The only podcast you need to keep your finger on the pulse of Scottish politics. Each episode, as well as an in-depth interview and top national and international politics headlines, political journalists from The Press & Journal, The Courier, Evening Express and Evening Telegraph discuss and explain the week’s biggest stories from Holyrood, Westminster and beyond. Be Better Briefed, with The Stooshie.
Episodes
4 days ago
General election fever, week 1
4 days ago
4 days ago
Rishi Sunak came to the Highlands where he doesn’t even have a candidate.
Keir Starmer promised Scotland the earth, but not a location for his fabled GB Energy HQ.
John Swinney found himself in an election moments after becoming First Minister.
We discuss week one, we test the water among the people of Perth, and all the rest in the first of our election podcasts.
Wednesday May 22, 2024
Why Scotland's doctors are worried about Physician Associates
Wednesday May 22, 2024
Wednesday May 22, 2024
Simon Barker, a children's orthopaedic surgeon in Aberdeen, explains the growing concern over the use of new “physician associates” in a stretched health service.
Are they valuable, quickly-trained additions, or is this “mission creep” to paper over gaps doctors can’t always cover?
Dr Barker is deputy chairman of the British Medical Association’s Scottish council, and works in NHS Grampian.
Wednesday May 15, 2024
Scotland's new drug addiction recovery plan explored
Wednesday May 15, 2024
Wednesday May 15, 2024
Douglas Ross tells us drug addiction and death is a problem in rural areas like his Moray constituency, not just cities with problems such as Dundee and Glasgow.
The Tory leader explains why his ‘right to addiction recovery bill’ should get support at Holyrood.
We also look our coverage of the Men’s Sheds scheme which forced the SNP into a funding U-turn.
And we explore Scottish Labour’s problems getting local candidates into constituencies.
Wednesday May 08, 2024
We search for words of wisdom as John Swinney becomes First Minister
Wednesday May 08, 2024
Wednesday May 08, 2024
Becoming first minister was the easy bit for John Swinney.
Now the handshakes and warm words are over, the hard work of governing begins.
We speak with Kayleigh Quinn, who knows a thing or two about wrangling a difficult group at Holyrood.
The former Scottish Labour organiser tells us what might be going through the new leader’s head as he looks at reshaping the SNP.
Wednesday May 01, 2024
Humza Yousaf quits - what next for the SNP?
Wednesday May 01, 2024
Wednesday May 01, 2024
Humza Yousaf folded on April 29 after losing authority by ditching his Green coalition partners.
We ask people in the outgoing first minister’s home city of Dundee what they think of his year in charge.
We also hear from Green MSP Maggie Chapman, who was asked if she still has confidence in her own party leaders.
Our political reporters look at the wreckage and discuss what might happen next as another SNP leadership contest looms.
Wednesday Apr 24, 2024
Alistair Greig’s £13m Ponzi fraud
Wednesday Apr 24, 2024
Wednesday Apr 24, 2024
A long-running plea for justice in the north of Scotland is being described as similar in scale to the Post Office scandal.
At its heart are the dozens of families devastated by conman Alistair Greig.
He was a respected financial advisor based in Aberdeen who ended up duping 184 victims out of £13 million.
Now they want justice.
To tell the story, we’re joined by Dale Haslam, an investigations reporter with the Press and Journal newspaper.
He has just returned from Westminster to hear from MPs including Alistair Carmichael pushing the campaigner’s case for answers.
Wednesday Apr 17, 2024
Is Labour ready for power?
Wednesday Apr 17, 2024
Wednesday Apr 17, 2024
Jennifer Lees-Marshment has studied political marketing and management since the rise of Tony Blair.
In this episode, she tells us how the main parties are approaching the phony war before the election date is set.
She also describes concerns that politicians are simply not trained to actually do their job when in power.
Would you go to a surgeon who hasn’t been trained? Why should we expect to be governed well by people who don’t know how to put their promises into practice?
Wednesday Apr 10, 2024
Wednesday Apr 10, 2024
Ahead of their conference in Dundee next week, Justin Bowie sits down with Roz Foyer, general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress, to discuss what she thinks a potential Labour win in Westminster will mean for workers in Scotland.
Roz Foyer also shared her passion for ensuring Dundee women subject to years of unequal pay finally receive compensation from the city council after a years-long battle for justice.
And Justin asks what trade unions want see for those working in Scotland's oil and gas sector as politicians debate what comes next in our commitment to net zero.
Wednesday Apr 03, 2024
Recess rewind: Hate crime, budget cuts and election fever
Wednesday Apr 03, 2024
Wednesday Apr 03, 2024
Our team takes stock of a turbulent end of term at the Scottish Parliament.
We look at the reaction to the Hate Crime Act, and the high profile interventions from JK Rowling to Ally McCoist.
Meanwhile, there's an election looming - are social policy problems like housing making an impact?
And we speak to North East Scotland College principal Neil Cowie for a featured interview on the impact of cuts regionally and nationally.
Wednesday Mar 27, 2024
Assisted Dying: Scotland prepares for third attempt at law change
Wednesday Mar 27, 2024
Wednesday Mar 27, 2024
We speak to Liam McArthur, the MSP steering controversial assisted dying laws through Holyrood at the third time of asking.
Are the safeguards enough to convince sceptics?
Has Scotland’s parliament changed its mind since the last time it was debated?
The Bill will be lodged at Holyrood on Friday - and then the serious job of scrutiny will begin.