Best Willie Rennie Podcasts (2024)

1
Bringing Positive Change to the Community with Katie Kelly 57:34

5M ago57:34

57:34

Positive change is possible in Scotland, and it's happening. New podcast with former East Ayrshire local authority leader Katie Kelly on how the council there helped to build vibrant communities. Political consensus needed to promote this brilliant work across Scotland. Thanks for listening! Get the latest by following @scottish_future…

1
Scotland's Schools: The Next Pisa the Puzzle with Lindsay Paterson and Melvyn Roffe 47:48

6M ago47:48

47:48

In the wake of disappointing PISA results, Our Scottish Future Director Eddie Barnes is joined by two experts in Scottish education: Lindsay Paterson, Emeritus Professor of Education Policy at the University of Edinburgh and Melvyn Roffe, Principal of George Watson's College. Listen as they dive deep into Scotland's PISA results; why do they need t…

1
A Little Less Conversation: Closing Scotland's Implementation Gap 51:08

9M ago51:08

51:08

*LINK TO VIEW SLIDES REFERENCED* The recording of the presentation of the new report from Our Scottish Future. Titled, "A Little Less Conversation: Closing Scotland's Implementation Gap", the report argues that the successes of devolution has been stymied in recent years by a combination of “too much politics, too much government, a failure to coop…

1
Scotland's NHS under the microscope 1:01:12

11M ago1:01:12

1:01:12

Our Scottish Future's Eddie Barnes is joined by Alex Neil, former Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Helen Puttick, health reporter at The Times and Professor David Kerr, head of the OSF health commission and professor of cancer medicine at Oxford University, to discuss Scotland's NHS and how it can be improved. Thanks for listening! Get t…

1
The Robin Harper Interview 29:01

12M ago29:01

29:01

Eddie Barnes interviews Robin Harper. They cover; Harper's headline news making decision to resign from the Scottish Greens -the party he once led as the first Green MSP in the Scottish parliament- to climate change and the future of the UK. Thanks for listening! Get the latest by following @scottish_future…

1
Pump Up The Volume 24:44

1y ago24:44

24:44

Heat pumps. You've heard a lot about them, but what actually are they? Are they a solution to our energy troubles? Are the Scottish government's lofty goals deliverable? Our Scottish Future's Eddie Barnes speaks with Dr Peter Wood, an Associate Lecturer at The Open University in Scotland, a researcher in sustainability, and a trade unionist to find…

1
Scotland's Drug Deaths with Annemarie Ward and Stevie Wishart 52:57

1y ago52:57

52:57

The Our Scottish Future podcast is looking at key policy areas in Scotland to ask why things aren't working, and what we can do to fix them. This week we look at the scandal of Scottish drug related deaths. More than 1330 suffered a drug related death in the last year, 3.5 times higher than in the rest of the UK. Why? What's going wrong? How should…

1
How excellent is the Curriculum for Excellence? With Aveek Bhattacharya, Emma Seith & Dr Neil McLennan 50:27

1+ y ago50:27

50:27

Welcome to our revamped podcast! Rather than provide a running commentary on recent political events, we want to use this podcast to discuss policy and specifically policy implementation. How can we do things better? This week, Our Scottish Future Campaign Director Eddie Barnes discusses education and the Curriculum for Excellence. He is joined by …

1
Fast Start or False Start for Humza Yousaf? With Willie Rennie MSP, Jenny Marra & Philip Rycroft 43:13

1+ y ago43:13

43:13

Our Scottish Future Chair Prof Jim Gallagher fills in for Eddie Barnes this week and is joined by former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP, former Scottish Labour MSP (and proud Dundonian) Jenna Marra and former senior civil servant Philip Rycroft. They discuss the challenges facing new First Minister Humza Yousaf, rebellious party…

1
What Awaits The Next First Minister? With Prof Jim Gallagher, Lucy Hunter Blackburn and Lucy Dunn 55:47

1+ y ago55:47

55:47

This week’s Our Scottish Future podcast looks ahead to the challenge facing the new SNP leader and First Minister who will be elected next week. What should their priorities be? What do they do about independence? And how should they cooperate with the UK Government? OSF’s Eddie Barnes is joined by three leading experts to discuss this and more: OS…

