Podcasts By The Scottish Parliament

Why is the world building more walls?

The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 signalled that barriers between people and nations could be broken.

Join the panel as they debate the motivations behind wall building.

This panel was chaired by Professor Sionaidh Douglas-Scott, Anniversary Chair in Law, Queen Mary University of London, and included:

• Professor Holger Nehring, Chair in Contemporary European History at the University of Stirling
• Jason Boxt, US pollster (conducts and analyses opinion polls)
• Dr Nour Halabi, Lecturer of Media and Communication at the University of Leeds
• Professor Alison Phipps, Professor of Languages and Intercultural Studies, UNESCO chair in Refugee integration Through Languages and The Arts at the University of Glasgow

First Minister’s Questions (FMQs) - 28th November 2019

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP answered questions from opposition party leaders and other MSPs on Thursday 28th November 2019.

How does Scotland get to net zero emissions by 2045?

In this podcast, we hear the opportunities and challenges on achieving net-zero carbon emissions in Scotland by 2045.

Chaired by Mark Ruskell MSP, Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee, this panel includes:

• Anne Johnstone, Head of Environment, Energy and Sustainability service for Hollis Global
• Dr Martin Valenti, Head of Climate Enterprise for Scottish Enterprise
• Catriona Patterson, 2050 Climate Group
• Dr Matthew Brander, Senior lecturer in Carbon Accounting at the University of Edinburgh

This session was recorded as par of the Festival of Politics, in partnership with Edinburgh Science Festival.

First Minister’s Questions (FMQs) - 21st November 2019

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP answered questions from opposition party leaders and other MSPs on Thursday 21st November 2019.

Citizens' Assemblies

How do citizens' assemblies work, and why are they suddenly so popular?

Following the success of the citizens' assembly in Ireland amd around the world, Scotland plans to follow suit with a citizens' assembly in 2020.

Join chair Shelagh Wright, and panellists Dr. Oliver Escobar, Jamie Kelsey-Fry and Dr. Jane Suiter at this session recorded as part of the 2019 Festival of Politics.

First Minister’s Questions (FMQs) - 14th November 2019

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP answered questions from opposition party leaders and other MSPs on Thursday 14th November 2019.

Populism and the Rule of Law - Baroness Kennedy

Join Baroness Kennedy in conversation with Linda Fabiani MSP, Deputy Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament.

Baroness Kennedy is one of the UK’s most distinguished lawyers. Her high-profile work includes legal reform on sexual and domestic violence and campaigning for progress on equal opportunities within the legal profession.

Recorded at the 2019 Festival of Politics.

First Minister's Questions (FMQs) - 7th November 2019

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP answered questions from opposition party leaders and other MSPs on Thursday 7th November 2019.

Can Finland Solve Homelessness?

Finland is the only country in the EU where homelessness is falling. Now its radical approach is about to be piloted in parts of the UK.

Join the Presiding Officer and panellists Sanna Vesikansa, Deputy Mayor of Helsinki; Ewan Aitken, Chief Executive Officer, Cyrenians; Kate Farrell, Mayoral adviser on homelessness, Liverpool City Region; and Mark Johnson, former rough sleeper and User Voice founder, to discuss whether Finland’s solution will work in the UK.

Recorded at the 2019 Festival of Politics.

First Minister's Questions (FMQs) - 31st October 2019

The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, answered questions from MSPs in The Scottish Parliament on the 31st October 2019.