Celebrating its tenth year of work in the field of Welsh policy development this year is the Welsh Centre for Public Policy, a Cardiff-based research centre set up to provide independent advice and high quality evidence to policy-makers and government at every level. Primarily focussed on three key research strands (Tackling Inequalities, Environment and net zero, and Community Wellbeing), and is committed to maximising the benefit to Welsh public services by bringing robust evidence and strong evaluation criteria to the policy development process. As the centre marks its tenth anniversary, we speak to: Prof Steve Martin, Director WCfPP Dan Bristow, Director of Policy and Practice: https://twitter.com/DWBristow Amanda Hill-Dixon, Senior Research Fellow you can find our more about WCfPP here: https://www.wcpp.org.uk And about the Centre's 10th birthday here: https://www.wcpp.org.uk/news-and-media/news-article/wcpp-confirms-commitment-to-tackling-key-policy-challenges-facing-wales/ We hope you find this podcast interesting and useful. You can always find the latest from us @hiraethpod on X/Twitter. Please do send feedback, it's always great to hear what our audience things. Thank you for listening to the podcast. If you have enjoyed it, please leave us a nice rating or comment on your podcast app or on YouTube and, if you are able to do so, please consider supporting our work from just £3/month on Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/hiraethpod

Despite ongoing and deepening issues in public services in Wales, there is only one big story in Welsh politics this week, that being the surprise (or not, discuss...) announcement of Prif Weinidog Mark Drakeford's intention to stand down as Welsh Labour leader and leader of the Welsh Government in March next year. We bring together our top Welsh Labour whisperers to discuss Prof. Drakeford's political achievements and impact, as well as the broader discussion about past, present, and future of Welsh Labour. Our guests: Political Commentator Liz Silversmith: https://twitter.com/lizsilversmith Our very own Matthew Hexter: https://twitter.com/hexter101 For fun, the memes: Regular, Reliable, Rhythm: https://x.com/WelshGuv/status/1261350948078792704?s=20 Cheese: https://x.com/WelshGuv/status/1280789399513554945?s=20 Also, if you're still looking for Christmas gifts, Clear Red Water: https://www.walespolitics.com/hiraethshop/p/welsh-first-minister-rhodri-morgan-clear-red-water-wall-print Thank you for listening to the podcast. If you have enjoyed it, please leave us a nice rating or comment on your podcast app or on YouTube and, if you are able to do so, please consider supporting our work from just £3/month on Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/hiraethpod *Mark Drakeford gun barrel image (C) Welsh Government 2019

The last month has been a very difficult one for politics and policy optimists, with an apparently unrelenting series of bad news stories at local, national, and union level. Your Hiraeth hosts try and navigate the news and pick out some of the most interesting stories from a Welsh perspective. Among other things we cover: Simmering tensions behind the scenes as Welsh Labour gear up for a union-wide General Election: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/discontent-grows-towards-mark-drakeford-28157637 Ongoing pushback on Senedd reform: https://nation.cymru/opinion/is-there-any-point-in-having-more-senedd-members-if-were-lumbered-with-the-closed-list-voting-system Autumn Statement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-63662266 Daran Millar MS to stand for Westminster seat: https://nation.cymru/news/darren-millar-selected-as-tory-general-election-candidate-for-clwyd-north/ Further nudges in the area of devolving media regulation to Wales: https://nation.cymru/news/welsh-government-urged-to-set-up-shadow-broadcasting-authority/ And in an attempt to lighten the tone, we finish with another of our infamous wagers, please let us know who you think is right and who is wide of the mark! Your hosts: Matthew Hexter: https://twitter.com/hexter101 Ceri Davies: https://twitter.com/ceritheviking Richard Martin: https://twitter.com/mimosacymru At present, we're running an Advent calendar of our pods over on our Ex-Twitter page, there are some great ones popping up in the feed, check it out: https://twitter.com/HiraethPod If you're enjoying the pod, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast app or on YouTube and, if you are able to do so, please consider supporting us from just £3/month: http://www.patreon.com/hiraethpod

Barely a week has passed in 2023 without a bad news story about water. Whether it has been flooding, leakage, company debt, failing infrastructure, pollution at sea, or pollution in rivers, it's basically been bad news the whole way. With all that in mind, a deep dive into Welsh water might not seem like the most appealing prospect but that's exactly what we are going to do with this podcast. Our expert panel discuss the news stories and the industrial reality of the trials and tribulations of operating in this challenging sector and how the balance of regulation, public opinion, and financing operations interact. Our Panel: Harriet Alvis: https://twitter.com/harrietalvis Chief Executive Officer, West Wales Rivers Trust: https://twitter.com/WestWalesRT Prof. Steve Ormerod: https://twitter.com/SteveOrmerod Professor of Ecology at Cardiff University and Deputy Chairman of Natural Resources Wales Lorna Davis: https://twitter.com/waterbore1 Co founder and Director of SUDSPlanter Ltd: https://twitter.com/SuDSPlanter As always, follow us on our X-Twitter page for all the latest: https://twitter.com/HiraethPod If you're enjoying the pod, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast app or on YouTube and, if you are able to do so, please consider supporting us from just £3/month: http://www.patreon.com/hiraethpod

