@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

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...

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.

heraldscotland.com

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...

Zonal Pricing, Trump’s Visit & Why Scotland Can’t Build

Podcast Episode · Holyrood Sources · 23/07/2025 · 45m

podcasts.apple.com

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...

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…

heraldscotland.com

Tomorrow’s column today… Labour's reform agenda is over. The rebels are in control | @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

heraldscotland.com

“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...

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…

heraldscotland.com

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...

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

heraldscotland.com

🔴🟡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...

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…

heraldscotland.com

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...

By-election Aftermath... and Reform UK defector

Podcast Episode · Holyrood Sources · 11/06/2025 · 44m

podcasts.apple.com

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...

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...

heraldscotland.com

🚨 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...

Labour WIN Hamilton by-election

Podcast Episode · Holyrood Sources · S4, E27 Bonus · 25m

podcasts.apple.com

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...

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…

heraldscotland.com

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...

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…

heraldscotland.com

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

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

What is a Woman? Susan Smith from For Women Scotland on the political reaction to the Supreme Court

YouTube video by Holyrood Sources

youtu.be

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...

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.

heraldscotland.com

"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

Andy Maciver@akmaciver.bsky.social · last yr.

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 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...

An SNP by-election win would defy gravity

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

heraldscotland.com

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.

What's the Alba party's strategy? Plus, defections | Jamie Greene MSP & Kenny MacAskill

YouTube video by Holyrood Sources

youtu.be

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...

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

scotsman.com

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...

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.

spectator.co.uk

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...

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…

heraldscotland.com

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?...

Getting Scotland Working

YouTube video by Holyrood Sources

youtu.be

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?...

Sturgeon Quits, Labour and Welfare, and Outdoor Education

YouTube video by Holyrood Sources

youtu.be

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! 📻

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...

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…

heraldscotland.com

Should the Scottish Tories ignore the Reform threat? By me in @thespectator1828.bsky.social www.spectator.co.uk/article/shou...

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 – ...

spectator.co.uk

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

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…

linkedin.com

This week's @holyroodsources.bsky.social , recording now. What is Scotland's role in Trump's world? Streaming later today... 🎧💻 @calumam.bsky.social | Geoff Aberdein