Pompey Politics Podcast

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? Facebook - Portsmouth PrideQueer all year - Instagram

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, Families and Education on Portsmouth City Council, 🟧Cllr Nick Dorrington, 🟥Cllr Mark Coates who happens to be a teacher, and Rachael Speed, also a Teacher. Video Landscape Portrait

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 parties both with 9 Councillors?How do you make a Mayor?Why did the PIP Councillors chose not to sit with the other council members on stage for the ceremony?Join our weekly newsletter if you'd like to hear about upcoming episodes and suggest questions, topics or guests. https://www.pppodcast.uk/newsletterPlease leave us a review, and don't forget to follow wherever you get your podcasts, on Facebook or Youtube. Bluesky LinkedIn

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/waspijustice/Their Facebook pages are:https://www.facebook.com/WaspiCampaignhttps://www.facebook.com/SolentWASPI on X:@WASPI_Campaign@solent_waspiRecorded livestream portrait Landscape Sign up for our show newsletter to hear about upcoming shows:-https://www.pppodcast.uk/newsletterSupport the podcast: pompeypoliticspodcast.captivate.fm/support

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 our websiteYouTubeRecorded Livestream (in Portrait) Landscape edit Please leave a comment or give us a review wherever you get your podcasts. If you'd like to support the podcast in other ways you can. (we'd be eternally grateful).  https://pompeypoliticspodcast.captivate.fm/support

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 Short tells us the truth of life in Fratton for its residents and shares how he hopes to make a difference. If you'd like to hear about future episodes, or have the chance to suggest questions or topics, please sign up for our weekly newsletter. https://www.pppodcast.uk/newsletterYoutube:Recorded Livestream (in Portrait) https://www.youtube.com/live/y7RI-88sXJQLandscape https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLnB3eGVvBsPlease leave a comment or give us a review wherever you get your podcasts. If you'd like to support the podcast in other ways you can. (we'd be eternally grateful).  https://pompeypoliticspodcast.captivate.fm/support

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 stream live to Youtube, Facebook, LinkedIn & Instagram as well as upload to all the podcasty places. Sign up for our newsletter to hear about up and coming episodes. https://www.pppodcast.uk/newsletter

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 to help us Brits make sense of it all. Jamie runs the Reasonable Arguments podcast with his wife Jennifer. https://reasonablearguments.com

We welcome Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Cllr Steve Pitt onto the show to talk us through Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) & Devolution. -Glorious future or shut-gun wedding?-What’s new since the government’s white paper just before Christmas?-Who’s deciding what?-What is changing & when?-What price could Portsmouth residents be left to pay?

Portsmouth City Council Meeting 25/02/25 - Budget for 2025/26 & beyond-What is the ·Lib Dem administration saying about the city·s finances for 25/26 and beyond? -What amendments were put forward by the other parties (PIP, Labour, Conservative)? -Which were struck down or accepted by the council?Original meeting details: https://democracy.portsmouth.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=5375&x=1Original Stream - PCC's Democratic Services Dept https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8ayb-bRExwSign up for our weekly newsletter, hear what we're planning and suggest questions or guests.. Newsletter

February 14th was valentines day. February 11th while not being valentines day was an expression of emotions other than love - to call it hate would be strong, but we'll let you decide..The Cabinet Meeting of Portsmouth City Council met to review certain proposals ahead of the Council's Full Budget Meeting February 25th. Full meeting details available here Full meeting was streamed by PCC's Democratic ServicesSignup to our weekly newsletter help shape episodes to come..

As we mark the fifth anniversary of the UK leaving the EU, we celebrate that day and what’s happened since. Tell us what you're celebrating from that night or since.ADVISORY: There is some conversational swearing in this episode.

