In the last episode of the season before taking a summer break Ian & Simon attempt to cram a 9 1/2 hour meeting into 40 minutes before delaying their report on the Russia Report and moving on to ask if the NHS is for sale after the government trounced attempts to add amendments in parliament to protect it and to require the government to gain ascent of parliament before completing trade deals.
Jul 27, 2020•1 hr 4 min
In the penultimate episode of the series, Ian & Simon tackle two vital subjects this week: The government imposed clean air zone in Portsmouth, and the Prime Minister's 'Out of Lockdown' roadmap. The first sounds like someone you met in college, the second sounds like a sequel no one wanted to see made.
Jul 19, 2020•58 min
Ian & Simon welcome two local business owners onto the show to ask them how they've found trading as the lockdown eases and they reopen, what changes they've made and if the support from the government and local council have been what they've needed. George Madgwick owner of The Wicks Bistro in Cosham and Steve Voros owner of RadiatorShowroom.com in North End share their experiences.
Jul 12, 2020•57 min
We've edited out the bit where Simon accidentally pulls the plug on his own internet connection, but this week Ian and Simon discuss the 72nd birthday of the NHS and ask what the next 72 years look like. They also discuss the mild and thankfully shortlived panic as Portsmouth was mentioned in articles about cities that may need to enter local lockdowns, as well as the results of the PPP poll asking if the UK should have asked for an extension to the transition period, the deadline to ask was the...
Jul 05, 2020•54 min
Afterr being beaten by the wrath of the Zoom gods in their normal Sunday timeslot, Ian and Simon met on Monday June 29th to ask if people would be racing in their droves back into pubs when they reopen on July 4th and other questions; Stay or Go - Should Robert Jenkins hand in his pass to No.10, was Keir Starmer right to sack Rebecca Long-Bailey, and a gentle introduction to the gentlest of leadership races that is the Lib Dem leadership contest 2020.
Jun 30, 2020•1 hr 5 min
Ian & Simon invite Nick Sebley from Pompey Street Space onto the show to talk about how active transport could be improved in the densely populated island city we call our home, and why there seem to be so many roadblocks to improving Portsmouth's traffic, air and roads.
Jun 21, 2020•57 min
Ian & Simon ask what limitations our predecessors' choice of statues have on us, which ones should stay, which ones should go. We also ask what happened on this day in history, as well as wishing a happy birthday to President Trump, in our own small way.
Jun 14, 2020•56 min
Technical difficulties with internet connections frustrating the show don't stop Simon & Ian talking about recent horrific events in the USA, alarming threats from President Trump to 'send in the military' and the cancelling of the virtual parliament in the UK, forcing shielding or vulnerable MPs to risk their lives or for their constituents to lose their democratic voice. Joined by listener Ivy they also discuss some ideas about how democratic accountability could be improved and how our el...
Jun 07, 2020•1 hr 6 min
Ian and Simon welcome Geoff Priestley - General Manager of The Wedgewood Rooms & Richard Stride, founder of Groundlings Theatre Company to talk about how arts & culture organisations & venues are dealing with lockdown and what their future might be post lockdown. We apologise for technical issues with this episode. http://www.wedgewood-rooms.co.uk https://groundlings.co.uk
May 31, 2020•1 hr
Ian and Simon chance their luck on their first double interview with guests Cllr Suzy Horton (Lib Dem) & Cllr Terry Norton (Con) to discuss whether children can return to schools safely on June 1st as the Government has asked and if Portsmouth's schools are ready.
May 24, 2020•1 hr
Ian & Simon invite local Green Tim Sheerman-Chase onto the show to ask him about Green politics in a lockdown and the future for Portsmouth.
May 17, 2020•57 min
Accompany Ian & Simon as they listen to the Prime Minister's address to the nation on May 10th 2020 and comment on his pronouncements. Did the boys think his message was clear and worthy or fumbled and shoddy?
May 10, 2020•59 min
Ian & Simon are joined by founder of popular local politics Facebook group, Portsmouth Politics, Si Bunting. They discuss the valid or honest use of numbers & if bailing out airlines is a good use of taxpayers' funds.
May 03, 2020•1 hr
Ian & Simon invite Cllr Terry Norton onto the show for the first time to talk about life in Drayton & Farlington, how the city is weathering the Coronavirus crisis and coming together, what the role is of a political opposition in times of crisis and the recent announcement from Portsmouth City Council that the road along the seafront will be closed all week from May 1st to allow greater space for people on their daily exercise.
Apr 26, 2020•56 min
In an effort to avoid talking about lockdowns and social distancing, Ian and Simon gaze at their podcasting navels as they look back on the last twelve months of podcasting. They're amazed to recall that their little podcast has welcomed no less than nine different city councillors, two of which were the Leader & Deputy Leader of Portsmouth City Council. We've heard from four parliamentary candidates in the city's two parliamentary constituencies. We've benefited from the forensic financial ...
