In the final podcast of 2016 it's hold the front page as we grapple with the , just released, Scottish Government's  Brexit plan.

Lesley takes a vital phone call from the Faroes as she girds her loins for an appearance on the PM programme.

There's a fair degree of caution as we navigate the murky waters of Scotland's defamation laws.

I make a startling revelation about my Saturday night viewing and why cartoons are what socialism is all about.

And we wish all you folks all the best for this season of joy....well , sort of.

This week we reveal the meticulous technical preparation that goes on before each podcast.

Lesley returns from Belfast and reflects on the impact of Brexit on Ireland both North and South and I chip in on the Supreme court hearing.

In the light of the PISA results we discuss the state of Scottish education and what relevance , if any, these results  should have in shaping its future.

On the way we meander through the highways and byways of motoring in the Arctic, the hunter gatherer diet, reindeer and just who is Captain James T Kirk's evil alter ego.

On this  St Andrew's day Lesley heroically  battles through a stinking cold.

We celebrate The National's second birthday and its vital role in Scottish domestic politics.

Next January's re-launch of the Scottish Independence Convention sets us off not only into the future of the Yes movement and the SNP but also Scottish Labour.

In the light of recent polls just how can the , seemingly inevitable, Indy Ref 2 be won?

Is Labour on a slippery slope to another  humiliation in next year's local elections and will this signal another leadership struggle? And will this fight not only be left v right but independence v unionism?

Amidst this speculation Lesley keeps her cough in check until the final moments and I bemoan my lack of cuddles.