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In this Senedd Sources Christmas special, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton look back on a remarkable year in Welsh politics — from the rise of Reform UK and the Caerphilly by-election shock, to the fallout from the Nathan Gill scandal, and the countdown to the 2026 Senedd election.
We’re also joined by Simon Hart, former Welsh Secretary, Chief Whip, and now Lord Hart of Tenby, to discuss his explosive political diary Ungovernable: The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip— an inside account of government during the Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak years.
🎄 A perfect Christmas listen for anyone interested in Welsh politics.
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📩 Email: hello@seneddsources.com
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Welsh politics has been shaken by stunning new polling from YouGov and the Wales Governance Centre — and the implications are seismic.
In this episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan (former adviser to First Ministers Rhodri Morgan and Carwyn Jones) and Craig Lawton (political adviser and Welsh Conservative candidate) unpack a poll that puts Plaid Cymru on 33%, Reform UK on 30%, and Welsh Labour collapsing to just 10%.
📊 Using seat projections, the panel explores:
What a historic Labour collapse would mean after 100 years of dominance
Whether Plaid Cymru has replaced Labour as the party “standing up for Wales”
Why Reform UK is surging, and where its votes are really coming from
The battle for anti-Reform voters between Plaid and the Greens
Who could realistically form the next Welsh Government — and how
Eluned Morgan’s leadership challenge and Labour’s messaging problem
Why age, turnout, and tactical voting could decide the election
With coalition maths, minority government scenarios, and sharp political insight, this episode explains why the 2026 Senedd election could transform Welsh politics forever.
📲 Get involved:
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Email: hello@seneddsources.com
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In this episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton break down a dramatic week in Welsh politics — including the rapid-fire budget deal between Labour and Plaid Cymru and what this all means ahead of the 2025 Senedd election.
We’re also joined by special guest Tom Giffard MS, Welsh Conservative Member of the Senedd for South Wales West. Tom gives us his take on:
🎧 Subscribe for weekly analysis, inside knowledge and exclusive Senedd scoops.
📲 WhatsApp us your thoughts or voice notes: 0333 404 6507 (start with Senedd).
📧 Email: hello@seneddsources.com.
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Wales just hosted its biggest investment event in decades — but will the £16bn announcements move the polls before May’s Senedd elections?
In this week’s Senedd Sources, Ollie, Jo and Craig break down a huge week in Welsh politics:
🏢 Wales’ Global Investment Summit
• Was the £16bn package real, new or repackaged?
• What role did UK Labour ministers, the Prince of Wales, and companies like Nvidia play?
• Will it help Welsh Labour before the Senedd elections?
⚠️ Welsh Labour Backbench Revolt
• 11 Labour MSs accuse Westminster of “rolling back devolution”
• Why they say a Labour UK Government is “bypassing” Wales
• How this impacts the campaign — and whether UK Labour is listening
🔄 Reform UK’s Welsh Leadership Mystery
• Why former Welsh Secretary David Jones WON’T be leading Reform
• What his decision means — and who might step in
⚖️ Assisted Dying Bill & Wales
With guest Fran Hall from Dignity in Dying, we explore:
• What the Assisted Dying Bill means for Wales
• Why the Senedd must vote on a Legislative Consent Motion
• Will Welsh patients have equal access — or have to travel?
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This week, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton break down one of the biggest political weeks of the year, including Rachel Reeves’ long-trailed Westminster Budget and what it really means for Wales.
We analyse:
Why the Budget felt like “Groundhog Day”
The lifting of the two-child benefit cap and how it could lift 26,000 Welsh children out of poverty
The hidden impact of tax threshold freezes and the “biggest stealth tax rise ever”
Why Wales only gets limited wiggle room despite new Barnett funding and borrowing powers
Labour’s messaging ahead of the 2026 Senedd election
The Senedd vote rejecting the Budget and what it signals for the Welsh Government’s shaky six-month future
PLUS — Senedd Sources exclusive:
➡️ Plaid Cymru HAVE now entered budget talks, despite public coyness. We explain what they want, what they might trade, and the political dangers if the Budget falls.
And in the second half of the episode:
The sentencing of Nathan Gill
The extraordinary details revealed in court
What this means for Nigel Farage, Reform UK and the wider Welsh political landscape
We also head into "Leaflet Corner" as election leaflets begin landing across Wales — analysing the early campaign strategies of Welsh Labour, the Conservatives, Plaid Cymru and Reform.
