@kateforbes.bsky.social’s news is, in my view, simultaneously bleak news for Scottish politics and government, and good news for Kate and her family.

Our instantaneous reaction, on @holyroodsources.bsky.social , is streaming now.

Geoff Aberdein | @calumam.bsky.social

Trump Turnberry must host the Open – and Swinney must drive it John Swinney needs to exploit President Trump’s weak point. The locations of his visit offer the clue about what that is.

Of course we should welcome Trump to Scotland..... and we should give Turnberry the Open too. My thoughts in today's @heraldscotland 🇺🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

Zonal Pricing, Trump’s Visit & Why Scotland Can’t Build Podcast Episode · Holyrood Sources · 23/07/2025 · 45m

This week’s @HolyroodSources , streaming now and on video on YouTube:

💨 zonal pricing rural cost/benefit from wind farms
🛣️ infrastructure spending
🇺🇸 Trump in Scotland
🗳️ & the disconnect between parties and people

@geoffaberdein | @CalumAM

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/h...

Ten years to make indy the settled will: Can the SNP do it? John Swinney and his indispensable deputy Kate Forbes are presented with opportunities that, in their wildest dreams, they never thought they would…

The time is right to make independence the settled will, but nationalists will have to perform much better to make it so. My thoughts on today’s @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

Labour's reform agenda is over. The rebels are in control The Labour rebels are in charge now, and the same people who said no to welfare reform will also say no to healthcare reform

Tomorrow’s column today…

Labour's reform agenda is over. The rebels are in control | @heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

Let's have a conversation about debunking the NHS as a national cult Using private healthcare in this country is seen as an act of selfishness. A grotesque display of privilege. Two fingers to the little people…

“Far from causing moral panic, using private health care in other countries is seen as an act of moral propriety.”

My thoughts on healthcare in today’s @heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

The Tories are becoming two parties in one. Which one will prevail? The Tory party in Scotland finds itself in the hottest water it has encountered since devolution began

My thoughts in today's @heraldscotland.bsky.social on the Scottish Tories woes, and the growing distinction between its urban and rural wings. www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

A Grand Coalition between SNP and Labour may go from unthinkable to inevitable Don’t bother publicly asking a politician from our two established mainstream parties about a Grand Coalition. But discuss it with some of them in…

🔴🟡From unthinkable to improbable to inevitable.

Why you shouldn't rule out the prospect of a 'grand coalition' between Labour and the SNP, for the same reason it happened in Germany 🇩🇪 and Ireland 🇮🇪.

By me in today's @heraldscotland.bsky.social

www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

By-election Aftermath... and Reform UK defector Podcast Episode · Holyrood Sources · 11/06/2025 · 44m

This week’s @holyroodsources.bsky.social ‬⁩, with me and my amigos @calumam.bsky.social ‬⁩ and ⁦‪Geoff Aberdein‬⁩ , and this week @reformukscotland.bsky.social ‘s ‬⁩ Labour 🔴 defector.

Plus, the grand coalition is back…..

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/h...

I know frustration of commuting from Edinburgh's suburbs by bus. Here's my solution Growing up in Edinburgh's suburbs, Andy Maciver knows the frustration of commuting into town by bus but he has a solution...

The @heraldscotland.bsky.social has done a brilliant series on the future of Edinburgh this week - here's my contribution on suburbs and transport, and why the rail and the river give us the way forward:
www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

Labour WIN Hamilton by-election Podcast Episode · Holyrood Sources · S4, E27 Bonus · 25m

🚨 Streaming now from Rome @calumam.bsky.social, a park bench (Geoff Aberdein) and a leisure centre (me), immediate reaction to Labour’s remarkable by election win (and how @anassarwar.bsky.social can justifiably bask ☀️)

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/h...

Scotland's educational establishment is betraying our children - and our economy In maths, reading and science - Scottish children’s scores are continually declining. We are now hovering around average in PISA rankings. If our…

My thoughts in today's @heraldscotland.bsky.social on how we can rescue our schools and avoid sleepwalking into a social and economic calamity www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

Our MSPs can be better if we let them Most of what our lawmakers do on a day-to-day basis is fairly drab. This is not to say it is unimportant, but the issues they tackle and the…

ICYMI, my thoughts in yesterday's @heraldscotland.bsky.social on how the asissted dying debate showed our MSPs at their best, and how they could do it more often www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

Pleasure to have @adamboulton.bsky.social join us on @holyroodsources.bsky.social today. Streaming now on audio and video

Geoff Aberdein | @calumam.bsky.social

What is a Woman? Susan Smith from For Women Scotland on the political reaction to the Supreme Court YouTube video by Holyrood Sources

End your week with @holyroodsources.bsky.social , the most-listened-to Scottish political podcast. This week, the Supreme Court gender judgment.

On audio 🎧

And here on YouTube 🖥️ youtu.be/-_OjvLl_HLI?...

@calumam.bsky.social | Geoff Aberdein

Which foes will the SNP become friends with? Greens or Lib Dems? Who could be a governing partner for the SNP? There are probably only two options.

