The Unofficial Report

Hosted by Women in Public Affairs Scotland

Business CareersInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

Latest episode

Aug 2025

Language

About the show

This is The Unofficial Report - a podcast from the Women in Public Affairs (WiPA) Scotland network. WiPA Scotland brings together professionals working at all levels in public affairs, politics, communications and policy in Scotland, to network, build friendships and provide support, advice and training. The Unofficial Report is a space for discussion and analysis of all that is happening in Scottish politics and public policy, off-the-record. www.womeninpa.co.uk/wipa-scotland @WomeninPAScot wipascotland@gmail.com

Listen to episodes

20 recent

August 12, 202536 min

E20 - WiPA Holyrood 2026 Manifesto Series

Join Sarah Cowie and Anna Cowan for the latest episode of The Unofficial Report as they unravel the WiPA Manifesto Mini-Series! With Holyrood 2026 on the horizon, discover how you can make your mark in the world of policy and public affairs. Tune in to learn the importance of crafting concise, impactful asks, understanding key dates, and presenting your data to resonate with the Scottish political parties.As ever, stay connected with WiPA Scotland by following us on LinkedIn and subscribing to our newsletter for the latest updates and events.

May 29, 202529 min

E19 - Lauren Currie OBE and Upfront.

In the latest episode of our podcast - The Unofficial Report - we spoke to Lauren Currie OBE, Founder of UPFRONT, an organisation on a mission to change confidence, visibility, and power for 10 million women.In just 30 minutes, we cover:- Why imposter syndrome isn’t your fault- The myth of work-life balance and why we need to talk about working mothers- Her new children's book to teach children and the grown ups around them about the patriarchy- Paying the cringe tax and what we can learn from the PIE model (Performance, Image, Exposure).

May 5, 202546 min

E18 - Young People and Politics

Join Sarah and Ashley as they discuss the recently published UK Youth Poll 2025 from the John Smith Centre. This study focused on young people's views on democracy, social media and the economy - we asked what this means for Scottish politics and politicians in the run up to May 2026. You can read the full research here: https://www.johnsmithcentre.com/uk-youth-poll-2025/

April 15, 202545 min

E17 - The State of Women: Are we Better off than we were 10 Years Ago?

Join Rebekah, and guest host, Dominique, as we mark International Women's Day by discussing the realities of gender equality in the UK.

February 27, 202540 min

E16 - Housing Policy & WiPA 2025 with Eli Harji (Co-Chair of WiPA Scotland)

In this episode of The Unofficial Report, we are joined by our new-ish Co-Chair, Eli Harji who talks to us about why she got involved with WiPA and exciting plans for the year ahead. Eli also works for the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and the main basis of our discussion focuses on housing policy in Scotland, including the declaration of a 'housing emergency' and how the main political parties are attempting to address this - including in the run up to Holyrood 2026. This was a fascinating discussion about the complexities of policy making - we hope you think so too!

January 31, 202544 min

Bonus Episode E15 - 2024 Race Riots

WiPA Scotland is excited to present this bonus episode of The Unofficial Report - join former WiPA Chair, Lucy Miller, as she talks to her close friend Raisah about the race riots that took place during the summer of 2024 and how these impacted her as a South Asian British woman. This is a fascinating episode that we hope you all enjoy!

January 27, 202537 min

E14 - New Year, Same Politics. An Intro to 2025.

Join Sarah and Ashley, and new co-host Bekah, to discuss all the big moments in politics from the first few weeks of 2025.

December 16, 202453 min

E13 - End of Year Scottish Politics Wrap-up 2024

Join Sarah and Ashley for our last episode of 2024! In this episode, they discuss some of the key political moments of a year that has certainly been anything but boring for Scot Pol. Tune in to hear reflections on the general election, progress on our climate goals and general Scottish political calamity. From all of us at WiPA Scotland, Happy Holidays and see you next year! ~All views expressed are personal and not necessarily that of our employers~

October 28, 202457 min

E12 – The US Presidential Election 2024, Kamala Harris, and the Rise of the Far-Right. The Unofficial Report

In this episode of The Unofficial Report, hosts Ashley and Lucy dive deep into the upcoming U.S. election, exploring the critical issues shaping the race with special guest Dr. Maha Rafi Atal, Senior Lecturer in Political Economy at the University of Glasgow. Together, they discuss the global significance of U.S. politics for the UK and Scotland, the potential impact of Kamala Harris as a groundbreaking candidate, and the challenges of rising far-right movements. They also tackle key election issues like climate change, immigration, and how a potential second Trump presidency could reshape global affairs. Tune in for a timely and thought-provoking conversation on the intersection of politics, power, and identity in today's world.

August 28, 202446 min

E11 - Professor Nicola McEwen on Devolution. The Unofficial Report.

Welcome to our 11th episode of The Unofficial Report! The exclusively women-led podcast focusing on Scottish public affairs brought to you by WiPA Scotland. On this episode, Sarah and Ashley are joined by Professor Nicole McEwen, the Director of the Centre for Public Policy based in the University of Glasgow. Together we explored the complexities of devolution particularly in relation to Scottish Government, and the ever changing relationship with the UK Government. We discussed what devolution is, how we think its working in practice and what the new Labour-led UK Government means for Scottish Devolution. You can read more about the work of the Centre for Public Policy here: https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/publicpolicy/