Senedd Sources

This week we're doing something a little different with a special Holyrood Sources x Senedd Sources crossover. While Jo is away, Ollie brings you the latest from Cardiff Bay before handing over to our colleagues in Scotland for a fascinating discussion on what Andy Burnham's rise could mean for Wales, Scotland and the future of devolution across the UK. In this episode we discuss: - Andy Burnham's...

The housing crisis in Wales isn't going away—but can the new Welsh Government actually fix it? In this episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole sits down with Stuart Ropke, Chief Executive of Community Housing Cymru, to discuss one of the biggest challenges facing Wales: building enough affordable and social housing. With Plaid Cymru promising 20,000 new social homes over the next Senedd term, is the...

Reform UK’s rise is sending shockwaves through Welsh and UK politics — and the impact is already being felt in the Senedd. In this episode of Senedd Sources, the panel discusses how recent political turmoil in Westminster, including leadership uncertainty and shifting alliances, is reshaping the balance of power in Wales. With a new Prime Minister on the horizon, questions are mounting about the f...

Drama has officially arrived in the expanded Senedd. In this week's episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan, and Craig Lawton unpack a tumultuous week in Welsh politics marked by a full-blown chamber walkout, a massive policy clash over international spending, and a surprise legislative win for Reform UK. First, we break down the fallout from Reform UK MS Joe Martin’s controversial speec...

Baby steps or budget headaches? This week, Plaid Cymru found itself under growing pressure to explain one of its flagship election promises: expanding childcare provision across Wales. Opposition parties are demanding answers on costings, delivery and timescales, while ministers insist details are on the way. In this episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton examine the fi...

Plaid Cymru's honeymoon period is over. This week saw the first First Minister's Questions of the new Senedd term, with Reform UK taking on the role of main opposition and putting Rhun ap Iorwerth's government under immediate pressure over NHS waiting times, economic promises and delivery. In this episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton break down the first FMQs of the n...

Plaid Cymru has wasted no time setting out its priorities for government — but can Wales actually afford them? In this episode of Senedd Sources, we break down Rhun ap Iorwerth’s surprise intervention on the M4 relief road, the political risks of reopening one of Wales’ most divisive infrastructure debates, and the mounting economic pressure facing the new Welsh Government. Joining Ollie Cole, Jo...

In this episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole and Craig Lawton break down the new political landscape in Wales as the dust settles after the 2026 Senedd election. Will Plaid Cymru actually be affective now they are in power, and are they facing pressure to deliver in the first 100 days? How will Reform and the Conservatives function in opposition? And will Mark Drakeford's intervention this week s...

Plaid Cymru is in power. Labour is out for the first time in the history of devolution. And Reform UK is now the official opposition in a dramatically reshaped Senedd. In this episode of Senedd Sources, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton break down the election aftermath, Rhun ap Iorwerth’s first moves as First Minister, and what Plaid’s new cabinet tells us about the direction of the Welsh Government. F...

The face of Welsh politics has been utterly transformed. In this emergency weekend edition of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole and Jo Kiernan dissect a brutal election day that saw Labour’s Eluned Morgan become the first head of a British government to lose her seat in modern history. With Plaid Cymru (43 seats) and Reform UK (34 seats) dominating the new 96-seat Senedd, we look at the "two-horse race"...

Is the 100-year reign of Welsh Labour about to end? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 As the polls open, Ollie Cole and Jo Kiernan dive into the final "vibes" of the campaign and the chaos of the new voting system. It’s Election Day in Wales, and the stakes couldn't be higher. In this episode of Senedd Sources, we break down the final polling, the exhaustion of the campaign trail, and the very real possibility that First...

With just one week to go until polling day, the race for Wales is entering its final stage — and the battle over energy and the cost of living is front and centre. In this special live episode of Senedd Sources, recorded in front of an audience at the Electric Brewery Field in Bridgend, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton are joined by representatives from Welsh Labour, Reform UK and Plaid Cymru to debate...

