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Hello and

welcome to a special Saturday edition of Coffey House Scots.

I'm Katie Balls. I'm

Katie Balls. I'm joined by Lucy Dunn and Fergus much former head of Combs

for the SMP.

Fergus, just to begin, we've had the election, we've covered well on this podcast over the past few days

why this could be a little bit problematic to say the least for the Tories.

But if there's potentially another loser when we're looking at the

polls and where things are starting at before the six-week campaign, do you think it's

fair to say it could be the SMP? It could be a really tough one for the S&P over the coming weeks.

The momentum has not been on the side of the S&P in Scotland, just like it's not been on the side of

the conservatives. The S&P's been the incumbent government at Holyrood for many years now, 17 years now.

And also, you know, it's true to say the S&P has not had its troubles to seek. It's gone through a couple of leaders in the last couple of years. It's had police investigations into its finances. And yeah, not exactly what you would describe as the best context to be

gearing up for another general election I think the new first minister John Swinney and

his deputy Kate Forbes would certainly have hoped that they might have

had a bit of time to enjoy their honeymoon period, refocus the party and hope to get it back on the front foot.

...