There is something different about this week's pod. We're delighted to hand over the reigns to a guest panel to mark the recent women's takeover of the Senedd, organised by the Women's Equality Network Wales. So this week we discuss that women's takeover of the national parliament and many of the issues raised, including questions of access, representation, and the sad passing of Prof. Terry Rees, who did so much to advance the position of women in education and leadership. We also cover some of the recent news from a Welsh perspective, including ongoing public finance difficulties, the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, Sir Keir Starmer's visit to a Cardiff Mosque, the ongoing tragedies in Israel & Gaza, and more. You can find our panel on X/Twitter here: Sarah Rees, Head of Oxfam Cymru: https://twitter.com/sarahrees500 Evelyn James of WEN (Women's Equality Network) Wales: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelyn-james-legaladviser/ Liz Silversmith, political commentator: https://twitter.com/lizsilversmith Obituary for Prof. Terry Rees: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/oct/25/dame-teresa-rees-obituary WEN Wales: https://wenwales.org.uk You can find us @HiraethPod on most social networks and find the latest on our X-Twitter page: https://twitter.com/HiraethPod If you're enjoying the pod, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast app or on YouTube and, if you are able to do so, please consider supporting us from just £3/month: http://www.patreon.com/hiraethpod

As one of the new intake of Welsh parliamentarians who were elected in the 2021 election, Sam Rowlands MS represents a new generation of Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd and combines his role as regional MS for North Wales with a shadow ministerial brief of local government and the role of policy director for the party. In our first interview with Sam, we discuss everything from the importance of local government, Senedd reform and regional representation, trying to enact members’ bills in the Senedd, and the consequences of nearly 25 years of continuous Labour-led governments. Given Sam’s remit representing a sprawling constituency stretching from the broder to the sea in the North, we also discuss the ongoing issues at the Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board which appears to be struggling with strategy, delivery, and culture that has led it to be in Special Measures again. You can find Sam on X/Twitter here: https://twitter.com/SamRowlands_ You can find us @HiraethPod on most social networks and find the latest on our X-Twitter page: https://twitter.com/HiraethPod If you're enjoying the pod, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast app or on YouTube and, if you are able to do so, please consider supporting us from just £3/month: http://www.patreon.com/hiraethpod

For some it’s a sign of Wales leading the way on the international stage, making us the first country in the world to legislate to consider the wellbeing of future generations at all tiers of government. For others it can be seen as a well-intentioned idea that has yet to really deliver or challenge the status quo. As the term of first incumbent of the role, Sophie Howe, has finished and her successor appointed, the office Future Generations Commissioner is starting a new era. Is this a difficult second album or is it an opportunity to take the delivery and implementation of this innovative legislation to a new level? We discuss with our guests: Derek Walker, Future Generations Commissioner 2.0: https://twitter.com/derekwalker_https://twitter.com/derekwalker_ Arpana Chunilal, member of the Future Generations Academy and forestry advisor at Natural Resources Wales: https://twitter.com/Arpana_Lili The Office of the Future Generations Commissioner: https://twitter.com/futuregencymru You can find us @HiraethPod on most social networks and find the latest on our X-Twitter page: https://twitter.com/HiraethPod If you're enjoying the pod, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast app or on YouTube and, if you are able to do so, please consider supporting us from just £3/month: http://www.patreon.com/hiraethpod

We are a month into a new political season like no other. There has been an enormously popular petition against legislation that previously appeared to have wide cross-party support, and resultantly Wales may now be more visible than ever in the next UK-wide election. It has also challenged the concept of democratic legitimacy in our representative democracy as the minister responsible found himself in the unusual position of facing a vote of no confidence because he *had* delivered on a manifesto commitment. The launchpads for that very election are the party conferences, which are up and running while the union parliament is in recess. What will this mean for Wales? We discuss this and much more with our special guests, the current and former heads of Oxfam Cymru, Sarah Rees and Stephen Brooks. Our guests: Sarah Rees, Head of Oxfam Cymru https://twitter.com/OxfamCymru Stephen Brooks, policy, strategy, and communications consultant https://twitter.com/stephenbrooksUK You can find us @HiraethPod on most social networks and find the latest on our X-Twitter page: https://twitter.com/HiraethPod If you're enjoying the pod, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast app or on YouTube and, if you are able to do so, please consider supporting us from just £3/month: http://www.patreon.com/hiraethpod

Recorded during Adult Learners’ Week, the campaign that seeks to promote learning opportunities for everyone post-compulsory education, we take a deep dive into the state of life-long learning in Wales. We discuss the Welsh Government's recent 'Tertiary Education and Research Act' and the impact it will have on the tertiary education sector. We also discuss the role and priorities for skills training across the country and the reality of university funding for both full-time and part-time students. Our guests: Joshua Miles - Director for Wales at the Learning and Work Institute Learninng and Work Institute Wales: https://twitter.com/LearnWorkCymru Michelle Matheron, Assistant Director for External Affairs at The Open University in Wales The Open University Cymru: https://twitter.com/OUCymru You can find us @HiraethPod on most social networks and find the latest on our X-Twitter page: https://twitter.com/HiraethPod If you're enjoying the pod, please leave us a rating or review on your podcast app or on YouTube and, if you are able to do so, please consider supporting us from just £3/month: http://www.patreon.com/hiraethpod

As the new parliamentary term begins, we sit down with leader of the Plaid Cymru group in Westminster, Liz Saville Roberts MP to discuss the realities of operating in Westminster as one of the smaller parties, cross-party working, and how well scrutiny of law and government affecting Wales can (or can’t) be done in the union parliament. We also cover the new political map of Wales, the priorities for Plaid Cymru in the coming year, and the experience of being elected to represent Dwyfor Meirionydd in the era of Brexit, the subsequent Brexit Wars in UK Parliament, the chaos of Johnson and Truss Governments, and the current cost of living crisis. You can find & follow Liz on the platform formerly known as Twitter: https://twitter.com/LSRPlaid Despite everything, we are also still there with our latest updates: https://twitter.com/HiraethPod And if you are enjoying the pod, please leave us a rating and review in your podcast app or on YouTube. If you are able to do so, please also consider supporting us on Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/hiraethpod