The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast

Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie reaction and analysis of the first budget statement from Rachel Reeves - the first woman Chancellor to deliver a budget in British history.

Is it a "workerist", old-Labour budget that the likes of Harold Wilson, James Callaghan and Denis Healey would be happy with? Bernard and Alex discuss.

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Catherine MacLeod, former Political Editor of The Herald and Special Adviser (SPAD) to UK Chancellor, Alistair Darling, joins Bernard and Alex to preview Rachel Reeves first budget of the new Labour Government.

• Catherine's insights into how the Treasury and Chancellor prepare for a budget.
• PONSONBY - "This is the real day one of the new Labour government."
• MASSIE - "The most keenly anticipated budget since Geoffrey Howe's first budget"
• MACLEOD - "I think Rachel Reeves has boxed herself in"

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Poet and writer Jenny Lindsay tells her story:

• Being cancelled and "hounded" for being gender critical
• Her new book telling the story of her experience - "Hounded: Women, Harms and the Gender Wars"
• She says that gender is an open goal for politicians who should apologize to women and admit they got it wrong.

Jenny's book is available here:

https://amzn.eu/d/7gTBdKO

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PART 2 of a 2 part exploration of the life and times of Alex Salmond who died at the weekend at the age of 69.

Bernard and Alex pick up the story in 2011 through the zenith of his career at the 2014 Independence Referendum and onto the challenges of legal battles and the Alba Party in his post-SNP world. The programme concludes with a summary of what his legacy might be.

Bernard Ponsonby knew Alex Salmond professionally and personally for 35 years. they worked and spent time together over the past few months. Alex Massie has covered Alex Salmond closely throughout his career and despite their differences, revealed in part 1 that Salmond's team once courted Massie to be his speechwriter.

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Part 1 of a 2 part special reflecting on the life of "the most consequential Scottish politician of our time", Alex Salmond, who died at the weekend at the age of 69. It's a sincere attempt to capture in some depth the complexity and calibre of the man, his highs and lows.

Bernard Ponsonby knew Alex Salmond professionally and personally for 35 years. they worked and spent time together over the past few months. Alex Massie has covered Alex Salmond closely throughout his career and despite their differences, reveals that Salmond's team once courted Massie to be his speechwriter.

• Personal reflections from both Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie.
• The rise of Alex Salmond - from the SNP's '79 Group
• Salmond's strategic ability to see the end game and retrofit his strategy to make it happen.
• His ability to read the political temperature of the country and adapt to it.
• Salmond's rebranding of the SNP and nationalism to make an electoral success.

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Bernard and Alex are joined by David Frum, Staff Writer at the The Atlantic for a deep dive into the US Presidential race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

David Frum is widely quoted as the man who coined the phrase "Axis of Evil" while working for George W Bush. Today, he is a renowned writer and a Republican who won't vote for Trump. David offers valuable insight into the state of American politics, the Presidential race, the candidates and the ramifications of this historic vote.

"The most consequential Presidential election of our lifetime"

"His only interests in politics are adulation, stealing and revenge"

"The Trump campaign is a war on Taylor Swift to stop Haitians eating pets"

"Trump's going to lose"

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Bernard and Alex discuss the significance of First Minister, John Swinney, bringing former SNP strategist, Stephen Noon, back into his close circle as a Special Advisor (SPAD). What does it say about the SNP's current strategy and given the positions both Swinney and Noon have taken in the past, does it mean Independence has been kicked into the long grass for the time being?

Also

What can we read into the recent SNP victories in the Dundee by-elections?

And the Tories will reduce the candidates for leadership of the UK party to two this week.

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Bernard and Alex discuss whether the New Scottish Conservative leader, Russell Findlay, will face an existential crisis with the party at the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election. Do a series of factors, including the emergence of Reform, mean there is "no chance they're going to hold second place in 2026"?

Also, Rosie Duffield's resignation from Labour - "I cannot recall seeing a more direct assault on the integrity and standing of a party leader than the letter that she sent to Sir Keir Starmer just within the last 48 hours".

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Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie delve into the challenges facing the new Labour government in the aftermath of Keir Starmer's first conference speech as Prime Minister.

• Labour stood on a platform of "Change" but is it immediate enough for the electorate?
• Where will the money come from in Rachel Reeves upcoming budget?
• Is the new government facing mid-term blues already, only months after the election?
• Anas Sarwar has said no austerity but how do you define austerity?

ALSO

• The Scottish Tories and Reform?
• Will the Scottish Tories even make it to 3rd place in the 2026 election?
• Are there any ideas in the race to be Scottish Tory Leader?
• Does Reform have a constituency in Scotland?

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Bernard is in the USA. Alex is on the Isle of Jura.

• Bernard says Keir Starmer needs to deliver growth or face the anger of the electorate over growing errors.
• Alex says that naive and loose-lipped press briefing by new staff in Government and the freebie scandal raise questions over Starmer's judgement.
• Bernard analyses the US Presidential race from Vermont - it's edging towards Harris but it's tight.
• Alex questions Stewart McDonald's suggestion that the SNP should consider a centre left coalition with Labour after 2026 Scottish Parliament Election.

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