Walescast

Ken Skates has been confirmed as the new permanent leader of Welsh Labour, inheriting a party facing significant challenges after its disappointing Senedd election performance. As he steps into the role, he'll become the public face of one of Wales's opposition parties, with the task of rebuilding support and restoring confidence in Welsh Labour. Former journalist and ex-Chief of Staff to the Welsh Government, Jo Kiernan, joins us to assess the scale of the challenge ahead and what Skates must do to turn the party's fortunes around. We also hear from our Political Editor Gareth Lewis, who looks ahead to Andy Burnham taking the reins after Keir Starmer's final week as Prime Minister. Can Burnham reset relations between Wales and Westminster, and what might his leadership mean for the future of Welsh politics and for the Labour party here?

Plaid Cymru's plans for additional spending have been voted down in the Senedd after Labour refused to back proposed budget changes. Fliss and James are joined by Dr Ed Poole of the Wales Governance Centre and BBC Wales Political Editor Gareth Lewis to unpack the political fallout and examine the numbers in the budget. They also speak to Luke Sibieta from the Institute for Fiscal Studies about Additional Learning Needs funding, a key issue that contributed to the Welsh Government's defeat.

James speaks to First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth after his government fails to win the vote on their extra spending plans. He also catches up with Welsh Labour leader Ken Skates whose party refused to support changes to the budget. These interviews were on Radio Wales Breakfast on the 15th of July. You can catch up with that and Walescast's analysis on BBC Sounds.

Huw Pill is one of just nine members of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee, the group responsible for setting UK interest rates – decisions that influence everything from mortgage costs to inflation.Born and raised in Cardiff, Huw is now the Bank of England's Chief Economist and Executive Director for Monetary Analysis and Research. In this episode, Fliss and James speak to him about his Welsh roots, his journey from Cardiff to one of the most influential economic roles in the country, and his views on the challenges and opportunities facing both the UK and Welsh economies.

Nigel Farage has resigned as an MP, triggering a by-election he says he'll contest. Fliss and James are joined by Political Editor Gareth Lewis to unpack the dramatic move, how it came about and the reaction from Reform UK in Wales.They also discuss plans for a new economic development agency, which the Welsh Government hopes will help boost productivity and drive economic growth. Former minister Andrew Davies explains why he scrapped the previous Welsh Development Agency in 2006 and what lessons can be learned from its demise.Plus, how should governments tackle complex policy challenges? Andy Regan, Head of Nesta Cymru, joins the podcast to discuss what works best when it comes to delivering ambitious reforms, including in areas such as childcare.

In his first major speech since launching his bid to replace Keir Starmer, Andy Burnham focused on devolving power from Westminster. But what could it all mean for Wales? Greater Manchester, and the transformation Burnham says he's helped deliver there, was a focus of the speech. Fliss and guests examine the key ingredients behind the city's success and ask whether this can be replicated elsewhere in the UK, specifically in Wales.

Felicity Evans and Gareth Lewis speak to the Welsh Government's Finance Minister Elin Jones, and David Phillips from the Institute for Fiscal Studies, about the supplementary budget.

It's been ten years since the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU. James is in Ebbw Vale to reflect on the day. The town is part of the Blaenau Gwent where 62% of the population voted for Brexit, compared to an average of 52.5% across Wales. James talks to people about how they voted at the time and their thoughts on the decision ten years later.

Former First Minister Mark Drakeford joins James Williams and Gareth Lewis to assess Sir Keir Starmer's legacy, and to explain why he's backing Andy Burnham as his successor.

Fliss and James are joined by BBC Wales' Health Correspondent to discuss his interviews with the new Health Minister and whether the extra funding he's announced can cut down waiting lists.

Fliss and James unpack the Senedd row that saw a walkout after a controversial speech in the Siambr by Reform MS Joe Martin. They’re joined by BBC Wales Political Reporter David Deans, who was there at the time, to break down what happened and why. The team also turn their attention to education, analysing the latest announcements from the Welsh Education Minister. They discuss her stance on social media bans, restrictions on mobile phones in schools and the ongoing difficulties around teachers’ pay and PISA with our Correspondent Bethan Lewis.

