Hello and welcome back to the political podcast. This is the second of two specials recorded at this summer's Edinburgh festival

and this one features formerly through the SMP and currently leading education in Scotland, John Swinney.

John is someone that I've had a lot of respect for for a very long time and I remember seeing him in a cafe in Edinburgh a couple of years ago

and I'm usually the sort of person that will just go up to people and introduce myself and ask them if they come on the show

but John was with his family and it just felt so inappropriate to approach him

and I've always ruined the fact that I never took that opportunity so thankfully I was at an event with him early this year and was able to arrange him to come on the show.

I don't want to ruin anything but John is one of the most hypnotic guests I've ever had and is exceptionally dignified and very thoughtful

and very honest about his own time as leader of the SMP and the events of that period

and the progress of the party during that era and it is one of the most hypnotic guests that I've had so do enjoy this.

It's live from the Edinburgh Festival with John Swinney.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Ah, two guys. Thank you very much.

Hello ladies and gentlemen, welcome. Thank you very much. Welcome to the political party at the Edinburgh Festival

just by means of a check in me. A chair if you've been to a political party recording all listen to the podcast before.

Excellent and give it here if you haven't. Excellent. Well the newcomers are in the majority so that's good.

Well for those for the uninitiated the political parties to show that I started in London about six years ago

and I've done at the Edinburgh Festival every summer since. The idea being that it's fascinating to hear from politicians

from all sides of the spectrum and that there needs to be a place to talk in a civil manner and a respectful way with politicians

particularly in the last few years. So the idea is that it's a respectful audience that we listen with

with respect and interest to our guest of course it's fine to disagree but the idea is that it's an informal and friendly environment.

Today's guest is someone that I've been trying to get hold of for a number of years and I'm delighted that he is absolutely

for the uninitiated. This is something that I say nearly every week but it's always true.

It is always true because every guest I've had on the show has been superb. He is a titan of Scottish politics

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