1
Scotland's democratic health with Prof James Mitchell, Johann Lamont and Donald Cameron MSP 1:02:27

1+ y ago1:02:27

1:02:27

This week Eddie is joined by James Mitchell, Professor of Public Policy at Edinburgh University and one of Scotland’s foremost experts on devolution and public reform; the former leader of Scottish Labour, Johann Lamont, who was Labour’s representative on the cross-party Commission on Parliamentary Reform; and Donald Cameron MSP, the Scottish Conse…

1
The Fallout Continues with Prof Jim Gallagher and Cllr Molly Nolan 40:48

1+ y ago40:48

40:48

Prof Jim Gallagher and Cllr Molly Nolan discuss the continuing fallout from Nicola Sturgeon's decision to quit office. They set out their opinions on the first few hustings events involving the three candidates and all the various issues that they have been discussing from the apparently doomed bottle deposit scheme, to the place of religion in the…

1
Scotland's Shaken Kaleidoscope with Kirsty McNeill and Philip Rycroft 45:07

1+ y ago45:07

45:07

Kirsty McNeill and Philip Rycroft join Eddie to chat about the extraordinary couple of weeks we've seen in Scottish politics since Nicola Sturgeon announced that she would be stepping down as FM. They examine where the turmoil in the SNP leaves Scottish politics and our wider constitutional debate - and how this moment represents an opportunity to …

1
Making Change Happen with Eitan Hersh [LIVE EPISODE] 55:00

2y ago55:00

55:00

On Wednesday 6th October we were joined by renowned US political scientist Eitan Hersch, author of "Politics is for Power", for our online event event "Making Change Happen". We talked to Eitan about how to turn yourself into an effective activist, what it means to be part of a community and the role of young people in making change. Our new chair,…

1
Playing to win with Ruairidh Macintosh 19:01

2y ago19:01

19:01

In this week's podcast, Eddie Barnes speaks to Ruairidh Macintosh, the author of our report on Scotland's video games industry. Globally, the video games industry is now worth $200 billion - a figure that is set to double by 2028. Scotland accounts for a disproportionate share of the UK-wide industry, with Scottish based firms punching well above t…

1
#41 Is there an end to Covid-19 restrictions for Scotland? 44:50

2+ y ago44:50

44:50

After Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that face coverings will remain obligatory in certain settings until April 18, our panel discusses restrictions and the pressure on the NHS in Scotland. They then turn to war in Ukraine and the return of Partygate to the news agenda. Brian is joined by Hannah Rodger, Helen McArdle and David Bol. _____________________…

1
Buses with Dr Pete Wood and Mark Ross 36:28

2+ y ago36:28

36:28

In this week's podcast, Eddie Barnes speaks to two experts in sustainable transport, Dr Pete Wood and Mark Ross, the co-authors of our report on reforming Scotland's bus network, which was released earlier this week. They chat about their proposals, which include maximum £2 bus fares, as well as Scotland's ferries row and the nationalisation of Sco…

1
#40 What was announced in Rishi Sunak's spring mini-Budget? 42:27

2+ y ago42:27

42:27

In the latest episode of the Brian Taylor Podcast, members of the Herald Politics and Business teams analyse Chancellor Rishi Sunak's spring Budget statement. The team launches into questions of what it will mean for Scots and will it be enough amid the cost-of-living crisis. _______________________________________________ Produced by Jack Aitchiso…

1
Gordon Brown on the Cost of Living Crisis [LIVE EPISODE] 51:40

2+ y ago51:40

51:40

On Wednesday 16th March, Gordon Brown sat down with an online audience to share his plan to tackle the looming cost of living crisis and reveals why any solution must be rooted in better cooperation between governments. Next month, when gas bills are set to rocket, households across the UK will be plunged into the deepest cost-of living crisis sinc…

1
Joining up with Lisa Nandy MP, Sarah Boyack MSP and Prof Jim Gallagher 16:32

2+ y ago16:32

16:32

On Friday 4th March, Our Scottish Future and the Scottish Fabians held a joint event near the Scottish Labour conference, joined by Lisa Nandy MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities), Sarah Boyack MSP (Scottish Labour Spokesperson for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture), and Professor Jim Gallagher, the …