🎧 Subscribe for weekly analysis, inside knowledge and exclusive Senedd scoops.
📲 WhatsApp us your thoughts or voice notes: 0333 404 6507 (start with SENEdd).
📧 Email: hello@seneddsources.com
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In this week’s episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton sit down with Cai Parry-Jones, Reform UK spokesperson in Wales and Vice Chair of the Anglesey, Bangor & Aberconwy branch.
With Reform UK rapidly increasing its vote share and shaking up Welsh politics — including a huge showing in the Caerphilly by-election — this conversation cuts through the noise and looks at what the party actually stands for going into the 2026 Senedd election.
We ask:
• Does Reform UK have a clear Welsh identity, or is it a British nationalist project?
• What really drove their surge in Caerphilly?
• When will we see a Welsh leader — and who is making the decision?
• How are candidates being selected?
• How seriously does the party take political abuse and safety concerns?
• Will Nigel Farage be an asset or distraction in Wales?
• What policies can we expect — including the 20mph limit reversal?
• How will Reform UK address Welsh language decline and devolved public services?
Cai gives rare insight into:
✔ internal policy development
✔ candidate vetting
✔ tensions between UK-wide messaging and Welsh-specific issues
✔ the weight given to social media activism
✔ Reform UK's claims of facing a uniquely intense level of abuse
This episode also dives into:
– the future of political campaigning in Wales
– whether Reform UK can maintain momentum without a clear leader
– how the new Senedd electoral system could reshape party fortunes
– the party’s ambition to present the most “pro-business” manifesto since devolution
Whether you support Reform UK, oppose them, or simply want to understand their growing influence, this is a must-listen episode for understanding the next six months in Welsh politics.
📱 WhatsApp the show with comments or questions: 0333 404 6507 (start your message with "Senedd")
📧 Email: hello@seneddsources.com
Get tickets to join us at Public Affairs Cymru: https://publicaffairscymru.com/events/
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Welcome to Senedd Sources — your inside track on Welsh politics.
This week, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton unpack a jam-packed week in Welsh and UK politics.
🟢 Can the Green Party win their first ever Senedd seat?
With membership tripling and Zack Polanski energising the movement, the Greens are targeting key constituencies like Cardiff and Penarth — but could a split between the Welsh and English parties be coming?
🔵 Reform’s only Senedd member faces suspension
Laura Anne Jones’ two-week suspension raises deep questions about standards, NDAs, and taxpayer money being used to silence staff. Jo launches a fiery rant on why the Senedd’s standards system is “not fit for purpose”.
🔴 Labour meltdown in Downing Street
Keir Starmer’s team face open revolt as aides brief against senior cabinet ministers — just months before major Welsh elections. What does this mean for Labour’s credibility in Wales, and do they even know there’s an election on?
📲 Join the conversation:
WhatsApp us a voice note: 0333 404 6507 (start your message with “Senedd”)
Or email: hello@seneddsources.com
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🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.
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Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth joins Senedd Sources to discuss his party’s stunning by-election win in Caerphilly, what it means for the 2026 Senedd election, and how Plaid plans to challenge both Labour’s dominance in Cardiff Bay and the rise of Reform UK. Rhun speaks candidly about populism, independence, cooperation in Welsh politics, and why he’s ready to lead Wales as First Minister.
In this in-depth interview with Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan, and Craig Lawton, Rhun explains:
🎧 Subscribe for more from Senedd Sources — your inside track on Welsh politics, policy and power in Cardiff Bay.
📅 New episodes every week.
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In this week’s Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton unpack the Caerphilly by-election fallout, the rise (and stall) of Reform UK in Wales, and the quiet competence of Plaid Cymru’s ground game.
They also look ahead to Wales’ long-delayed Investment Summit, asking whether it will deliver real inward investment or just more political headlines. With First Minister Eluned Morgan under pressure and Rebecca Evans standing down, how stable is Welsh Labour’s economic strategy heading into next year’s Senedd elections?
From Rachel Reeves’ “party of business” pivot to the Tories’ identity crisis and the endless debate over “growth you can feel in your pocket”, this is a lively, insider-led look at what’s really happening in Welsh politics.
👉 Subscribe for weekly insights on Welsh politics, policy and the Senedd election campaign.
📱 Send us a WhatsApp voice note with your thoughts: 0333 404 6507 (start your message with Senedd).
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple or watch the full conversation here on YouTube.
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The Caerphilly by-election has shaken Welsh politics to its core. In this Senedd Sources flash reaction episode, Calum Macdonald, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton unpack a dramatic night for Welsh democracy.
