Our Spotlight: On the Election mini-series has wrapped up and we're returning to season three for the final episode of the season. In this episode, host Graeme Roy is joined by former President of Ireland Professor Mary McAleese. Graeme and Mary talk about building bridges - the hallmark of her presidency from 1997 to 2011 - and how she took that philosophy and turned it into action. They discuss social justice, the health of democracy and political leadership in Europe, taking the long view in policymaking and much, much more. Sign up for the Centre for Public Policy mailing list to keep up w ..read more

This week our hosts Nicola McEwen and Kez Dugdale are joined by Stephen Noon, former senior policy adviser for the first SNP Government, and Eddie Barnes, former adviser to Ruth Davidson and the Scottish Conservatives. They reflect on the key moments of the campaigns, the polls, what might happen on election night and what the results could mean.   ..read more

In this episode of ‘Spotlight: On the Election’ Professor Nicola McEwen and Professor Kezia Dugdale talk to Professor Sergi Pardos-Prado, Dr Dan Fisher and Professor Nasar Meer all experts from the University of Glasgow.  They talk about the UK’s attitude to immigration the current status of the UK’s asylum system and what each party is proposing to do about it.    ..read more

We’re bringing you a bonus episode!  On Monday 17 June we brought together leaders from across civil society in an online event to discuss the #UKGeneralElection2024, reflecting on the campaigns to date, the most recent polling and what they hope to see in the closing stages of the race.  Steered by Kezia Dugdale, the episode features a discussion between Professor Nicola McEwen; Anna Fowlie, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations; Dr Emily Gray, IPSOS Scotland; Nathalie Agnew,  Institute of Directors, Edinburgh and Lothians.  Visit the Centre for Public Policy websit ..read more

In this episode of Spotlight: On the Election, Professor Nicola McEwen and Professor Kezia Dugdale talk to the UK’s leading voice on Brexit and its impact in the UK, Professor Anand Menon, Director of UK in a Changing Europe at King's College London. They talk about the recent European elections, what’s in the UK party manifestos on Europe ahead of the 4 July UK General Election, and what the UK and EU relationship might look like in the future. Join us for Policy Insights Live, our live, online event on Monday 17 June. More info and sign up on the Centre for Public Policy website: www.gl ..read more

In this episode of ‘Spotlight: On the Election’ Prof. Kezia Dugdale speaks to world leading economist Prof. Sir Anton Muscatelli, Principal & Vice Chancellor of the University of Glasgow, about the big economic challenges facing the parties and the potential policy solutions for the next government.    Also in this episode, Prof. Graeme Roy and Dr Tanya Wilson, Senior Lecturer in Economics at the University of Glasgow, discuss how these economic issues impact people’s lives, especially low-income households, and what the parties are proposing as solutions.  ..read more

In this first episode of our ‘Spotlight: On the Election’ miniseries Nicola McEwen and Kezia Dugdale from the Centre for Public Policy speak to Stephen Noon, former senior policy adviser for the first SNP Government, and Eddie Barnes, former adviser to Ruth Davidson and the Scottish Conservatives. They reflect on the timing of the election, what's likely happening in party HQs and the big seats to watch in the coming weeks.  ..read more

On this week's episode we focus on The Promise - the term used for the work required to deliver the findings of a review published in 2020 into the care system and what it would take to ensure  every child in Scotland could grow up loved, safe and respected. We speak to Fraser McKinley, Chief Executive of The Promise Scotland, the organisation set up to support and drive the change to deliver on the promise. We also talk to Sarah Davidson, Chief Executive of Carnegie UK, about wider challenges around delivering on The Promise in the context of wider public sector reform ..read more

On this special episode focussing on minority government, we speak to Geoff Aberdein, former FM chief of staff to Alex Salmond, and Professor Nicola McEwen, Director of the UofG Centre for Public Policy. They discuss what minority government might mean for Scotland, from day-to-day practicalities to potential implications longer term for the political process and public policy.  ..read more

We are delighted to bring you this special episode on Minimum Unit Pricing, ahead of an anticipated rise by the Scottish Government later this spring. Professor Nicola McEwen talks to Dr Peter Rice, a former addiction psychiatrist and President of the European Alcohol Policy Alliance. He is also Chair of the Institute of Alcohol Studies. Dr Rice was one of the founders, and a former Chair, of the Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP), which was set up in 2006. He was part of the SHAAP group that developed the proposal for Minimum Unit Pricing in 2007, which was adopted by the Scot ..read more