Refreshed after an exhausting local election campaign, we catch up with Cllr Steve Pitt - Leader of Portsmouth City Council and ask how the minority Liberal Democrat administration in Portsmouth was able to secure a majority & what this changes for the council and the city. We discuss LGR & devolution, and what the uncertainty over the delivery of both creates in the way of problems for the city. We also touch on the uncertainty floating about with the Labour leadership challenge that's ...
May 17, 2026•48 min•Ep. 262
Join us as we review the results from Thursday. Where were the surprises? -Was it as good or as bad as night as some are saying? -Is there any difference between how the wards in Portsmouth North voted vs the wards in Portsmouth South? -With turnout up - was there an increase in votes overall, or were voters for any party more motivated to get out and vote than others? Our Results charts PCC's Election results page Apple Podcast Youtube Landscape YouTube portrait Subscribe on Youtube , Follow on...
May 10, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 261
Joining us for our 2026 Drayton & Farlington ward hustings are:- 🟦Simon Bosher 🟥Matthew Holland (Our invitation was extended to the other three candidates). Hustings rules available on our website https://www.pppodcast.uk/2026-hustings Questions What are the top three issues in the ward & how would you fix them? Traffic and parking are frequent frustrations for residents - how would you tackle them? What would you do to breathe new life into our shopping areas, or is the high street as...
May 03, 2026•54 min•Ep. 259
Joining us for our 2026 Copnor ward hustings are:- 🟦Ben Swann 🟥Andy Butterworth (Our invitation was extended to the other three candidates). Hustings rules available on our website https://www.pppodcast.uk/2026-hustings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aT--wYfSSM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2klCbY4ZH4 Questions What are the top three issues in the ward & how would you fix them? Traffic and parking are frequent frustrations for residents - how would you tackle them? What would you do t...
May 03, 2026•51 min•Ep. 258
In a first for us, our multi-ward hustings - a political pick’n’mix if you like. We put questions to:- 🟥Tom Coles (Fratton) 🟦Thomas Hoare (Paulsgrove) 🟩Elliott Lee (Charles Dickens) Reform and the Liberal Democrats were also invited by did not field a candidate to take part. Questions What are the top three issues in your ward & how would you fix them? Traffic and parking are frequent frustrations for residents - how would you tackle them? What would you do to breathe new life into our sh...
Apr 29, 2026•57 min•Ep. 257
We take a look at the leaders’ questions and the PM’s answers at today’s PMQs. What questions will the opposition party leaders put? Will they get answers? Who comes off the exchanges best? Will the points land or get lost in the noise? Support Pompey Politics Podcast Apple Podcast Youtube Landscape YouTube portrait Subscribe on Youtube , Follow on Facebook or signup for our email newsletter . Donate to support the podcast...
Apr 22, 2026•32 min•Ep. 256
We take a listen to the leaders' questions asked to Prime Minister, Keir Starmer today in parliament. Today's questions come from Kemi Badenoch (Leader of the Opposition) - Leader of the Conservative Party, & Sir Ed Davey, Leader of the Liberal Democrats. Which questions deserved an answer? Which received one? Who came out the exchange best? How many often repeated phrases did you catch? Our apologies for some audio issues in the last few minutes of the show (note to self - don't have your w...
Apr 15, 2026•30 min•Ep. 255
Last PMQ’s before Easter, join us for reactions to the Leaders’ questions and answers from PM Sir Keir Starmer. Today's PMQs includes questions from Kemi Badenoch, Sir Ed Davey & Nigel Farage. Are points being scored, or serious issues landed? Are questions getting answered or are the answers provided responses to a question that wasn’t asked? Who will come out of the event looking serious, with their finger on the pulse of the nation’s woes? Who comes out it looking like they have a clue wh...
Mar 25, 2026•34 min•Ep. 254
We take a look at the highs and lows, the points of argument, the areas of agreement at Tuesday’s full meeting of Portsmouth City Council. In the last full council ahead of May’s local elections - which were the agenda items that passed or did not? 11a Cross border taxi licensing & passenger safety (Reform - Strudwick & Madgwick) 🚕 11b (Removing) Council of Sanctuary (Reform - Madgwick & Standen) 🆘 11c Depaving in Portsmouth (Labour - Smyth & Fielding) 🛣 11d Pride in our high ...
Mar 22, 2026•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 253
Join us as we react to PMQs from Wednesday March 18th. Will the point scoring continue? Will questions get answers? Will the football inspired shouting again incur the wrath of Speaker Hoyle? *Unfortunately some technical difficulties affected the livestream. These issues have been removed on the podcast. Support Pompey Politics Podcast Apple Podcast Subscribe on Youtube , Follow on Facebook or signup for our email newsletter . Donate to support the podcast...
Mar 18, 2026•24 min•Ep. 252
Join us as we react to Prime Minister’s Questions of March 11th 2026. Which questions are you expecting and from whom? How heavily will events in the Middle East shape questions & answers? What will we learn from the PM’s responses? Which of the party leaders will have the better day? Support Pompey Politics Podcast Apple Podcast Youtube Landscape YouTube portrait Subscribe on Youtube , Follow on Facebook or signup for our email newsletter . Donate to support the podcast...
