Show Notes
The Sources Podcast hosts come together for a special New Year 2026 UK politics preview, analysing what could be the most volatile year in British politics for a generation.
With local elections in England, Scottish Parliament elections, Senedd elections in Wales, and mounting pressure on the Northern Ireland Executive, this episode explores how the rise of Reform UK, growing voter fragmentation, and Labour’s governing challenges could reshape the UK’s political map.
🎙️ Featuring voices from:
Whitehall Sources
Holyrood Sources
Stormont Sources
Senedd Sources
🔍 In this episode:
Is Reform UK becoming a permanent force in British politics?
Can Keir Starmer’s Labour government survive a brutal May election?
Why the Greens and Gaza independents are threatening Labour in cities
Will SNP dominance in Scotland finally crack — and if so, who replaces them?
Could Plaid Cymru lead Wales for the first time?
How stable is Stormont, and could it collapse again before 2027?
What a fragmented UK means for the future of the Union
This is essential listening for anyone trying to understand UK elections 2026, Nigel Farage’s influence, Labour’s political future, and the growing instability across Britain’s devolved governments.
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Welcome inside Welsh politics. Senedd Sources hears from those who have lived it in decision-forming and policy-making for Wales to assess politics, today, in Wales and for Wales. Join journalist Ollie Cole, former Welsh Labour adviser Jo Kiernan and former Welsh Conservative candidate and adviser Craig Lawton as they share their experiences, and shape conversation about Welsh politics today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Mark Drakeford has delivered a sharp assessment of Plaid Cymru’s first six months in government. But is the new Welsh Government losing its way?
This week on the Senedd Sources podcast, Ollie Cole and Jo Kiernan return from party conferences to discuss:
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On this special episode of the Sources Podcasts, we're taking you to Liverpool for 24 hours at Labour Party Conference 2026. Hear the secrets of Political Christmas with Politico's Megan McElroy, More In Common's Louis O'Geran, Labour MP Jonathan Hinder, Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, former Andy Burnham advisor Kevin McKeever and more.
In this episode of the Senedd Sources podcast, Ollie and Jo analyse the latest Welsh political conferences, budget negotiations, and the challenges facing Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru as they navigate their new roles and upcoming elections.