Apr 18, 2020•58 min
If you'd like to support the fantastic work done in Portsmouth by the Hive, please go to their website www.hiveportsmouth.org.uk. Deputy Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Steve Pitt joins us today to talk about all the changes needed in Portsmouth to make sure the city's vulnerable are looked after at this critical time.
Apr 12, 2020•55 min
Ian and Simon invite Cllr Cal Corkery back onto the show to discuss, what's the future for the Labour Party after Keir Starmer's resounding win of the leadership contest? What future do people want for our society when the Covid19 end?
Apr 05, 2020•1 hr 1 min
Ian and Simon work their way through most of their list of events to discuss this week. 1) ICO - saying the UK government can use some mobile phone data in the fight against the Corona Virus. 2)Why isn't the UK in the EU procurement scheme? Cock-up or, ideologically driven conspiracy or just logic? 3) With Prince Charles, the PM, Health Secretary, Secretary of State for Scotland and the CMO either self-isolating with symptoms or tested positive for Corvid19 what does this teach us? 4) Coronaviru...
Mar 29, 2020•1 hr
Ian and Simon invite Cllr Suzy Horton and Cabinet Member for Education, on the show. Suzy talks to us about the challenges of the last week, how teachers and students are responding to the unprecedented closure of schools, cancellation of GCSE and A level examinations and potentially ending the school year early.
Mar 22, 2020•56 min
With so many things changing this week, a budget that barely anyone can remember, our guest pulling out, and well.. the country gripped by 24/7 coverage of the Coronavirus pandemic Ian & Simon put their slant on things.
Mar 15, 2020•57 min
Ian and Simon welcome Portsmouth political stalwart John Ferrett onto the show to discuss life as an independent councillor in a partisan Portsmouth. What's next for him? What future does he feel the Labour party has in store?
Mar 08, 2020•52 min
Ian & Simon are joined by local activist Ivy Burrows, Video search engine CTO & programmer - Craig Stadler www.peteyvid.com and co-founder of local independent news organisation Star & Crescent www.starandcrescent.org.uk - Tom Sykes We ask, what is Fake News? Is it new? How can you avoid it? Who does it help?
Mar 01, 2020•1 hr 23 min
Ian and Simon discuss the value of listening to whistleblowers, the value of truth when everyone is calling everyone else a liar and somehow end up talking about trade deals and Huawei and what is an 'Australia style' trade deal anyway?
Feb 23, 2020•52 min
Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing & Social Care Matthew Winnington is our very first guest by telephone. Matt talks about the issues retaining GP provision in Portsmouth. Apologies for any issues with the sound. Simon forgot to press all the right buttons on our new mixer and had to recover Matt's call from the Facebook Live Video feed.
Feb 16, 2020•55 min
Ian and Simon mark the UK ceasing to be a member of the European Union by holding their first live podcast and inviting listeners to call in. The audience may have been too drunk, tired, shy (or all of the above) to call in, but the boys opine about Brexit and the future for the UK in their usual style. *note* some swearing in this episode.
Feb 01, 2020•53 min
Ian & Simon talk without authority on President Trump's latest attempt to throw the world away in nuclear war before moving on to discuss the first casualty of Labour's leadership race as they decide who should replace Jeremy 10 out of 10 Corbyn before finally discussing one of the motions to be raised at the full Portsmouth City Council meeting January 14th - the first since October.
Jan 13, 2020•34 min
In what will probably be our last podcast of 2019, Ian and Simon discuss how things went locally and nationally in Thursday's General Election. With Stephen Morgan bucking the disastrous national trend for Labour to retain the seat in Portsmouth South.
Dec 14, 2019•45 min
With calendar commitments keeping the two incumbents away from our microphones Ian and Simon decide to subject themselves to the Pompey Politics Podcast Pot of Pondering questions they'd subjected their guests to. Ahead of Thursday's election the insightful nonsense continues.
Dec 09, 2019•29 min
Fourth of what we hope will be six interviews with the major party candidates in Portsmouth's two constituencies. This episode, Antonia Harrison, Liberal Democrat candidate for Portsmouth North. All guests will be presented with two introductory questions plus three they choose at random from the Pompey Politics Pot Of Pondering. • Each guest is invited to introduce themselves and give an insight into why they got involved in politics. • We’ll invite guests to provide a brief description of wher...
Dec 04, 2019•33 min
The third of what we hope will be six interviews with the major party candidates in Portsmouth's two constituencies. This episode, Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Liberal Democrat candidate for Portsmouth South. All guests will be presented with two introductory questions plus three they choose at random from the Pompey Politics Pot Of Pondering. • Each guest is invited to introduce themselves and give an insight into why they got involved in politics. • We’ll invite guests to provide a brief description...
Dec 02, 2019•30 min