Tomorrow, Tuesday 28th April, we’re bringing the Senedd Sources podcast to Bridgend for a live special ahead of next week’s Senedd election - and you are very welcome to come and join us, to hear the discussion and to ask your questions of the politicians who will be with us. Tickets are completely FREE but we do need you to register so we know you’re coming along… head to seneddsources.com/live J...

New Voters, New Polls - And Two Weeks 'Till Polling Day! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With just weeks to go until election day, Welsh politics is now firmly in high-pressure mode. From tense TV debates to costed (and uncosted) manifesto battles, party leaders are being pushed harder than ever on whether their promises stack up in reality. And in a car crash channel Four interview, Jane Dodds and the Liberal Democrats found themselves directly in the line of fire. In this episode of...

The Greens are rebranding. TV debates are heating up. And the Independence question looms large over Welsh politics. With four weeks to go until election day, journalist Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton to unpack the Greens’ push for a professional image, political media training, and the looming issue of Welsh independence in the upcoming elections. They explore: - How the Greens are resha...

Reform UK’s slate is collapsing, with multiple candidates dropping out just days before nominations close. Plaid Cymru is pitching the election as a ‘Two-Horse Race’. Labour has launched its manifesto — and a Strava social media campaign. And are the Greens really the ‘Kingmakers’? In this episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan, and Craig Lawton break down the latest developments shapin...

Reform is surging. The Conservatives are collapsing. And Wales is heading into an election with a totally new voting system. In this episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton break down the latest polling, what it means for each party, and why this could be the most unpredictable Welsh election yet. With Reform UK on the rise — led nationally by Nigel Farage — and traditio...

Wales are on track to make lying on the campaign trail illegal for politicians. But how would that actually work — and who decides what counts as a “lie”? As the Senedd elections rapidly approach, the campaign is ramping up - and policy leaflets are coming in thick and fast. Party are sharpening their messages and targeting their rivals - but how much of it cuts through? In this episode, we break...

What does Keir Starmer really think about devolution?  Are the Lib Dems struggling to cut through?  And could the Greens end up holding power in Wales after the next election? This week on Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole, Craig Lawton and Jo Kiernan break down the political stories shaping Wales — from a leaked Westminster memo to campaign launches and shifting Senedd election momen...

Welsh politics is heating up! As the Conservatives and Reform unveil their nearly identical manifestos, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton break down what this actually means for voters ahead of the May election, and dissect what’s actually realistic—and what’s more fantasy than fact. In this episode: Reform UK & Tory manifestos – bold promises on hospitals, tax cuts, and civil service cu...

The clock is ticking in the Senedd. In this week’s episode Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan, and Craig Lawton dive into what made Labour go early with their election campaign - and whether they think the Assisted Dying bill is all 'deep thinking and angst'. - Key takeaways from Plaid Cymru’s conference and their first 100 days priorities. - Labour’s early election campaign launch and strategic moves ahead o...

With just 11 weeks until the Senedd election, the campaign battle lines are becoming clearer. Keir Starmer visits Wales to stand alongside First Minister Eluned Morgan and announce a £14bn rail investment — but how much of it is new, and does it help Welsh Labour as the election looms? We discuss the optics of unity after internal Labour tensions and whether UK-level politics is weighing on devolv...

Labour faces one of its most turbulent weeks in years — and the fallout is being felt in Wales. In this episode of Senedd Sources , we break down the political storm engulfing Keir Starmer after controversy over a senior appointment, the resignation of key Downing Street figures, and mounting pressure from within Labour ranks — including intervention from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar. So whe...

Big political shifts are happening in Wales — and beyond. In this episode of Senedd Sources, we break down Reform UK’s major announcement, Labour’s mounting crisis at Westminster, and the behind-the-scenes battle that could shape the next Senedd. Nigel Farage has unveiled Dan Thomas as the new Reform UK leader in Wales, alongside confirmation that former Conservative MS James Evans has joined Refo...