Go Radio Politics Show: March 8th, 2026.

This is a catch-up version of Bernard Ponsonby's live, weekly Sunday show on Go Radio.

Bernard Ponsonby leads the panel — Patrick Harvie, Scottish Greens, Alyn Smith SNP and Scottish labour's Vonnie Sandlan — through the week’s most politically charged stories.

From a Middle East crisis reshaping global alliances to sobering UK economic forecasts and a fiercely debated asylum overhaul, this episode delivers tension, insight and the kind of unfiltered political candour listeners crave.

The Middle East in Flames — Is the World Safer or More Dangerous Now?

A U.S.–Israel attack on Iran has sent shockwaves across the globe.

The panel dissect:The assassination of Ayatollah Khamenei, Missiles hitting Gulf states, Soaring energy prices and market panic and whether the rules‑based international order is collapsing

The UK’s Bleak Economic Outlook — Has Labour’s Growth Plan Already Stalled?

Growth forecasts are grim, and inflation won’t hit target until 2027.

Key debates include: Is Labour “managing decline”?Are higher taxes now inevitable? How will soaring energy prices and Middle East instability hit the UK economy? Is the Scottish Government making the most of its funding boost?

The £10,000 Asylum Return Offer — Compassion or Madness?

The government’s tough new asylum measures take centre stage.

The panel unpack: The controversial £10k payment to failed asylum seekers Extending the route to Indefinite Leave to Remain Claims of hypocrisy within Labour’s position and concerns of rising far‑right rhetoric and its political consequences

The realities on the doorstep in Glasgow and beyond

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Go Radio Politics Show: March 1st, 2026.

This is a catch-up version of Bernard Ponsonby's live, weekly Sunday show on Go Radio.

Bernard Ponsonby and a lively panel — Malcolm Offord (Reform UK Scotland), David Linden (SNP), and later Annie Wells (Scottish Conservatives) — unpack the Green Party’s historic by‑election win in Gorton & Denton, an upset that has political insiders asking whether the dominance of Labour and the Conservatives is beginning to crumble.

The Gorton & Denton Earthquake

Greens secure their first ever by‑election win — and by a wide margin.

Labour pushed to third, Reform UK surges, and the Conservatives collapse.

Debate on whether this is a mid‑term protest or a true political realignment.

Fragmentation of UK politics now mirrors what Scotland has experienced for years.

Are Scots Being Taxed Unfairly?

Over one million Scots expected to become higher‑rate taxpayers due to fiscal drag.

SNP stance: “You can’t have Scandinavian services with American tax rates.”

Reform UK argues Scotland has a 55% state share of GDP and needs a “wealth economy.”

Heated exchanges over tax bands, public spending, quangos, and who really pays.

Nurses, teachers, and police now classed as “broad-shouldered taxpayers.”

Holyrood Poll Shock — Is the Election Already Decided?

New polling suggests:

SNP: 60–67 seats

Reform UK Scotland: 19–25 seats

Labour: struggling

Tories: fewer than 10 seats

Reform UK claims they can stop the SNP; Conservatives argue Reform will hand power to the SNP.

SNP insists nothing is guaranteed — “polls are not votes in the box.”

The future of independence returns to centre stage.

The Unionist Vote Problem

Multiple unionist parties + Reform UK surge = risk of splitting the anti‑SNP vote.

Strategic dilemmas: Who is best placed to challenge the SNP in each constituency?

Reform accused of being “Tory rebranding,” Conservatives accused of having only one policy.

Council Tax, Local Services & A City That Needs a ‘Spruce Up’

Glasgow facing steep council tax rises amid financial pressures.

Debate over whether increases are fair during a cost‑of‑living squeeze.

Rows over cleansing services, funding shortfalls, and local autonomy.

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Go Radio Politics Show: February 22nd, 2026.

This is a catch-up version of Bernard Ponsonby's live, weekly Sunday show on Go Radio.

The Lord Advocate in the Political Crosshairs

Why a confidential note to the First Minister triggered accusations of impropriety.

Should the dual role of chief legal adviser and head of prosecutions finally be split?

Panelists clash over conflicts of interest, political optics, and public confidence.

Scotland’s Finances: Reality Check or Armageddon Hype?

The Institute for Fiscal Studies warns of tightening budgets — is the crisis real?

The panel debates whether free tuition, free bus passes, and flagship services remain sustainable.

Where past reforms have worked… and where they’ve stalled for 15 years.

Public Services: Spending More, Getting Less?

Are Scotland’s “free” policies inadvertently subsidising the middle class?

Why outcomes in education and health aren’t matching investment.

The Christie Commission’s ghosts return to haunt Holyrood.

Council Tax Rise: Cost‑of‑Living Pain or Necessary Reality?

With rises above inflation across the country, are councils simply passing the buck?

Chronic underfunding, ring‑fencing battles, and the future of local democracy.

Is it finally time to scrap or overhaul council tax?

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