Susan Deacon was Labour MSP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh (Constituency) from 1999 - 2007 and Scotland's first health minister. We spend more time with one of the stars of our live podcast recording event.
Calum, Andy and Susan discuss the 25-year anniversary of devolution in Scotland and reflects on the successes and challenges of the Scottish Parliament. We highlight the need for constructive reflection and improvement rather than getting stuck in nostalgia. We discuss the performative nature of politics, the unintended consequences of policies, and the lack of leadership and intellectual capacity in Scottish politics. They also emphasise the importance of engaging with wider civic society and fostering meaningful debate. The episode concludes with a discussion on the need to move away from comparing Scotland to England and instead benchmark against global peers. The conversation explores the challenges and shortcomings of the Scottish political system, particularly in relation to the media, healthcare, and candidate selection processes. It highlights the tendency for political discourse to focus on comparisons and not on addressing underlying issues. The conversation also discusses the need for decentralisation and regional leadership, as well as the importance of bringing in diverse expertise and allowing for independent thinking within political parties.
Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/holyroodsources.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Alba and Lib Dems in 2023
Labour's 2023
2023 and the SNP
Political & Podcast Moments and 2024
The Budget
The scunner factor...with Douglas Ross
Alistair Darling, Education & Budget
Your questions...answered.
The "Toughest Two Weeks"...with Ian Murray
iPad-gate, Lord Cameron and Ceasefire
The Same, but Different... with Ash Regan
Open for Business... with Alex Cole-Hamilton
Holyrood Sources So Far
Partnership and Devolution... with Jackie Baillie
SNP Conference: Humza Yousaf's Speech
SNP Conference: The Pub
Middle East responses and SNP Conference
Rutherglen & Hamilton West By-Election
Lego-brick Democracy... with Andy Wightman
IndyRef: Johann Lamont & Stephen Noon
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Jim & Bill (It‘s Another Day)
HauntingLive
Dr. Paul’s Worldviews
The Ben Shapiro Show
Morning Wire