Pompey Politics Podcast

Ian & Simon welcome outgoing Councillor for Charles Dickens ward, Claire Udy onto the show to share the highs and lows of four years on Portsmouth City Council.

Simon & Ian head west (virtually) up the M27 to neighbouring Fareham to ask Cllr Katrina Trott (Lib Dem) and candidate Jeannie Wigmore (Fareham Independant Group) what the key issues are in Fareham Borough Council and what political life is like in a council under a consistent Conservative majority.

As Russia continues its full scale invasion of Ukraine, we welcome Dr Paul Flenley, Senior Lecturer in Politics & International Relations at the University of Portsmouth, specialising in Russian Politics and Foreign Policy to discuss what's brought war to the European continent after decades of peace. Our thanks to Cllr Graham Heaney for the suggestion and introducing us to our excellent guest...

Ian & Simon welcome back Simon Foster, economics lecturer to give his grades of the policies the four major parties have to deal with the cost of living crisis before having a checkup on Tuesday's budget meeting at Portsmouth City Council.

**WARNING** WE QUOTE THE JIMMY CARR 'JOKE' IN THE SHOW. Ian and Simon grab local & national issues from the pick 'n' mix - that strangely follow the theme of speaking responsibly, and that what you say should have consequences.

Ian & Simon take a virtual trip up the A27 in this week's show to hear from representatives of the three major parties in neihgbouring Havant Bourough Council. What are the challenges in Havant, and are things better or worse off for being a borough council rather than a unitary authority like Portsmouth?

Ian & Simon welcome independent Cllr George Madgwick on the show with three of his Portsmouth Independents Party candidates in May's local elections. We ask them all how an indepedent party works that doesn't have a 'party line' and where they're going to be turning their guns in May. Lee Tindal - PIP candidate for Eastney & Craneswater Mike Jerome - PIP candidate for Cosham Raymond Dent - PIP can...

Ian & Simon welcome back to the show, Viola Langley & Paula Savage after this week's decision from the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Kwasi Kwateng to refuse Aquind's application to run an interconnector through Portsmouth.

It's all about party politics as Ian & Simon discuss the revelations of parties and social events in Downing Street, and around Government while the rest of the country was in lockdown. Should Boris Johnson resign? Will the Conservative party move to replace him? Will the Lib Dem motion of no confidence succeed? Before moving onto court action in Australia as Novak Djokovic is deported due to his...

Ian & Simon invite CLLRs Lee Hunt & Graham Heaney onto the show to talk about the controversial Lennox Point development, why planning is backlogged in Portsmouth before turning attention to recent party revelations in Westminster, and asking what they mean for Boris Johnson's premiership.

Ian & Simon welcome Polly & Miranda onto the show, both of whom who've worked helping refugees & unaccompanied minors to help our listeners what's going on behind the headlines in the redtop press. What's the real experience on the ground of those fleeing war torn countries seeking security and safety in the UK? We also have a look at the Bexley & North Shropshire by-elections. Is the win in Bexle...

With the government's announcement last night of a return to some COVID restrictions brought about by the dawn of the Omicron variant, Ian & Simon discuss if this is too much or too little too late as well as looking at vaccine hesitancy rates in the UK and amongst NHS staff.

Battling through technology issues, Ian and Simon explore three big questions in this week's show:- 1) Is the freedom of anonymity online worth the price of faceless abuse that hides behind it? 2) If we make MPs safer by making them more distant from those they serve - are we defending democracy or diminishing it? 3) Should MPs be allowed to take 2nd jobs? Information sources used in this week's s...

Ian & Simon invite their guests to explore how it is that streets, bars and clubs can still be unsafe places for women - what's happening, and what we can do about it. With guests: Natasha Layley - Portsmouth University Students' Union, Emma Cherry - Spike Aware Portsmouth & Mariam Daniel - BLM Portsmouth http://www.parcs.org.uk/ Portsmouth Abuse and Rape Counselling Service (PARCS) provides a ran...

Before Portsmouth City Council returns to its first Full Council meeting in the Council Chamber since COVID, after previously using the Guildhall main auditorium as a COVID safety measure, Ian & Simon cast their eyes over the agenda to ask - will this be the 2nd shortest full council meeting of the year? Agenda details: https://democracy.portsmouth.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx? MId=4631&x=1 PCC Cou...

In our 100th episode we invite environmental campaigners Sue James and James Sebley onto the show to tell us what COP26 is all about, what it needs to achieve, and if there's any hope of it doing so. The UN Emissions Gap Programme video referred to in this episode is: https://youtu.be/_BiZ1tUeIWI As Sue mentioned, find more details here about events in Portsmouth: https://campaign.exchange/2021/10...

Ian & Simon welcome back to the show Viola Langley & Paula Savage from 'Let's Stop Aquind' who are joined by fellow LSA campaigner Eve Mellor and Jean Nicolas from French protest group Non A Aquind. In the week Secretary of State for BEIS Kwasi Kawteng again delayed his decision on this controversial project we ask what's the latest, and what's next on both sides of the channel.

Ian & Simon welcome local anti sewage campaigners, Sarah Shreeve (Stop the Sewage: Southsea), Mike Owens (Hayling Sewage Watch) & Alex Ford (Professor of Biology at Portsmouth University) to tell us what's raising the stink in Portsmouth and the surrounding areas about sewage discharges into Langstone Harbour.

Ian & Simon welcome representatives from the three major UK political parties to share with listeners the three things from their party conference they'd want voters to know. Our guests are Paul Gray: Liberal Democrats. Craig Withey: Labour. Rob New Conservatives. After the show, we've launched a poll on twitter to let listeners tell us who they'd vote for in a general election. https://twitter.co...

We welcome newly elected Conservative Group Council Leader, Councillor Simon Bosher onto the show to tell us about his vision for his party & Portsmouth.

Ian & Simon speak with former Deputy Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Steve Pitt and ask why Portsmouth City Council has bought another of the city's theatre buildings.

Ian & Simon invite back Cabinet Member for Housing & Preventing Homelessness, Councillor Darren Sanders to talk about how Portsmouth City Council is helping, and preparing to help people escaping Afghanistan.

Ian & Simon invite Economics lecturer Simon Foster onto the show to discuss the government's planned increase in NI contributions for employers and employees and to ask if this is a fair way to fund social care?

Despite monday's Full Council meeting being abandoned as the leader of the Conservative Council Group had tested possitive for Covid 19 - we invite on three councillors to discuss two big issues on that agenda - Cllr Jeanette Smith (PPP) asking why PCC are still using pesticides, and Cllrs Lynne Stagg (LibDem) - Cabinet Member for Traffic & Transportation, & her opposite Cllr Graham Heaney (Lab) t...

Ian and Simon give a rundown of the packed agenda for tomorrow's Full Council meeting - strangely organised on a Monday - we invite Council Leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson onto the show to answer why the change of day and to talk about his motion to council calling on it to protest agains central government imposed targers which would see Portsmouth build over 17,000 homes over the next 20 years - bu...