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 effectively on hold until after the Makerfield by election.

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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

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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

1. What are the top three issues in the ward & how would you fix them?
2. Traffic and parking are frequent frustrations for residents - how would you tackle them?
3. What would you do to breathe new life into our shopping areas, or is the high street as we know it dead?
4. How will you increase the availability of defibrillators, and make sure they are shared on the responder app & BHF network so they can be found when needed?
5. To what degree do national politics overshadow local issues - which is more important, person or party?
6. HMOs. Good bad or ugly? Would you seek to improve them, limit them or stop them all together?
7. What would you see the council do to tackle the knife crime and other violent assaults on our city's streets?
8. LGR - good or bad thing for Portsmouth?
9. This year we celebrate the centenary of Portsmouth - what about the city are you most proud?

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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

1. What are the top three issues in the ward & how would you fix them?
2. Traffic and parking are frequent frustrations for residents - how would you tackle them?
3. What would you do to breathe new life into our shopping areas, or is the high street as we know it dead?
4. Voter turnout across the city varies significantly, with some wards repeatedly less than half of others. How can this be addressed?
5. To what degree do national politics overshadow local issues - which is more important, person or party?
6. HMOs. Good bad or ugly? Would you seek to improve them, limit them or stop them all together?
7. What would you see the council do to tackle the knife crime and other violent assaults on our city's streets?
8. LGR - good or bad thing for Portsmouth?
9. This year we celebrate the centenary of Portsmouth - what about the city are you most proud?

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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

1. What are the top three issues in your ward & how would you fix them?
2. Traffic and parking are frequent frustrations for residents - how would you tackle them?
3. What would you do to breathe new life into our shopping areas, or is the high street as we know it dead?
4. Voter turnout across the city varies significantly, with some wards repeatedly much lower than others. How can this be addressed?
5. HMOs. Good bad or ugly? Would you seek to improve them, limit them or stop them all together?
6. What would you see the council do to tackle the knife crime and other violent assaults on our city's streets?
7. LGR - good or bad thing for Portsmouth?
8. This year we celebrate the centenary of Portsmouth - what about the city are you most proud?

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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?

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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 washing machine running when you're trying to stream a podcast).

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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 what the public are worried about? Support Pompey Politics Podcast

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