Childcare returns to the political spotlight in Wales this week. James is joined by Political Editor Gareth Lewis to unpack the Welsh Government’s commitment to the policy, after surviving an important vote in the Senedd. They’re also joined by Steffan Evans from the Bevan Foundation to explore the real-world impact of getting childcare policy right (or wrong). Plus, James takes a closer look at a Welsh Affairs Committee report into prisons, probation and rehabilitation and the ''serious concerns'' it raises. Ella Rabaiotti from the Welsh Centre for Crime and Social Justice breaks down the findings and what it all means for Wales.

Fliss catches up with Dr Jac Larner from the Wales Governance Centre to look back at the polling across the Senedd election. They discuss what it got right and wrong, political trends and how we got to the final result.

Fliss catches up with our political editor following the first FMQ's after Plaid Cymru's Senedd election victory. Rhun ap Iorwerth faced questions from members across the political spectrum covering topics from health to education.

Rhun ap Iorwerth MS sits down with James for his first Walescast since becoming First Minister. They met at the Urdd Eisteddfod site on Ynys Môn. You can also watch this episode on BBC iPlayer.

The new Senedd is underway with new parties, new faces and a lot more MSs. How are the opposition navigating this new landscape? We’ll hear from the Welsh leader of Reform and the leader of the Welsh Conservatives. Podcast co-host and former Conservative member and advisor Craig Lawton also joins us in the lounge with Political Correspondent Elliw Gwawr.

James discusses a pivotal moment for the new First Minister, catching up with political editor Gareth Lewis ahead of Plaid Cymru’s first Cabinet meeting in government. He also speaks to the journalist behind the Undercover Voters investigation to reflect on what the series uncovered during the Senedd election.

On this week’s episode, we unpack a historic moment as Plaid Cymru unveils its new Cabinet following their victory in the 2026 Senedd election. Newly appointed Deputy First Minister Sioned Williams MS joins us to discuss the party’s priorities and what this new era of leadership means for Wales. Meanwhile, in Westminster, pressure continues to mount on the Prime Minister as questions swirl around his leadership. Claire Hughes MP throws her support behind Sir Keir Starmer. Political consultant Cathy Owens and BBC Wales Political Editor Daniel Davies break down the key developments and deliberate on what it all means for Wales and Westminster.

Fliss and James are joined by Political Editor Gareth Lewis and Politics Wales Presenter Teleri Glyn Jones after a long day. They came together off the back of presenting BBC Wales coverage of the historic Senedd election results.

With less than 24 hours to go until Wales heads to the polls for the 2026 Senedd election James and Fliss take stock with Political Correspondent Daniel Davies.

The use of AI chatbots for advice is becoming increasingly common. But, could they could be providing misleading information to voters ahead of the Senedd election? Ben Summer, the Journalist running the Undercover Voters investigation, joins James to fill him in on his latest discovery.

Fliss and James catch up with our Health, Education and Environment Correspondent to unpack the policies and issues that have made it big in the Senedd election campaign so far — and those that haven’t.

Guto Ifan of the Wales Governance Centre joins Fliss and James to unpack the key themes emerging from the six main parties’ manifestos and to take a close look at whether the numbers behind their promises add up.

The journalist behind the Undercover Voters project, Ben Summer, is back with a new story from his research. This time, he’s been examining how much political parties have been spending on social media over the Senedd election campaign. To find out more about the project, you can listen to our first interview with Ben ahead of the launch at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0n9ns9x.

Walescast has been hitting the road to speak to voters across the country. This week, on his final stop, James is in Newport, which is part of the new Casnewydd Islwyn constituency. He talks to local people about the issues that matter most ahead of the Senedd election — and asks whether they think the result on May 7th will make a difference.The BBC has a full list of candidates for every constituency in Wales on the BBC news website - where you'll also find everything you need to know ahead of the polling day. We've also got lots more content available on BBC Sounds - just search for Wales Election 2026.

Fliss and James are joined by Dr Jac Larner to dicuss the latest YouGov/ ITV Wales/ Cardiff University poll as well as looking at what the bigger picture looks like. They also discuss the debates that have taken place and the leaders interviews on BBC Radio Walles.

