Polite but persistent: Brian Taylor on the art of political interviews

The Herald Scotland

2 days ago

'Think of the people watching, the people voting,' Mr Taylor tells me as I chat to him ahead of The Herald heading to The Fringe this year.
With a career in the media spanning over 40 years - much of that time spent as political editor for the BBC - it's more than fair to say that The Herald columnist knows a thing or two about conducting a good interview.
And he will be doing just that when The Herald's Unspun Live at the Fringe heads to Summerhall's Dissection Room in over a month's time.
First Minister John Swinney will be in the hot seat as Brian Taylor interviews him on August 5.
This is certainly not Mr Taylor's first rodeo when it comes to interviewing Mr Swinney.
Brian Taylor on the art of a good political interview (Image: Colin Mearns) He has followed the First Minister's career in the SNP from the get-go.
From when he was national secretary of the party to his first spell as SNP leader, then to backbench MSP to taking on ministerial roles, and being once again thrusted into the top job of the party and becoming the 'unexpected First Minister', as Mr Taylor puts it.
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Mr Swinney has often been branded as the 'safe pair of hands' politician.
The man who has steadied the ship as the party faced choppy waters under his predecessors.
'Has that always been the case?', I ask the seasoned broadcaster.
'He is a remarkable figure within the SNP because he brings stability, he certainly has endeavoured to do so in the past year, but he is a passionate, fervent nationalist as well.
'He is a passionate, fervent advocate for independence which some perhaps miss when they see that he pursues a tactical and strategic role.'
'He is the unexpected First Minister. If anything we thought his ministerial career was over.
'And then a crisis within the SNP and therefore within the Scottish Government arose and the cry was, 'Send for John'.
'He thought about it and, boy, did he have to think about it.'
Mr Swinney has opened up about the personal conflict he felt when considering taking the country's top job. Being there for his wife who has multiple sclerosis and his teenage son, weighing at the forefront of his mind.
Brian Taylor and Hannah Brown (Image: Colin Mearns) During his interview with the First Minister in August, Mr Taylor wants to get past 'the sound and fury' in Scottish politics.
He wants to find out their 'real' offering to voters ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2026.
Mr Taylor said: 'I've never experienced in more than forty years as a journalist a period of tension and disquiet in the body politic and in people as there is now.
"I called it repeatedly in my Herald column the age of anxiety, and I'm quite certain that is the case."
Some questions Mr Taylor is keen to pose to Mr Swinney include: What does he think about challenges confronting him ahead of the Holyrood elections, what does he think about his rivals for the post of First Minister and what does he think about his predecessors?
With so much to cover and only 45 minutes of the First Minister's time, how does Mr Taylor get the best out of a prominent political figure like Mr Swinney?
'What I'm trying to do with any political interview,' Mr Taylor said, 'It is to think not of my objectives, think not of what the First Minister brings to the table, think of the people watching, the people voting. What would they want to ask if they were in my position?
'You ask the questions on behalf of the public that they want answers to, legitimately want answers to. Not the froth, not the frippery, not the nonsense but the genuine answers that the folk on the doorsteps want answers to but you ask them from a position of analytical knowledge."
The broadcasting and political expert said 'analytical knowledge' could cover a range of things such as comparing previous statements made by ministers to current ones as well as insight into issues such as the independence strategy or health statistics.
But how you frame questions to interviewees is key.
'You say it persistently but you say it politely," he tells me, 'The people should be watching the interview and saying, 'That's it. That's the question I want answers to.'
Unspun Live at the Fringe will also include Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar who will face questions from The Herald's editor Catherine Salmond on August 6.
We will also hear from deputy first minister Kate Forbes on August 7 and polling expert Sir John Curtice alongside "special guests" on August 4.
At every event, there will also be ample time for Q & A with the audience.
'It's quite an exceptional line-up for what promises to be an exceptional series of events,' Mr Taylor said, 'The Edinburgh festivals generally are a core part of Scotland's existence and The Herald is also a core institution in Scotland so it's a natural match between the two.'
For those on the fence about buying tickets, Mr Taylor has a message: "Rush, rush, rush...get the tickets!
"It's going to be a great series of events."
🎟️ Book now for The Herald's Unspun Live at the Edinburgh Fringe – featuring John Swinney, Anas Sarwar, Kate Forbes and more