{"podcast":{"title":"Holyrood Sources","slug":"holyrood-sources-6059290","podcast_index_feed_id":6059290,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/643d6492ae2be60011a66c8d","website_url":"https://holyroodsources.com","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/643d6492ae2be60011a66c8d/1770832623635-1d75b621-0366-4066-bbbe-fe4a156e1798.jpeg","author":"Shortbread Media","episode_count":235,"summary":"The Holyrood Sources podcast analyses Scottish politics through the experiences of those who have lived and breathed it as Special Advisers to the Scottish Government, SNP and opposition parties. Join hosts Calum Macdonald, Geoff Aberdein (Chief of Staff to the First Minister, 2007-2014) and Andy Maciver (Former Head of Communications for the Scottish Conservatives) as they take you inside Scottish politics. Their insight is second to none - they've been there, lived it, and maintain remarkable connections to Scotland's politicians and the world of Scottish politics. Join our mailing list and check out our latest live events: click holyroodsources.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-23T02:17:09.442387+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/holyrood-sources-6059290"},"episode":{"title":"Why This Election Campaign is \"Dispiriting\"","slug":"why-this-election-campaign-is-dispiriting","published_at":"2026-04-23T07:43:09+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/holyrood-sources-6059290/why-this-election-campaign-is-dispiriting","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/holyrood-sources-6059290","url":"https://www.holyroodsources.com/","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/643d6492ae2be60011a66c8d/e/69e9cd8dd2febdbec919398c/media.mp3","summary":"The Holyrood Sources team is back to break down a week of political name-calling, tactical blunders, and Westminster turmoil. In this episode, Calum Macdonald, Geoff Aberdein (former Chief of Staff to the First Minister), and Andy Maciver (former Director of Communications for the Scottish Conservatives) dive into the \"immature\" state of the current election campaign. From Anas Sarwar and Graham Simpson’s public spats to John Swinney’s decision to skip the BBC Question Time leaders' debate, the team asks: where are the big ideas? We also analyse the \"terminal\" situation for Sir Keir Starmer at Westminster. With Ollie Robbins sacked and Cabinet ministers struggling to defend the Prime Minister, is Starmer being held \"hostage\" by his own colleagues until May 7th? In this episode: The \"Pathetic\" Campaign: Why the focus on deals and name-calling is failing Scottish voters. SNP’s Food Price Cap: Is the cap on food prices a \"gimmick\" or a strategic masterstroke? The Starmer Crisis: Analysing the dismissal of Olly Robbins and the silence of the Labour Cabinet. John Swinney’s Debate Absence: Is the First Minister \"running scared\" or making a tactical calculation? Follow Holyrood Sources: ✉️ Email: hello@holyroodsources.com 💬 WhatsApp: 0333 404 6507 🌐 Website: holyroodsources.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","meta_description":"The Holyrood Sources team is back to break down a week of political name-calling, tactical blunders, and Westminster turmoil. In this episode, Calum Macdo…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2165,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/holyrood-sources-6059290/episodes/why-this-election-campaign-is-dispiriting/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/holyrood-sources-6059290/why-this-election-campaign-is-dispiriting.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}