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Hello and welcome to Political Thinking, a conversation with, rather than an interrogation of someone

who shapes our political thinking about what shapes theirs. It is not long ago since Nicholas

Sturgeon looked to be unassailable as First Minister of Scotland, she and her party, the SNP,

were held up as a contrast to the chaos and the division of the Tories down south.

Yet since she stood down as First Minister pretty much anything that could go wrong,

has gone wrong, as part of a police investigation into the SNP's finances, which has a long way to run yet.

Now even though no one's been charged, her party finds itself in the worst crisis it's faced,

certainly since Alex Sammond became First Minister 16 years ago. My guess this week

is not Sturgeon, it's not Sammond, it is the new rising star of the SNP, the leader of the party

in Westminster, Stephen Flynn, who seized the job, and yes many people think he did seize it at the

age of just 34. The leader of the third biggest party in the House of Commons is already beginning to

dream out loud about the possibility of being the kingmaker after the next Westminster election.

Stephen Flynn, welcome to Political Thinking. Thank you. Could you have possibly picked a

worst time to become a leader of the SNP? It's been an interesting period to say at least, I don't think

anyone forseen some of the challenges which we've had to face internally. But you know,

with us challenge there's also opportunity, I'm a big believer in gasping opportunities,

it's why I'm probably sitting here talking to you just now. So it's an opportunity for the

party to look at itself and see what canon should be done better. We've got to renew not just

the party, but to renew our message and make sure that you know, not trust that we've built up

with the electorate over so many years continues well into the future. As you've watched this,

unfold, Nicholas Sturgeon herself says, even in a worst nightmare, she couldn't have imagined what

...