1
#39 The Russia-Ukraine crisis and the end to Covid restrictions 40:56

2+ y ago40:56

40:56

In this episode, we are joined by experienced journalists to discuss two of the biggest news stories on the agenda. Foreign affairs journalist David Leask and Herald political reporter Kathleen Nutt provide analysis of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, while health correspondent Helen McArdle breaks down the timeline which will see most Covid restrictions…

1
#38 Timelines for Scotland's future, conflicts between tories and turmoil in Ukraine 34:07

2+ y ago34:07

34:07

The Brian Taylor Podcast is back! In our first episode back, Brian speaks to the Herald's politics teams about the biggest topics in the country's political sphere. This includes the future of the Prime Minister as he visits Scotland on Valentine's Day, tensions surrounding Ukraine and the Herald's new series Scotland's Future. He is joined by West…

1
A United Kingdom with Catherine MacLeod and Andrew Dunlop 48:27

2+ y ago48:27

48:27

Catherine MacLeod was a special adviser to Alistair Darling when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer and is a former political editor of The Herald. Andrew Dunlop was chief adviser to David Cameron and played a key role in the Government's response to the Independence referendum. In this week's podcast, they chat to Eddie Barnes about how we can tac…

1
Health inequalities with Prof David Kerr 32:02

2+ y ago32:02

32:02

Prof David Kerr is one of the most respected NHS figures in the UK. He is a leading voice in NHS reform and co-author of our report on the UK’s widening health inequalities. In this episode David talks to Our Scottish Future Campaign Director, Eddie Barnes, about growing up in Maryhill, his experiences of NHS reform under the last Labour government…

1
Gordon Brown, Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram 42:05

2+ y ago42:05

42:05

Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram are the metro mayors of Greater Manchester and the Liverpool City Region. In this episode they join Gordon Brown to reflect on the nature of the UK, and on how their cities can work more closely with cities and towns in Scotland. Thanks for listening! Get the latest by following @scottish_future…

1
#37 Scottish Budget special: Council tax rises and public sector pay 47:48

2+ y ago47:48

47:48

In the last podcast of 2021, Brian is joined by Pam Duncan-Glancey, Jamie Halcro-Johnson, John Ferry and Fiona Hyslop to discuss the Scottish budget. Tune in again in the new year for even more analysis and discussion from Brian. _______________________________________________ Produced by Elle Duffy and Ema Sabljak for The Herald. Contact the produ…

1
#36 Omicron in Scotland: Should we be worried? 46:45

2+ y ago46:45

46:45

In this week's episode, Professor Linda Bauld answers your questions about the Omicron variant in Scotland. She addresses concerns over Christmas restrictions, vaccinations and overseas travel. Brian is also joined by Clare Adamson of the SNP and Miles Briggs of the Scottish Conservatives. _______________________________________________ Produced by…

1
#35 Glasgow's QEUH, migrant policy and drug reform 47:01

2+ y ago47:01

47:01

In another packed episode, listen to Brian Taylor and his guests discuss Scotland's drug policy, a horrific tragedy in the English channel which saw the deaths of more than twenty migrants, and further reported deaths of children at Glasgow's QEUH. Brian is joined by SNP MSP Gillian Martin, Stephen Kerr from the Convervatives, Labour's Paul O'Kane …

1
#34 Scotland's justice system and vaccine passports 46:53

2+ y ago46:53

46:53

In this week's episode, the panel discuss the sentencing of Esther Brown's murderer, and ask the question: is the government to soft on justice in Scotland? They then look at the proposed extension of the vaccine passport scheme. Brian is joined by Alex Cole-Hamilton, Audrey Nicoll, Murdo Fraser and Sarah Boyack. ___________________________________…

1
#33 Corruption, Cambo and COP - oh my! 45:18

2+ y ago45:18

45:18

This week, political attention has been focused on Westminster, COP26 and a trip to Gibraltar. Brian is joined by Elena Whitham, Graham Simpson and Claire Baker. And this week, the podcast says goodbye to regular co-host Alistair Grant, as he leaves The Herald for pastures new. We'd like to thank him for his brilliant contributions over the last ye…

1
#32 UK Government U-turn on MPs' standards system overhaul and COP26 takes over Glasgow 46:54