With just over two weeks to go until the Senedd election James and Fliss discuss a busy weekend in Welsh politics. They are joined by Dan Davies to look at new polling, analysis and to discuss the first televised leaders debate from ITV Wales. Ben Summer then joins them to update Walescast on the undercover voters project he's been working on.

Fliss is joined by our Political Editor Gareth Lewis and David Philips from the Institute for Fiscal Studies to discuss the Welsh Liberal Democrats manifesto launch. We have now discussed all of the six main parties manifestos. You can find the rest on BBC Sounds. They also reflect on the details they've digested over the past few weeks.

Walescast hits the road to speak to voters across the country. This week, James is in Bangor, part of the new Bangor Conwy Môn constituency. He talks to local people about the issues that matter most to them ahead of the Senedd election — and asks whether they think the result on May 7th will make a difference.The BBC have published a full list of candidates for every constituency in Wales on the BBC news website - where you'll also find everything you need to know ahead of the polling day. We've also got lots more content available on BBC Sounds - just search for Wales Election 2026.

Today, Fliss and James are joined by Luke Tryl from More in Common to discuss his recent trip to Wales and what he’s been hearing from voters. The UK Director has been running focus groups across the country, exploring why people are planning to vote the way they are and the issues that matter most to them. We also hear from Ben Summer with the latest update on the Undercover Voters project and what he’s seeing so far across the six voter profiles.

Fliss is joined by our Political Editor Gareth Lewis and David Philips from the Institute for Fiscal Studies to discuss a busy week of manifesto launches from Plaid Cymru and the Wales Green Party.

Walescast hits the road to speak to voters across the country. This week, James is in Cardigan, part of the new Ceredigion Penfro constituency. He talks to local people about the issues that matter most to them ahead of the Senedd election and whether they think the result on May the 7th will make a difference.The BBC will be publishing a full list of candidates for every constituency in Wales on the BBC news website - where you'll also find everything you need to know ahead of the polling day. We've also got lots more content available on BBC Sounds - just search for Wales Election 2026.

Walescast hits the road to speak to voters across the country. This week, James is in Treorchy, part of the new Afan Ogwr Rhondda constituency. He talks to local people about the issues that matter most ahead of the Senedd election — and asks whether they think the result on May 7th will make a difference.The BBC will be publishing a full list of candidates for every constituency in Wales on the BBC news website - where you'll also find everything you need to know ahead of the polling day. We've also got lots more content available on BBC Sounds - just search for Wales Election 2026.

Fliss is joined by our Political Editor Gareth Lewis and David Philips from the Institute for Fiscal Studies to discuss the Welsh Labour manifesto launch and to mop up another campaign launch for the Welsh Green party. You can find our other ''The Manifesto Launches'' episodes on BBC Sounds - we will be covering six of the main parties launches.

Until the 7th of May, the BBC will be looking into how the Senedd election is unfolding on social media feeds across Wales.On this episode of Walescast, Ben Summer from the News Impact Team, joins Fliss and James to explain how.Using data and analysis from the National Centre for Social Research, he has set up six social media profiles for fictional voters based in different parts of Wales.Ben is hoping they can give us a glimpse into the type of content people are being shown.The full series of Undercover Voters will be available online on BBC Wales and Ben will be returning to Walescast weekly to provide updates.It is based on a project by Marianna Spring who originally came up with this idea and used it in experiments for the Americast podcast and the 2024 UK General Election.

Following the Senedd shutting up shop... Walescast kicks off it's dedicated election coverage with a look back at what's happened over the weekend and what's coming up this week. On this Monday Briefing Fliss and James discuss campaign launches and what happens if no party reaches a majority.

It's the final week for Senedd business ahead of the Welsh election. Fliss and James have set up shop in the new Siambr to talk about polls, policies and what lies ahead for the political parties in May. They are joined by BBC Wales Correspondents, our Political Editor Gareth Lewis and Dr Jac Larner from Wales Governance Centre. You can watch this episode of Walescast on BBC iPlayer.

