SNP leader Swinney's soup Sundays
The BBC’s Scotcast podcast conducted interviews with the leaders of Scotland’s six main political parties ahead of the upcoming election. During the conversations with presenter Martin Geissler, some unexpected personal insights emerged when the discussion shifted away from politics.
SNP leader and First Minister John Swinney shared that his Sunday afternoons are dedicated to meal prepping in his country kitchen in Perthshire. Each week, he prepares
"a big pot of soup"which he divides into portions and freezes so that his wife, Elizabeth, can have a
"hearty lunch"throughout the week.
Elizabeth Swinney lives with multiple sclerosis, a condition that affects her mobility. John described her current health status as
"challenging but stable"and noted that the soup he makes follows
"a particular recipe that is beneficial to [his] wife's health and wellbeing".
In addition to his culinary routine, Swinney expressed his appreciation for Scottish music. He is particularly fond of Amy MacDonald and also mentioned bands such as Skerryvore, Skipinnish, and Mànran. A highlight of his year is attending the Tiree music festival every summer to enjoy his favourite Scottish music.
Conservative Findlay's acid attack
Russell Findlay, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, revealed that despite his political role, he does not primarily identify as a politician. His career spans 30 years as a journalist, with significant experience reporting on organised crime.
Findlay recounted a harrowing incident from 2015 when he was assaulted by a man disguised as a postman who threw sulphuric acid in his face. At the time, his 10-year-old daughter, who had been asleep, ran to seek help. Neighbours assisted by dousing him with water to wash away the acid.
He described the moment police arrived and he noticed a knife dropped by his attacker, saying
"the red mist came down"as he contemplated the potential consequences of the attack. Findlay made a full recovery, and the assailant was subsequently jailed.
He also shared a personal detail about his cultural identity, stating that when he wears a kilt,
"The underpants stay in the drawer."
Labour's Sarwar: My dad never tells me he loves me
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar comes from a political family; his father, Mohammad Sarwar, was the first Muslim MP in Britain and has also served as governor of the Punjab. Anas disclosed a personal anecdote about his relationship with his father.
He revealed that Mohammad Sarwar has never explicitly told him that he loves him. After one of Anas’s children commented that this was unfair, Mohammad promised to reciprocate the next time his grandson expressed love to him.
When the boy said
"I love you"to his grandfather, Mohammad replied,
"I love you too."Anas saw this as an opportunity and said,
"I thought, this is my chance, my moment. I said, 'I love you, Dad'. And he turned around and said: 'Thank you'."
Despite the unusual response, Anas emphasized that his father shows affection in other ways and that he has never doubted his father’s love.
Additionally, Anas shared a lesser-known interest: he is a passionate wrestling fan and enjoys watching it with his children.
Lib Dems' Cole-Hamilton's Quaker beliefs
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton discussed his Quaker faith, describing it as a relaxed and almost Zen-like form of Christianity. He contrasted the experience of speaking in a Quaker meeting with public speaking as a politician.
He explained that during a Quaker meeting,
"The spirit takes you and you stand up and have an almost out-of-body experience, finding yourself saying things you didn't imagine you would say."He characterized this as more of a spiritual than a religious experience.
Cole-Hamilton also revealed his unusual Saturday breakfast treat:
"a piece of toast with vegetarian haggis, jalapeños, melted mature cheddar and Edinburgh chippy sauce."
Reform leader Offord's appetite for Scotch pies
Malcolm Offord, leader of Reform in Scotland, spoke about his fondness for Scotch pies, which he consumes almost daily. He even made a stop to buy a pie on his way to record the Scotcast interview.
His passion for Scotch pies began during his first job at the Aulds bakery in Greenock, where he worked the night shift and developed an
"insatiable appetite for Scotch pies."As a student at Edinburgh University, he reportedly
"basically lived on"Scotch pies topped with baked beans.
Offord also shared that his favourite song is "Dignity" by Deacon Blue. In his 50s, he took up yachting and has become an accomplished sailor, competing against world-class yachtsmen and holding his own.
Scottish Greens' Mackay suffered 'extreme' bullying
Gillian Mackay, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, recounted experiences of severe bullying during her school years. She described some incidents as
"pretty extreme,"including an assault on her walk home from school that resulted in a concussion and hospitalisation.
Despite these challenges, Mackay has forgiven those who bullied her and moved forward. She and Ross Greer have served as co-leaders of the Scottish Greens since last summer. Mackay assumed the role when her son was only eight weeks old.
She noted that the party’s co-leadership model was crucial for her decision to take on the position, as it allowed her to balance the demanding pace of the job with the responsibilities of caring for her young son, sharing the workload with Greer.
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