The SNP is likely to need some help after 2026, and it's probably only the Greens or the Lib Dems who can provide it. By me in today's @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

"We are in Scotland, the Emerald City of politics, where, unlike Elphaba, John Swinney appears not to need a broomstick to defy gravity." @heraldscotland.bsky.social

An SNP by-election win would defy gravity Andy Maciver: An SNP by-election win would defy gravity

What would an SNP win in the Hamilton by-election say about Scottish politics? By me in today's @heraldscotland.bsky.social www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

What's the Alba party's strategy? Plus, defections | Jamie Greene MSP & Kenny MacAskill YouTube video by Holyrood Sources

This week on @holyroodsources.bsky.social with me, Geoff Aberdein & @calumam.bsky.social

🔵➡️🟠 @jamiegreeneuk.bsky.social on his move from the Tories to the Libs
&
🟡➡️🔵 Kenny MacAskill on Alba’s prospects at #sp26

📺 Watch it here: youtu.be/PIxk4DoCQ4k?...

🎧 Streaming as usual as a podcast.

Scotland must act to save universities from economic abyss – Edinburgh University Vice-Chancellor If dire financial problems facing universities are not confronted, the education system as we know it will perish, says Professor Sir Peter Mathieson

This is why the press is still critical and must be supported. @edinburghuni.bsky.social re-starts funding debate in an op-ed in yesterday's Scotland on Sunday, carrying into @scotsman.com and other titles today, and onto broadcast, and into politics. www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...

Will more Tories defect to the Lib Dems? Jamie Greene is a one-time Scottish Tory leadership contender who has resigned the Conservative whip and joined the Liberal Democrats.

Some thoughts from me on @thespectator1828.bsky.social on @jamiegreeneuk.bsky.social joining @scotlibdems.org.uk

Will more Tories defect to the Lib Dems? www.spectator.co.uk/article/will...

An A-road revolution would be the highlight of devolution Hurray, we built a road! The Cross Tay Link Road was opened this week, linking the A9 north of Scone to the A93 and A94, up into Scotland’s north…

My thoughts in today's @heraldscotland.bsky.social , on how our agreeable mainstream politicians could make a roads revolution the biggest achievement of devolution www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

Getting Scotland Working YouTube video by Holyrood Sources

This week’s @holyroodsources.bsky.social , streaming now and on YouTube.

Today:
🟥 Labour & benefits
🟨 The SNP’s candidates
💨 Aberdeen & energy

And in listener questions, one happy customer asks who gave me and Geoff a platform? That would be @calumam.bsky.social …

youtu.be/9SGp_Qcn3uk?...

Sturgeon Quits, Labour and Welfare, and Outdoor Education YouTube video by Holyrood Sources

This week’s @HolyroodSources, in full on YouTube now

➡️ Sturgeon’s exit
🟨 Swinney’s reshuffle
🟥 Sarwar’s welfare
🥾 Smith’s outdoor ed

Also streaming 🎧

@CalumAM | @geoffaberdein | @mspliz

youtu.be/ZBetByw6q7w?...

Bumper @holyroodsources.bsky.social sources coming your way later this afternoon, with me, Geoff Aberdein and @calumam.bsky.social:

🚪 #NicolaSturgeon's exit
💷 Labour's welfare policy
🟡 Scottish Government #reshuffle
🥾 and we're joined by Liz Smith MSP to chat about her outdoor education Bill

I’ll be on Mornings on BBC Radio Scotlasnd shortly, discussing Trident in the Trump era. Tune in! 📻

Scotland is up to its neck in Trumpland, whether we like it or not There is a fine line between diplomacy and debasement. The hyperactivity of President Trump and the US administration means that diplomacy will…

In today's @heraldscotland.bsky.social @scottishcomment.bsky.social

We're underplaying the impact on Scotland of the Trump presidency, on:
💷 our exports
🗳️ our election
💣 our defence

Scotland is up to its neck in Trumpland, whether we like it or not
www.heraldscotland.com/politics/vie...

Should the Scottish Tories ignore the Reform threat? What do the Tories do with a problem like Reform? Kemi Badenoch’s party in Westminster has some time to consider this, with over four years to go until it has to put her strategy – whatever that is – ...

Should the Scottish Tories ignore the Reform threat?

By me in @thespectator1828.bsky.social

www.spectator.co.uk/article/shou...

Scotland's role in a 'coalition of the willing' | Lt. Col. Stuart Crawford & Stewart McDonald YouTube video by Holyrood Sources

Full ep now streaming on your podcast feed, and here on YouTube: youtu.be/LxTrCXDbEec?...

Andy Maciver on LinkedIn: Today's Holyrood Sources podcast is all about Scotland's place in Trump's… Today's Holyrood Sources podcast is all about Scotland's place in Trump's world. We were joined by Lt. Col. Stuart Crawford and Stewart McDonald - please do…

My scene-setter for this week's @holyroodsources.bsky.social
, with Lt Col Stuart Crawford and @stewartmcdonald.bsky.social , on Scotland's place in Trump's world, here: linkedin.com/posts/andy-m...

@calumam.bsky.social | Geoff Aberdein