The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast

Solid Media
  • 4.6 (56)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The two biggest names in Scottish political journalism, Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie, join forces to bring you a regular “must listen” insider briefing on the political and wider world. Bernard has been Scotland's leading TV political editor for many years while Alex is the unavoidable commentator and columnist for the Times and Sunday Times. Together they bring decades of experience and unsurpassed contacts books to provide you with a valuable insider briefing behind the headlines. Scottish, Scotland, Scottish Politics, Political Podcast, Scottish Political Podcast, UK Politics, Scottish Independence, Indyref, Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon, Salmond, Sturgeon, SNP, Scottish Labour, Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Lib Dem, Scottish Greens, Alba Party, Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, John Swinney, Anas Sarwar, Holyrood, Westminster, Brexit, Budget, Devolution, Policy, News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. SCOTTISH ELECTIONS - Results & Verdict

    1 DAY AGO

    SCOTTISH ELECTIONS - Results & Verdict

    SNP wins again — but the victory comes with serious caveats John Swinney secures a remarkable third decade of SNP government Labour and Reform tied for second in seats - a brutal night for the old parties Scottish Labour’s decline continues — and the damage may have been made in London Anas Sarwar’s future: safe for now, but questions are unavoidable Keir Starmer under mounting pressure after disastrous UK-wide results Reform’s Scottish breakthrough: from nowhere to 17 MSPs Has Farageism now found a place in Scottish politics? The Conservatives collapse from second place to fifth Calls to ‘unite the right’ may grow after Reform splits the unionist vote The Greens surge with breakthrough wins in Edinburgh Central and Glasgow Southside Ross Greer’s targeted campaign hailed as one of the most effective of the election Lib Dem revival gives them real leverage in the next parliament Liam McArthur tipped as possible next Presiding Officer Will SNP deal with Lib Dems rather than Greens on budgets? Stephen Flynn’s arrival at Holyrood could reshape SNP politics Oil and gas tensions expose a divide between North East SNP and Central Belt SNP Turnout falls sharply — nearly half of voters stayed at home A parliament transformed beneath the surface, even if the SNP still dominates The next Holyrood term may be the most difficult of the devolution era Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    49 min
  2. SCOTTISH ELECTION - Final Polls, Predictions & Campaign Verdict

    6 DAYS AGO

    SCOTTISH ELECTION - Final Polls, Predictions & Campaign Verdict

    Final polls before Scotland votesSNP on course to be largest party - but can they form a government?Reform tipped for a major breakthroughCould Reform become the main opposition?Polls say Labour facing a potentially disastrous night but how will electoral quirks effect this? What a bad result means for Anas SarwarConservatives under pressure as support fallsTurnout fears and the “don’t know” votersWhy the campaign failed to inspireGreens and Lib Dems eye influence at HolyroodWhat happens if the SNP fall short of a majorityCould Scottish results deepen Keir Starmer’s crisis?Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min
  3. SCOT PARL 2026 - ONE WEEK TO GO - Electoral Maths and Key Seats

    29 APR

    SCOT PARL 2026 - ONE WEEK TO GO - Electoral Maths and Key Seats

    SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS 2026 Why boundary changes make election-night swings harder to readProf Chris Hanretty explains “notional results” — the hidden baseline for 2026Reform’s zero-start problem: easy for notionals, difficult for interpretationCould a split unionist vote hand the SNP a majority on a third of the vote?Knife-edge seats: Edinburgh South, Glasgow list battles and the local-factor problemIs Holyrood’s voting system still proportional enough for a six-party Scotland?Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min
  4. SCOT PARL 2026 - 2 WEEKS TO GO - Is this the most boring campaign ever?

    22 APR

    SCOT PARL 2026 - 2 WEEKS TO GO - Is this the most boring campaign ever?

    Scottish election campaign is being eclipsed by Westminster politics and feels flat:Starmer’s Mandelson/Olly Robbins row is deepening:Labour MPs appear to be losing faith in Starmer:The real damage is about competence and cronyism:Low turnout could be the big story of the Scottish election:SNP still look best placed despite a lacklustre campaign:Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min
  5. SCOT PARL 2026 - 3 WEEKS TO GO - Latest Polling Insights With Mark Diffley

    16 APR

    SCOT PARL 2026 - 3 WEEKS TO GO - Latest Polling Insights With Mark Diffley

    With 3 weeks until the Scottish Parliament Elections 2026, leading pollster, Mark Diffley, joins Bernard and Alex with the latest insights. What are the latest polls saying?Why there is much to play for in marginal seats?How vote share translates to seats and the big changes that can come from small marginsWhich seats to watch for upsets? Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    48 min
  6. SCOT PARL 2026 - 4 Weeks To Go - Latest Polls and Leaders Debate Preview