What if the future of the UK wasn't just decided in Westminster? In this week's episode, we dive into the government's green paper on devolution — a proposal that could decentralise power, reshape how we govern, and even change the UK's political map. What does this mean for you, and where could it lead? We’re joined by Cllr Graham Heaney, lecturer at University of Portsmouth to talk us through what the proposals are, what they could mean for Portsmouth and the surrounding area. Sign up for our newsletter

We welcome back Dr Lee Sartain, senior lecturer in American History at Portsmouth University to talk us through it and help us & our audience form a Brit’s view of proceedings. Inauguration 2025 - The Brits' viewHow does it all work?What does it mean for the US & the rest of the world? What are the opening hours of Trump’s second administration like?Make sure to hear about future episodes, follow the show, give us a review, follow on Facebook, subscribe on Youtube or sign up to our newsletter. https://www.pppodcast.uk/newsletter

We take a little peek at the Full Council Agenda for Tuesday December 17th. Key things on the list (and we’re checking it twice):- 📮Post Office Closures - can we stop them? 🥣Breakfast clubs - can we promote them? 🏘️🏠HMOs - are we under counting them? 📈National Insurance increases - who can afford them? Links to PCC Agenda on our website www.pppodcast.uk

We invite back some Havant Borough Councillors to share the news from their rainbow coalition (Green, Lib Dem & Labour) since they took over running the council in May.We're joined by:- Cllr Philippa Gray, (Lib Dem. Bedhampton) Deputy Leader of Havant Borough Council & Cabinet Lead for FinanceCllr Grainne Rason Bradley, (Green. Emsworth) Cabinet Lead for Environment & Water Quality & Climate Change ChampionCllr Mark Coates (Labour. Hayling East) Chairman of Human Resources CommitteeCllr Paul Gray (Lib Dem. Hayling West) Cabinet Lead for Commercial & Chairman of Licensing Committee

Ahead of world world AIDS day we interview CP from Portsmouth Pride to talk to us about what it signifies and why it’s so important as well as what’s changed in since those Iceberg & monolithic tombstone informercials from the UK government in 1987. all year Portsmouth https://queerallyear.co.uk/Terrance Higgins Trust https://www.tht.org.ukTerrance Higgins Quilt on display at RN Dockyard Portsmouth https://historicdockyard.co.uk/event/navy-threads/Elton John AIDS foundation https://www.eltonjohnaidsfoundation.orgPortsmouth Pride https://www.portsmouthpride.org.uk/

We welcome two of Portsmouth’s producers of goods & services onto the show to hear about their businesses and the challenges they face. Gary Fyles of Think Bigger Ltd, publisher & Growth Mindset coach & David Mugridge from Yarty Cordials Ltd, producing cordials inspired by family recipes. We’re also joined by Cllr Ben Swann to help us understand a ward Councillor’s view of the challenges faced. Do you run a business in the city? What do you have to say about the challenges facing your business today? What can local & national governments do to help businesses survive & thrive? Yarty Cordials https://helloyarty.comThinking Bigger https://www.thinkingbiggerltd.co.uk

In a meeting where who wrote what, to whom, and when became much more contentious than you’d normally think, we take a look at Tuesday's Full Council meeting. Where was there consensus, where was there robust debate, and where was there political point scoring?Items on the agenda were:-• Definitions of sexism, homophobia, biphobia and transphobia• Tackling the crisis in temporary accommodation• Social Media Policy for Councillors• Increase in the single capped Bus fare from £2 to £3• Nominations for Honorary Alderman• Support for the Repair Cafes - Portsmouth• CPO ‘Hope Value’ SitesHow many questions of cabinet members did the councillors have? Last month there were 16. This time was it higher or lower? Links to hear the motions in full are on our website. www.pppodcast.uk

How easy is Portsmouth as a city for disabled people to get around for work, study or leisure? What barriers to their freedom are disabled people encountering in Portsmouth? What can be done to remove or reduce the barriers?We welcome Georgina Fry from Portsmouth’s Disability Advisory Group to hear what the challenges are, and what is being done to help. Portsmouth Disability Advisory Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563355431337Portsmouth Wheelchair Access Grouphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/portsmouthwag/PCPA (Portsmouth Carers and Personal Assistants)https://www.facebook.com/PortsmouthCPA