Pompey Politics Podcast

We take a look at events local, national and international in 2026. What could the political New Years resolutions have possibly been, and are they just as forgotten by the 2nd week of February as our personal ones are? Portrait livestream Landscape Livestream Subscribe on Youtube , Follow on Facebook or signup for our email newsletter . Donate to support the podcast You can also send us a voicema...

In our last show of 2025, we take a look at the last Full Council meeting for 2025 of Portsmouth City Council.  Was the chamber filled with festive cheer and agreement or were 42 Grinches trying to ruin Christmas? What hint do proceedings give of the 2026 local elections campaigns? Before the council are:- 11. A briefing on devolution Notices of motion 12a Aquind - The Council reaffirms its o...

After this week’s shock two year delay to the Mayoral elections for Hampshire & The Solent we invite candidates Cllr Martin Tod 🟧 & Anna Collar 🟩to help make sense of the mess.  -What does this mean for devolution? -Are voters right to be confused and frustrated?  -Will Hampshire (& the Isle of Wight) miss out? -Why the headlong rush, just to put the breaks o...

We take a look at Wednesday’s budget. Rachel Reeves’ 2nd as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Will there be a 3rd? | Who are the winners? | Who the losers? Was it bold or timid? | Does the leaking or ‘testing’ of policy ahead of the budget create more uncertainty? | Will the measures announced help with cost of living, reduce burden for small businesses and pay for services? | Will the C...

On behalf of Let's Stop Aquind, we hosted a public meeting with key speakers from across politics and two sides of the channel. What is the Aquind interconnector? It’s the controversially funded and designed plan to connect the UK and French electricity grids with a cable across countryside, farmland, parkland and through residential areas from Normandy to Lovedean, digging a trench along congeste...

This week we take a look at Tuesday's Full Council - was it a council or consensus or clash of the councillors?  Notices of Motion 11a Planning & Infrastructure bill (Opposing government plans to increase the planning applications decided by officers, and limit those decided by Councillors) - Cllrs Gardner (CON) Cllr Simpson (REF)  11b Fair votes (Supporting votes at 16. Proportional...

Can the controversial Aquind electricity interconnector project between Normandy, France and Portsmouth, England - cutting a swathe through countryside, farmland and disrupting residents digging up residential and vital arterial roads finally get stopped for good?  Five years on, we invite Let’s Stop Aquind and their French counterpart, Non à Aquind back onto the show to share the latest. htt...

 3 1/2 million British citizens living overseas are entitled to vote in UK elections, but only 200,000 are registered to do so.   What elections are they entitled to vote in? How does it work? How long does this entitlement to vote in UK elections last? Why aren’t more Brits living overseas retaining their right to vote?   We hear from Mike Tuffrey & John Shardlow of t...

Paulsgrove (a council ward in Portsmouth UK) goes the polls in a by election October 23rd 2025 after the resignation in mid September of the Portsmouth Independent Party Councillor Brian Madgwick for health reasons. We invited all five candidates to take part in our online hustings. The candidates in this election are:- Georgina Ayling - Green Party Thomas Hoare - Conservative Party Sydna Phillips...

It’s been a packed political conference season across the UK — from the bold promises of Reform in Birmingham, Labour’s big pledges in Liverpool to the Lib Dems’ revival talk in Bournemouth, followed by the Greens’ record-breaking Bournemouth weekend before the Conservatives’ closed the season with their reset in Manchester,  What really stood out? Who connected with the public — and who miss...

National digital ID cards? Paulsgrove by-election candidates announced Portsmouth City Council full council meeting 23rd September We take a look at political news local and national, discuss and through some ideas back and forth. Are these changes really needed? Are they well thought out? Subscribe on Youtube , Follow on Facebook or signup for our email newsletter . Donate to support the podcast...

In their first show since their summer break, Ian & Simon take a look at the political events, local, national and international and discuss the events themselves, their meaning or potential significance. In a wide-ranging fast paced opinion piece they share their views and observations of events good, bar or terrifying. Subscribe on Youtube , Follow on Facebook or signup for our email newslet...