    10 APR

    SCOT PARL 2026 - 4 Weeks To Go - Latest Polls and Leaders Debate Preview

    New polls suggest the SNP remains on course to win comfortably, but key questions remain over whether John Swinney secures a majority or must rely on support from other parties.Is Reform UK Scotland losing some momentum, with recent polling and campaign controversies raising doubts about whether it can sustain earlier advances.Sunday’s televised leaders’ debate is especially high-stakes for Malcolm Offord, while Anas Sarwar, John Swinney and Russell Findlay each face different political and performance pressures.After the election the real challenge may be Scotland’s fiscal crunch, with all parties accused of avoiding hard truths about spending, deficits and the affordability of manifesto promises. Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    39 min
  7. Scottish Campaigning Begins - What Chance of an Upset?

    27 MAR

    Scottish Campaigning Begins - What Chance of an Upset?

    The Scottish Parliament is winding up ahead of the election in May. Is there any chance of a real upset ofr is it another SNP shoo-in? Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    44 min
  8. REFORM UK SCOTLAND MANIFESTO - Is it all populist absurdity?

    20 MAR

    REFORM UK SCOTLAND MANIFESTO - Is it all populist absurdity?

    Reform UK Scotland manifesto launchPresented as the first major manifesto of the 2026 election campaignFramed as more about political messaging than a detailed governing programmeTax cuts versus realityBig promises on cutting income taxStrong scepticism about whether the sums add up or the savings are deliverableManifestos as political brandingDiscussion that modern manifestos are often just headline documentsCostings are often vague once properly examinedLaw and order agendaReform proposals on tougher sentencing, more prisons, ending early release, and scrapping hate crime lawsArgument that these policies are popular-sounding but very expensivePressure on Scottish public financesWider discussion that all parties face a difficult fiscal backdropConcerns about long-term affordability of spending promises and welfare growthReform’s electoral strategy and vulnerabilitiesReform portrayed as a home for angry or disillusioned votersBut also as vulnerable to scrutiny, weak candidates, and campaign mistakesCandidate controversyMention of a Reform candidate being suspended over alleged Covid loan misuseUsed as an example of how election campaigns expose candidate problemsAssisted dying vote at HolyroodReview of the bill being defeatedFocus on lobbying, safeguards, and why MSPs may have changed positionParliament doing its jobArgument that rejecting a bill after detailed scrutiny is part of how democracy should workEmphasis on lawmakers judging the actual legislation, not just the principleWar in Iran and economic falloutThe conflict presented as the biggest external event shaping politicsConcern about its effects on oil, gas, inflation, and wider economic stabilityRisk of a new cost-of-living crisisDiscussion of rising energy bills, persistent mortgage pressure, and fewer hopes of interest-rate cutsQuestion of whether the UK is heading into “cost of living crisis part two”Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Labour instabilityDiscussion of shrinking fiscal headroom and pressure on the governmentSpeculation about Starmer’s future and Angela Rayner positioning herself for a leadership moveA broader failure of political honestyFinal theme that politicians are not being frank with voters about the scale of the economic problemsSuggestion that leadership across politics is avoiding hard truths Focussing on UK, Scottish and Global politics, if you like other great political podcasts like The Rest is Politics, The News Agents, Newscast, Questions Time, Holyrood Sources, Planet Holyrood, The Stooshie, The Steamie, Scotcast, Americast etc etc then The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast could be a great show to add to your list of favourites. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min
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4.6
out of 5
56 Ratings

About

The two biggest names in Scottish political journalism, Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie, join forces to bring you a regular “must listen” insider briefing on the political and wider world. Bernard has been Scotland's leading TV political editor for many years while Alex is the unavoidable commentator and columnist for the Times and Sunday Times. Together they bring decades of experience and unsurpassed contacts books to provide you with a valuable insider briefing behind the headlines. Scottish, Scotland, Scottish Politics, Political Podcast, Scottish Political Podcast, UK Politics, Scottish Independence, Indyref, Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon, Salmond, Sturgeon, SNP, Scottish Labour, Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Lib Dem, Scottish Greens, Alba Party, Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves, John Swinney, Anas Sarwar, Holyrood, Westminster, Brexit, Budget, Devolution, Policy, News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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