Scotcast

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like ‘Humza Yousaf on Trump and Gaza’: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0027lr4 John Swinney has been heckled while speaking at a vigil marking the anniversary of the 7 October attacks by Hamas on Israel. The BBC’s David Wallace Lockhart tells us why the First Minister’s views on Palestinian statehood were met with jeers. And Martin explains why you should check the smallprint on your passport before going to the airport. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch: scotcast@bbc.co.uk

In 1989, John Davidson (pictured in 2025) was on TV screens as a sad and lonely teenager in the documentary 'John's Not Mad'. John tells us what it’s like to have his life and journey with Tourette’s syndrome turned into a feature film, I Swear, and of his pride in Billie Eilish and Lewis Capaldi. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch: scotcast@bbc.co.uk Photo credit: Eoin CareyAdditional material: STUDIOCANAL

Laura Kuenssberg, a seasoned political journalist, dives into the scandal surrounding Michelle Mone's PPE Medpro, revealing details of their controversial interview and the hefty damages awarded. Georgina Hayes, a BBC reporter focused on housing, outlines transformative changes in the Housing (Scotland) Bill, including new rules for pet ownership and decorating in rented homes. She also explains the implications of local rent control zones and discusses the reactions from landlords and tenants regarding the 6% rent cap.

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like ‘Sandie Peggie tribunal: what’s going on?’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002hwmc Education secretary Jenny Gilruth (pictured) says the Scottish Government’s new guidance on the treatment of transgender pupils – which instructs schools to provide separate toilets for boys and girls – provides 'clarity'. The Scotsman’s education correspondent Catriona Stewart explains why, for some, the guidance isn’t clear enough. And as the Labour conference wraps in Liverpool, did Sir Keir Starmer do enough to secure his leadership? Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch: scotcast@bbc.co.uk

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like 'Could Andy Burnham be prime minister?' https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002jtstWith polls suggesting Scottish Labour are struggling to maintain support, what can Anas Sarwar do to turn things around and does he need to distance himself from Sir Keir Starmer? Martin Geissler is joined by pollster Mark Diffley who lays out the challenges for Labour ahead of the Scottish elections in May 2026 and former political adviser John McTernan tells us what he would do to fend off a rising Reform party. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch: scotcast@bbc.co.uk

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like ‘Meet the new Scottish Green leaders’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002j5l7 Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham (pictured) has turned up the heat on Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership of the Labour Party. The BBC’s David Wallace Lockhart and Iain Watson tell us what’s gone wrong for the prime minister – and whether some in Scottish Labour may also fancy a change at the top with a Holyrood election looming. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch: scotcast@bbc.co.uk

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like Scotcast - How to save childhood - BBC Sounds A bill proposed by Conservative MSP Liz Smith (pictured here) which could guarantee all primary 7 pupils a week of outdoor learning has been brought back from the brink. The Scotsman's education correspondent Catriona Stewart and BBC’s Kirsten Campbell chat with Laura about the bumps in the road it has faced and reminisce about their own school days. Plus BBC’S environment, energy and rural affairs correspondent Kevin Keane pops by to tell Laura about why she needs to be on the lookout for ticks in her local park. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch: scotcast@bbc.co.uk

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like ‘Uncovering a scandal’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0027t8h Families of elderly residents at one of Scotland's largest care homes have accused its owners of 'cruelty' and 'neglect' after a BBC investigation revealed a series of care failures. BBC Disclosure reporter Catriona MacPhee (pictured), who worked undercover as a cleaner in Castlehill Care Home in Inverness for seven weeks, tells us what she discovered and how she felt. Watch Disclosure: Care Home Undercover on BBC iPlayer https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002k175/disclosure-care-home-undercover Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins.

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like ‘Gangsters gunned down in Spain’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002cy0r Steven Lyons and Ross McGill (both pictured) were among four significant gangland figures arrested in Dubai. The BBC’s Paul O’Hare explains who’s who in a decades-long feud between the Lyons and Daniel gangs which preceded the arrests in the United Arab Emirates. And Stephen Dempster, producer of the BBC documentary Kinahan: The True Story of Ireland's Mafia, tells us about the Scottish links to Daniel Kinahan’s cartel. Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch: scotcast@bbc.co.uk

If you’re interested in this episode, you may also like ‘Why Lockerbie is back in the news’ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00272kt Abu Agila Mas'ud Kheir Al-Marimi, aka Mas’ud (pictured), who is accused of building the bomb that brought down an American airliner over Lockerbie in 1988, has claimed he was forced into making a false confession. The BBC’s Dave Cowan tells us what that could mean for his trial. And with President Trump’s state visit coming to an end – could Scotland be left on the sidelines of one of the major deals? Scotcast is the BBC’s Scottish news podcast, with Martin Geissler, Laura Miller and Natalie Higgins. Get in touch: scotcast@bbc.co.uk