Mar 11, 2026•31 min•Ep. 251
We’re joined by Cabinet Member for Housing & Preventing Homelessness, Cllr Darren Sanders. What are the myths about housing in the city? What are the biggest barriers to availability of affordable housing? What does the council actually do to prevent homelessness and help people back into long term housing? Voting in May's local elections? Make sure you're registered to vote and have photo ID. Deadline to register 20/04/26 Details:- https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk Support Pompey Polit...
Mar 08, 2026•54 min•Ep. 250
Which questions are you expecting and from whom? What will we learn from the PM’s responses? Which of the party leader had the better day? With events in the Middle East and the US & Israeli attack on Iran being the focus of the questions from Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch, and the impact from it on domestic energy prices by Sir Ed Davey (Leader of the Liberal Democrats) - with the point scoring and shouting pause to reflect the severity of the times? (we apologise for the audio iss...
Mar 04, 2026•36 min•Ep. 249
We report on the Full Council budget meeting of Feb 24th and discuss the recent by election results in Gorton & Denton, & in Shirley, as well as the fresh news this weekend of the US attack on Iran. Among other things, the Council will discuss and hopefully approve a budget for 2025/26 for Portsmouth. A surprise change at the start of the meeting - with the last two members of the Portsmouth Independents Party (PIP) defecting to Reform - bringing the Reform Councillors to 10 and cementin...
Mar 01, 2026•1 hr•Ep. 248
We take a look at the leaders’ questions on this week’s PMQs. As Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces off Kemi Badenoch with a side order of Ed Davey and a dash of Nigel Farage - Who comes off best? What questions actually get answers? Support Pompey Politics Podcast Apple Podcast Youtube Landscape YouTube portrait Subscribe on Youtube , Follow on Facebook or signup for our email newsletter . Donate to support the podcast...
Feb 25, 2026•32 min•Ep. 247
There are few things that get Portsmouth residents excited nearly as much as the apparently endless roadworks, struggles with parking, the prevalence of potholes. Are you Peeved with EV? Are you bonkers about buses? Why are there so many roadworks? Are residents' parking zones (RPZs) just a money making scheme that pushes problems to other streets? What are '15 minute cities' - are they a centralised control or just a pragmatic way to create neighbourhoods that are less car centric? Does the cit...
Feb 22, 2026•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 246
Great (electoral) Expectations? We take a look at elections to come. The Gorton & Denton by election - will Labour receive an electoral bloody nose - and if so, who lands the political punch? What will the result indicate for the local elections to follow? With one Councillor up for re-election in each of the city’s 14 wards in May we take look at who is reaching the end of their term, likelihood they’ll stand again and whether previous results and current public feeling give any indication ...
Feb 15, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 245
Trying something new, we take a quick listen to today’s PMQs as PM Keir Starmer faces off with Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch. What did you think of today’s exchange? Substance or angry theatre? Let us know what you think. Youtube Landscape YouTube portrait Subscribe on Youtube , Follow on Facebook or signup for our email newsletter . Donate to support the podcast You can also send us a voicemail ....
Feb 11, 2026•24 min•Ep. 244
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 voicemail ....
Feb 08, 2026•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 243
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 opposition to the Aquind interconnector project. 12b Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour Issues in Portsmouth 12...
Dec 14, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 242
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 on? -What does this mean for candidates? Subscribe on Youtube , Follow on Facebook or signup for our email newsletter . Donate t...
Dec 07, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 241
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 Chancellor fill the gaps in local government funding? Which policy changes are you celebrating? | What are the chang...
Nov 30, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 240
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 congested roads in Portsmouth on the way. Speakers:- Cllr Steve Pitt - Leader Portsmouth City Council Suella...
Nov 26, 2025•39 min•Ep. 239
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 representation) - Cllr Hunt (LIB DEM) Cllr Adair (LIB DEM) 11c Support for Healthwatch (Strong opposition to go...
Nov 16, 2025•56 min•Ep. 238
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. https://stopaquind.com https://www.non-a-aquind.org Stop Aquind on Facebook Subscribe on Youtube , Follow on ...
Nov 02, 2025•56 min•Ep. 237
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 the British Overseas Voters Forum to help us separate fact from fiction and understand the struggles Brits abroad face having a say...
Oct 26, 2025•58 min•Ep. 236
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 - Labour Party Michelle Simmons - Liberal Democrats Joe Standen - Reform UK Unfortunately the Lib D...
Oct 19, 2025•42 min•Ep. 235
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 missed the mark? 🎙️We hear first hand comment from party members. We’ll look at: 💬 The biggest announcements...
Oct 12, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 234
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 You can also send us a voicemail . Take part in our Paulsgrove by-election poll or our 2026 local an...
Oct 05, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 233
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 newsletter . Donate to support the podcast You can also send us a voicemail . Take part in our Paulsgrove b...
Sep 21, 2025•59 min•Ep. 232