2+ y ago46:54

46:54

As COP26 takes over Glasgow, our panel including Emma Harper, Rachael Thomson and Daniel Johnson discuss all things climate change. We delve into ending the use of coal, supporting other nations and Scotland’s contribution to climate action. The panel also tackles a developing row over the behaviour of former MP Owen Paterson. _____________________…

1
#31 COP26 preview - and Scottish reaction to the Budget 50:54

2+ y ago50:54

50:54

As COP26 approaches, we're excited to bring you a special conference preview episode. Climate change and Glasgow is on the agenda in this week's podcast, with Deidre Brock, Iain Stewart, Sarah Boyack and Mark Ruskell joining the panel. They also discussed the UK Budget and what it means for Scotland. _______________________________________________ …

1
#30 How Green is Scotland - and is Glasgow ready for COP26? 46:04

3y ago46:04

46:04

In this special episode of The Brian Taylor Podcast, we invite Karin Goodwin of The Ferret to discuss our exclusive, joint investigation, answering the question: 'How Green is Scotland?'. They discuss air pollution, and move on to a fuller conversation around COP26, and whether or not Glasgow is ready to hold such a world-focused event. Also making…

1
#29 What’s next for Scotland’s economy? 45:53

3y ago45:53

45:53

Have you started your Christmas shopping? In this week’s episode of The Brian Taylor Podcast, conversation is focused on the ongoing fuel crisis and shortages across the UK. Brian and David Bol of The Herald’s political team are joined by Labour MSP Pauline McNeil, SNP MSP Paul McLennan and Conservative MSP Maurice Golden. _________________________…

1
#28 'Apocalyptic' fuel price hikes and stand up comedy from Boris Johnson 45:41

3y ago45:41

45:41

It's been quite a week in Scottish politics.. Grim warnings for huge increases in energy prices, and stand up comedy from the Prime Minister among the very serious stuff in his Tory party conference speech - and somebody knicked Andy Murray's tennis shoes. This week, Brian and The Herald's Alistair Grant are joined by Stephen Flynn, SNP MP for Aber…

1
#27 Cost of living, Covid passports - and does Keir Starmer need to 'read the room' on independence? 45:13

3y ago45:13

45:13

Monica Lennon, Jamie Greene and Rona Mackay appeared in this week's episode of The Brian Taylor Podcast. The MSPs from Scottish Labour, Scottish Conservatives and the SNP joined host Brian Taylor and David Bol from The Herald's political team. They discussed Keir Starmer's comments on Scotland, the end of the furlough scheme and Covid vaccine passp…

1
#26 Independence special: Former first minister Henry McLeish with new ideas on the union 1:00:30

3y ago1:00:30

1:00:30

It's been seven years since the 2014 independence referendum. In this special episode of The Brian Taylor Podcast, former first minister Henry McLeish brings forth new ideas on the union and the panel debate Scotland's future. Brian and Henry were joined by Michael Russell, political director at the SNP's independence unit, and Donald Cameron, Scot…

1
#25 Scottish ambulance backlogs, vaccine passports and Universal Credit cuts 46:56

3y ago46:56

46:56

Calls for action on the Scottish ambulance delays and backlogs are a focal point of this week's episode. Meanwhile, the Covid vaccine passports provoke a debate weighing up the possibility for incentives rather than deterrents being used to drive vaccination. Brian and Alistair Grant of The Herald's political team are joined by SNP MSP Clare Adamso…

1
#24 SNP depute leader Keith Brown on indyref2, health spending and EU membership 24:39

3y ago24:39

24:39

In this special episode of The Brian Taylor Podcast, Brian is joined by depute leader of the SNP Keith Brown. Their conversation comes in the midst of this year's virtual SNP Conference, and they catch up on Scottish independence, spending on health and social care and the implications of re-joining the EU as an independent country. See acast.com/p…

1
#23 Should an independence referendum be held before 2023? 45:10

3y ago45:10

45:10

It's a big week in Scottish politics, and in this latest episode of The Brian Taylor Podcast, conversation focuses on the prospect of a second independence referendum in the wake of the Programme for Government released earlier this week, as well as Boris Johnson's new tax to fund health and social care.Brian is joined by Miles Briggs of the Scotti…