👉 Plaid Cymru has claimed victory with 47% of the vote — the party’s first win in Caerphilly for 100 years — while Labour crashed to third, and Reform UK surged into second with 36%. What does this mean for Keir Starmer’s Labour, for Nigel Farage’s Reform movement, and for Welsh politics ahead of the 2026 Senedd election?
In this episode:
📺 Subscribe to Senedd Sources on YouTube for sharp, insider analysis of Welsh politics — from the Caerphilly by-election to the road to 2026.
🎧 Also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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In this episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan and Craig Lawton are joined by Cathy Owens (Cavendish Consulting), who shares exclusive new YouGov polling on Welsh attitudes toward energy, renewables, and climate change.
They explore:
Expect sharp insights on:
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WhatsApp: 0333 404 6507 — start your message with Senedd
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It’s crunch time in Caerphilly. New polling puts Reform UK ahead of Plaid Cymru — and Welsh Labour facing a nightmare scenario. On this week’s Senedd Sources Podcast, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan, and Craig Lawton break down what’s really happening on the ground, the fallout from Plaid Cymru’s party conference, and the latest twists in the Senedd budget negotiations.
We cover:
👉 Subscribe for more in-depth analysis of Welsh politics, from those who’ve worked inside the Senedd and advised First Ministers.
📱 WhatsApp your questions and voice notes to 0333 404 6507 (start your message with Senedd).
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As Plaid Cymru ride high in the polls and the Conservatives face existential questions, Wales heads for a seismic election year.
In this episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole, Jo Kiernan, and Craig Lawton unpack:
With insider insight from former government advisers and political campaigners, this is the go-to breakdown of Welsh conference season.
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🎧 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts — or watch full episodes right here on YouTube.
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In this episode of the Senedd Sources Podcast, Ollie Cole plus Jo Kiernan (former adviser to First Ministers Rhodri Morgan and Carwyn Jones, before that a journalist for ITV Wales and now senior consultant with Cavendish Consulting) and Craig Lawton (was a politician and adviser for the Welsh Conservatives, now working at Grasshopper Communications) to break down the key political battles shaping Wales.
We unpack the fallout from the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, asking what it means for Keir Starmer, Eluned Morgan, and the relationship between Westminster and the Senedd.
We also dive into the high-stakes Caerphilly by-election, where immigration, cost of living, and the rise of Reform UK in Wales could change the political map. Will Plaid Cymru or Labour hold their ground? And what happens if Labour loses — could the Senedd budget even collapse?
🔑 Topics covered:
📌 Senedd Sources takes you inside Welsh politics — from Cardiff Bay to Westminster. Subscribe for weekly analysis, interviews, and behind-the-scenes insight.
👉 Have a question or comment? Text us on 0333 404 6507 (start with "Senedd") or email hello@seneddsources.com
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Wales is heading for one of its most consequential Senedd elections yet — and the future of Welsh Labour dominance is at stake.
In this episode of Senedd Sources, Ollie Cole is joined by Jo Kiernan (former adviser to First Ministers Rhodri Morgan and Carwyn Jones, now at Cavendish Consulting) and Craig Lawton (ex-Welsh Conservative adviser, now Head of Public Affairs at Grasshopper Comms) to break down the shifting political landscape:
From the impact of Keir Starmer’s leadership on Welsh politics, to Nigel Farage’s shadow over the campaign, to Plaid Cymru’s strategy to look like a government-in-waiting — we unpack everything you need to know before the Senedd election.
🎧 Subscribe to Senedd Sources for insider analysis of Welsh politics, straight from the people who’ve been in the room when big decisions were made.
Click seneddsources.com for more information.
In association with Electrify Britain.
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Senedd Sources is your brand new guide to the people, policies and power struggles shaping Wales as the nation heads towards a dramatic 2026 election. Hosted by journalist Ollie Cole, former Welsh Labour adviser Jo Kiernan, and ex-Welsh Conservative adviser Craig Lawton, the podcast takes you inside the corridors of the Senedd like never before.
With insiders’ insight, sharp debate and behind-the-scenes stories, Senedd Sources lifts the lid on Welsh politics — from the strategies of party leaders to the issues that will define the next election. Whether you’re a political obsessive or just want to understand what’s really going on in Cardiff Bay, this is the podcast you need to follow the twists and turns of the campaign ahead.
Visit seneddsources.com
In association with Electrify Britain.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.