Following the first in a series of BBC Wales election debates James is joined by Welsh political commentators Will Hayward and Betsan Powys to digest the details. They also speak to the Presenter Nick Servini and Political Editor Gareth Lewis live from Wrexham. You can hear all about the big issues raised on the day in this special episode of Walescast that will also be providing coverage of all the election programmes.

Walescast heads to St John's Church in Canton for the Wales Green's Action Day. James talks to their Welsh leader Anthony Slaughter and the party leader for England and Wales Zack Polanski. He also catches up with other members as they knock doors around the city as well as BBC Wales Political Correspondent Cemlyn Davies.This episode is the final trip Walescast made to the six main parties events, rallies and conferences in the run up to the Senedd election.

Fliss is joined by Nick Servini as campaigns heat up on the road to the 2026 Senedd election. They catch up with Joanna Stallard from Welsh Labour, Jason O'Connell from Reform UK and Rodney Berman from the Welsh Liberal Democrats. Walescast was joined by Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Conservatives and the Green Party on last week's episode.We are back on TV for a few weeks and you can watch this episode on BBC1 Wales and iPlayer.

Walescast heads to the Leonardo Hotel in Cardiff for the Welsh Liberal Democrats conference. Fliss talks to their leader Jane Dodds, their MP David Chadwick and other candidates and members. We also catch up with our Political Correspondent Rhodri Lewis to digest the day. This episode makes up one of the many trips Walescast has made to the six main parties events, rallies and conferences over the election period.

Fliss is joined by our Political Editor Gareth Lewis and David Philips from the Institute for Fiscal Studies to discuss a busy week of manifesto launches from the Welsh Conservatives and Reform.

Fliss is joined by Nick Servini as campaigning gets underway for the 2026 Senedd election. They catch up with Sam Rowlands from the Welsh Conservatives, Philip Davies from the Welsh Greens and Plaid Cymru's Llyr Gruffydd about their launches into the election. We will be joined by Welsh Labour, Reform and the Liberal Democrats on next week's episode. Walescast is back on TV for four weeks and you can watch this episode on BBC1 Wales and iPlayer.

Walescast heads to Newport Market for Welsh Labour's Campaign Launch. Fliss talks to the First Minister, Labour politicians and candidates about their hopes for May. We also catch up with our Political Editor Gareth Lewis to digest the day. This episode makes up one of the many trips Walescast will make to the main parties events, rallies and conferences over the election period.

Walescast heads to the International Conference Centre in Newport for Plaid Cymru's 2026 conference. James talks to politicians and punters about their hopes for May and catches up with our Political Editor Gareth Lewis to digest the day. This episode makes up one of the many trips Walescast will make to the main parties events, rallies and conferences over the election period.

Fliss and James discuss this week's Senedd vote on assisted dying and they’re joined by David Phillips from the Institute for Fiscal Studies to explore the challenges facing future Welsh Government funding.

The Prime Minister travelled to Taff’s Well to throw his weight behind Transport for Wales’ £14 billion proposals to “transform” the nation’s railways. But what would this actually mean for passengers and communities in Wales? James and Fliss unpack the announcement with our Political Correspondent Cemlyn Davies, following his interview with the Prime Minister and First Minister. They’re also joined by transport expert Professor Mark Barry, who breaks down the practical implications of the proposals — and what the politics behind them might reveal.

Walescast heads to Llandudno's Venue Cymru for the Welsh Conservative's 2026 conference. James speaks to their Leader in the Senedd Darren Millar as well as catching up with some other politicians and members to see what the vibe is ahead of the Senedd election in May. We also catch up with our Political Editor Gareth Lewis and hear about his interview with the Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch. This episode makes up one of the many trips Walescast will make to the main parties events/ rallies and conferences over the Senedd election period.

Wales' First Minister has given her backing to the Prime Minister following the Peter Mandelson scandal and the former US ambassador's departure from the Labour Party. Following criticism around Eluned Morgan's delayed statement from opposition parties, she says she has full confidence in his leadership. Former Special Advisor to the Welsh Government Cathy Owens and Political Editor Gareth Lewis join the podcast to discuss whether what is happening in Westminster will impact Wales.

James and Fliss are joined by Chris Birt from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation to discuss poverty in Wales and what the charity believes the next Welsh Government need to do to tackle it.