1
#22 Covid vaccine passports, NHS waiting times and the Gender Recognition Reform Bill 47:22

3y ago47:22

47:22

In this week's episode, Brian is be joined by the SNP MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire Jim Fairlie, Labour's shadow cabinet secretary for social justice & social security Pam Duncan-Glancy, and the Scottish Conservatives' shadow cabinet secretary for finance and the economy, Liz Smith. The panel looked at the introduction of Covid passpor…

1
#21 SNP/Green deal and what it means for indy, and NHS recovery plan 1:00:54

3y ago1:00:54

1:00:54

Parliament returns next week, and ahead of the big day, all five parties joined Brian in this special episode of The Brian Taylor Podcast.Brian and Alistair Grant of The Herald's political team are joined by Stephen Kerr, chief whip for the Scottish Conservatives in Holyrood, Kaukab Stewart, SNP MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Patrick Harvie, co-leader of …

1
#20 GERS figures, taxation and Cambo oilfield 48:08

3y ago48:08

48:08

This week's episode comes in the wake of this year's GERS figures. Brian and David Bol of The Herald's political team are joined by SNP Financial Secretary Richard Thomson and Shadow Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise Jamie Halcro Johnston. ________________________________________________ Produced by Elle Duffy and Ema Sabljak for…

1
#19 Here's what we have to say on Scottish independence 18:03

3y ago18:03

18:03

While Brian enjoys a well-deserved break, we use this episode to take a look back on some of the key exchanges on the constitutional debate since we started this podcast. We hear excerpts from episodes 7, 13 and 17, and feature clips from Mike Russell, Rishi Sunak, and Pam-Duncan Glancey. We'll be back next week with our regular offerings. ________…

1
#18 The future of Scotland's schools: how do we come out of this crisis? 44:43

3y ago44:43

44:43

In this education-special episode, Brian and his expert panel take a deep dive into Scotland’s schools, and tackle the question of what we need to do for our young people coming out of this crisis. We hear powerful testimonies from children across Scotland about their experiences of education during the pandemic, and what they hope will change in t…

1
#17 Rishi Sunak on independence, taxation and Glasgow jobs 14:58

3y ago14:58

14:58

In a special episode, Brian discusses the economy, jobs, furlough and independence with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak during his visit to Scotland. ________________________________________________ Produced by Elle Duffy and Ema Sabljak for The Herald. Contact the producers on voiceslive@heraldscotland.co.uk Music from Uppbeat (free for Cr…

1
#16 What do we do about Scotland's drug deaths problem? 46:08

3y ago46:08

46:08

This week, Brian and his guests take a look at Scotland's drug death problem ahead of annual figures being released. He's joined by Murdo Fraser, Willie Rennie, Kirsten Oswald, and Gillian Mackay. The panel also discusses Scotland's current Covid situation ahead of a decision being made on Tuesday over the easing of restrictions across the country.…

1
#15 A look at lobbying: Who really has access to power in Scotland 47:27

3y ago47:27

47:27

This week's special edition of the Brian Taylor Podcast builds upon a special investigation by The Ferret and The Herald into 'Who Runs Scotland'. After it took a deep dive into lobbying revealing hundreds of secret lobbying meetings in 2020 as well as Scotland's professional lobbyists, we speak to two top lobbyists and two journalists. Our lobbyis…

1
#14 Covid-19 special: Rising cases and relieving restrictions — what's next for Scotland 47:07

3y ago47:07

47:07

In a coronavirus special, Brian and his guests look at what is next for the country in the fight against the virus amid record-breaking daily case figures and looming restriction changes. Conservative MSP Donald Cameron, SNP MP Dave Doogan and Labour MSP Martin Whitfield and the Herald's health correspondent Helen McArdle weigh in on the topic. ___…

1
#13 Brexit and IndyRef special - what's next for Scotland? 46:00

3y ago46:00

46:00

Following the fifth anniversary of the Brexit referendum, Brian and his guests tackle all things referendum, both past and possible future. In a heated discussion, former shadow secretary of state for Scotland Peter Duncan, former Conservative MSP and current leader of Reform UK Scotland Michelle Ballantyne, founder and director of Scottish Centre …

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