tells the podcast A 2026 victory for Labour in the Scottish Parliamentary Election is "nowhere near a done deal" The best case scenario is a minority Labour government His political roots in family life in Dundee He regards Anas Sarwar's transformation of Scottish Labour as "profound…

1
Ruth Crilly: "This is my face, I don't want to tweak it" 56:15

3M ago56:15

56:15

My guest today is the award-winning… well what is she? Writer? Content creator? Blogger? Influencer? Ruth Crilly is all of the above. She started her blog A Model Recommends in 2010 - before it was really a thing - and became one of the UK’s first social media stars. She’s got 500k followers on YouTube and instagram and unbelievably she’s - gulp - …

1
SNP CONFERENCE VERDICT - Where is the Policy Prospectus and Indy Strategy? 34:32

3M ago34:32

34:32

In the aftermath of the SNP's Annual Conference, Bernard and Alex ask - where are the new policies and the strategy for independence that the party will need to win voters back who switched to Labour at the General Election? The need for a clear policy prospectus. The challenges of economic growth and public services. The conference talked about In…

1
Alex Neil - 30 year wait for Independence if SNP lose in 2026 48:54

3M ago48:54

48:54

On the eve of the SNP Annual Conference, former Minister Alex Neil warns First Minster John Swinney to bin the "political weans" and "bring in heavyweights" as losing 2026 election will mean an independent Scotland is "in the freezer for 10-30 years" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Nicola Sturgeon Podcasts

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