Podcasts By The Scottish Parliament

Festival of Politics - Abnormally Funny: Disability & Comedy

A recording from the Festival of Politics session titled "Abnormally Funny: Disability & Comedy".

A 2017 survey by disability charity Scope found that one in four people avoided having conversations with disabled people because of feelings of discomfort and fear of saying the wrong thing. Join chair Ethan Young, Civic Participation Officer at Inclusion Scotland, and panellists including Dr Sharon Lockyer, Centre for Comedy Studies Research, Brunel University; Laurence Clark, stand-up comedian and disability rights campaigner and Colin Young, Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland to debate common misconceptions about disability, and to ask whether or not comedy by disabled people helps to change attitudes. 

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

The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, answered questions from MSPs in The Scottish Parliament on the 21st March 2019.

Festival of Politics - Politics and Social Media

A recording from the Festival of Politics session titled "Politics and Social Media".

In 2008, there were around 1.5 million election-related tweets. In 2012, there were 31 million. Join chair Anas Sarwar MSP and panellists Dr Paolo Gerbaudo, Director of the Centre for Digital Culture, King’s College, London and author of Tweets and the Streets; Victoria Boelman, Director of Research, The Young Foundation; and Ben Macpherson MSP, Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development, to debate this political communication switch and its impact on everything from voter turnouts to political candidates’ behaviour and the threat to digital democracy.

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

The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, answered questions from MSPs in The Scottish Parliament on the 14th March 2019.

The potential implications of Brexit on Health and Social Care

This event at the Scottish Parliament looked at the potential impact of Brexit on staffing, public health, medicines and medical devices in health and social care.

It was chaired by Lewis MacDonald MSP, Convener of the Parliament's Health and Sport Committee, who introduced Emma Harper MSP, Vice Convener with an update on the Committee's work.

Discussion then moved on to the guest speakers:

Professor Jean McHale and Elizabeth Speakman, spoke about their work on the ERSC funded project Health Law Outside the EU: Immediate, Intermediate and Long-Term Impacts, and Karen Hedge, National Director, Scottish Care then presented the social care perspective.

First Minister’s Questions (FMQs) - 7th March 2019

The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, answered questions from MSPs in The Scottish Parliament on the 7th March 2019.

Gillian Martin MSP & Finlay Carson MSP - Climate Change - 5th March 2019

We speak with Gillian Martin MSP, Convener of the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee, and Finlay Carson MSP, member of the committee, about the recently published report on the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill.

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

The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, answered questions from MSPs in The Scottish Parliament on the 28th February 2019.

Conversation with Darren McGarvey aka Loki - Festival of Politics

Darren McGarvey, aka LOKI, is a writer, performer, community activist and columnist. His book Poverty Safari, has recently won the prestigious Orwell Prize, is described by Irvine Welsh as, “an intellectual and spiritual rehab manual for the progressive left,” He was rapper-in-residence at Police Scotland’s Violence Reduction Unit and McGarvey’s views are being sought on everything from BBC Question Time to The Guardian. Join Darren and the Presiding Officer to discuss the “industry of deprivation”; how to achieve political representation for the unrepresented and working-class masculinity in the 21st century, as explored in McGarvey’s new album Trigger Warning. Join us for an energising mental-flossing from one of Scotland’s most inspiring commentators.

In partnership with the Open University in Scotland.

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

The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, answered questions from MSPs in The Scottish Parliament on the 21th February 2019.