We review Portsmouth City Council’s meeting of the Full Council July 15th 2025 - what were the big items on the agenda? Which were controversial ? Where was there harmony? Where was there heated debate?    In this meeting the council discussed:- 🗳️ an update on the government's Local Government Reorganisation and what that means for Portsmouth.  🏢 The planning squeeze on...

Founder of ‘The Executive Menopause Coach’ - Claire Hattrick joins us to share her menopause journey.  After years of being severely debilitated by undiagnosed menopause joint pain Claire turned her experience into an inspiring drive to help women 1-2-1 and advise businesses how to support and retain their staff as they experience menopause.  Menopause Coach website Instagram & Threa...

With air pollution in our congested city contributing to respiratory illness and shortening the life expectancies of residents - we ask local air quality campaigners what improvements have been made, and what more could be done? We're joined by Viola Langley, Rod Bailey & Tim Sheerman Chase from ' Let Pompey Breathe '. We also have an interview from Cllr Peter Candlish - the cabinet member for...

We ask former Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Cllr Jason Fazackarley about his & Lady Mayoress, Helen Mitchell's highs & lows for their year representing the city of Portsmouth & its residents.  Just how do you make a Mayor - there’s a Mayor Making ceremony, but how do you become one?  What were the highs and lows for Jason and his Lady Mayoress, Helen Mitchell?  If he could c...

What are we talking about this week? We asked our audience to tell of which of the pressing recent political events would they want to see us talk about. A poll is a poll - so we talk over three issues: - Israel (and now America's) bombing of Iran, The government u-turn on a national inquiry into grooming gangs, & The Welfare Reform bill.   Landscape edit . Portrait (recorded livestream)...

Portsmouth this year hosts UK Pride , and with Pride itself rapidly approaching, we hear from Tally Aslam, Co-Chair of the Portsmouth Pride Trust.  All this & more.. What’s on the itinerary for June 7th?  How are Pride navigating the politics? Protest, great day out or both? Biggest challenges faced by the community? How to be a good ally? YouTube Portrait recorded livestream YouTube...

With several countries around the world enacting bans on smartphones in schools, and on social media access for children, we ask - Is their pervasive use having an detrimental impact on learning, concentration, mental health?   Should the UK also instigate a ban?  What’s happening in today’s classrooms, and what might the solutions be? We’re joined by Cabinet Member for Children, Fa...

This week saw Portsmouth City Council’s Mayor Making ceremony and Annual General Meeting. We interviewed CLLRS Graham Heaney (Deputy Leader Labour group on PCC) & George Madgwick (Leader of Portsmouth Independents Party on PCC) to hear what happens when two parties can both lay claim to the number two spot on the council. How do you decide when the next largest groups on the council are two pa...

Solent WASPI talk to us about their campaign for fair treatment and justice.   -What do they want the campaign to achieve?  -What next after the government’s rejection that compensation is owed to women born in the 1950s?  WASPI web address:  www.waspi.co.uk   WASPI Crowdjustice page, which includes the most recent legal updates: https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/wasp...

We welcome the Isle of Wight’s Councillor Andrew Garratt 🟧 & Meon Valley’s Councillor Malcolm Wallace 🟩 to talk to us about their hopes and fears for devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR). What could this mean for the voters they represent and the services they depend on? For links to our social media accounts and to sign up for our newsletter please visit...

Fratton is an urban area of Portsmouth and one of its 14 City Council Wards. Jacob Short has stood for election in Fratton twice as a Candidate for Portsmouth Independents Party. We ask Jacob to tell us, What is it about Fratton?, What are the problems faced by its residents? What are Jacob’s views on student housing, parking, HMOs, fly tipping, empty shops & crime?  Join us as Jacob Shor...

We take a look at the Spring Statement made by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves this week in Parliament - -What were the key policies? -What difference will this make and to whom? -How did the other parties respond? Tell us what you think. Give us a review. If you'd like more on local and national politics from us, don't forget to subscribe of follow wherever you're getting our show. We s...

From this side of the Atlantic it’s hard to understand some of the policies and statements of Trump’s 2nd administration.  We’re delighted to welcome Jamie Miller to the show. Jamie’s political pedigree as a former exec director of Republican Party Florida, campaign manager, director of field operations & author of “American Speeches That Changed The World” makes him supremely qualified t...