The Ponsonby & Massie Podcast
Two veteran Scottish political journalists, one from broadcast and one from print, offer a weekly insider briefing on Holyrood and Westminster.
A weekly conversational analysis of the biggest stories in Scottish and UK politics from two deeply-sourced journalists. Ponsonby, from a broadcast background, and Massie, from print, dissect the strategic maneuvers, political fallout, and long-term implications of current events. The show focuses on the interplay between Holyrood and Westminster, frequently covering topics like the SNP's internal struggles, Labour party dynamics, and key by-elections.
“The show's primary distinction is the pairing of a top broadcast editor with a top print columnist, offering a blend of TV and press gallery perspectives. Its sharp focus on the intersection of Scottish and UK-wide politics provides a level of specialized insight not found in more nationally-focused British political podcasts.”
Who hosts this show
Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie are two of the most established names in Scottish political journalism. Ponsonby is the former Political Editor for STV News, with over 30 years at the broadcaster. Massie is the Scotland editor for The Spectator and a long-standing political columnist for The Times and The Sunday Times. Together, they combine decades of experience and extensive contacts to provide insider analysis behind the political headlines in Scotland and the wider UK.
Credentials & credits
- Bernard Ponsonby: Former Political Editor & Special Correspondent, STV News.
- Alex Massie: Scotland Editor, The Spectator.
- Alex Massie: Political Columnist, The Times & The Sunday Times.
- Bernard Ponsonby: Twice recipient of Royal Television Society (Scotland) Journalist of the Year.
- Alex Massie: Orwell Prize for political writing (short-listed, 2012).
- Bernard Ponsonby: Law Degree, University of Strathclyde.
Other ventures
- Alex Massie: 'The Debatable Land' Substack newsletter.
- Bernard Ponsonby: Conference host and facilitator.
- Alex Massie: Contributor to publications including The Washington Post, Politico, and The New Republic.
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- uk
When new episodes drop
- 01WHY NO INQUIRY?... and would Burnham offer Starmer the Foreign Office?Jun 26, 2026 · 42 min
- 02
- 033 BIG BY-ELECTIONS - on 18th June - How Consequential are They?Jun 9, 2026 · 39 min
- 04IS SWINNEY'S MURRELL/STURGEON/SNP CASH SCANDAL STRATEGY FAILING?Jun 5, 2026 · 39 min
- 05Murrell, Sturgeon & Swinney - Who Knew What, When?May 29, 2026 · 35 min
- 06JOHN SWINNEY'S NEW CABINET - Analysis and VerdictMay 21, 2026 · 41 min
- 07STARMER AND BURNHAM - THE "KING IN THE NORTH"May 15, 2026 · 46 min
- 08SCOTTISH ELECTIONS - Results and VerdictMay 9, 2026 · 50 min
Notable episodes
- 01RESULTS, REACTION AND ANALYSIS - Makerfield, Aberdeen South, Arbroath & Broughty Ferry By-Elections
Provides immediate, detailed analysis of a momentous night of by-elections, including a historic win for the Scottish Conservatives and Andy Burnham's return to Westminster.
- 02IS SWINNEY'S MURRELL/STURGEON/SNP CASH SCANDAL STRATEGY FAILING?
A deep dive into the ongoing SNP finance scandal, a recurring and central topic for the podcast, showcasing the hosts' forensic analysis of Scottish political crises.
- 03WHY NO INQUIRY?... and would Burnham offer Starmer the Foreign Office?
Exemplifies the show's forward-looking analysis, connecting the fallout from the Peter Murrell sentencing to high-level speculation about the next UK government's cabinet.
What you'll be asked on this show
This is a co-hosted conversational analysis show and does not feature guest interviews. The hosts discuss topics between themselves.
This is a co-hosted analysis show with no guests. Episodes begin with a signature disclaimer stating the recording date and time, acknowledging that fast-moving events might overtake the commentary. One host typically introduces the week's main topic with a summary before they engage in a detailed, back-and-forth discussion.
Signature segments
- · Opening time-and-date disclaimer
Topics covered repeatedly
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The show has been sponsored by LHH, a professional talent solutions company. This suggests an estimated target audience of educated professionals and business leaders who are invested in political and economic developments.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of The Ponsonby & Massie Podcast?
- The hosts are Bernard Ponsonby, former Political Editor of STV News, and Alex Massie, Scotland Editor for The Spectator and columnist for The Times.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is a weekly co-hosted discussion. The two hosts analyze the latest news in Scottish and UK politics. It does not feature guest interviews.
- Does the podcast have guests?
- No, the format is a conversation between the two hosts, Bernard Ponsonby and Alex Massie.
- What kind of topics are discussed?
- The show focuses on current affairs in Scottish and UK politics, including party leadership, election results, scandals, and the relationship between Holyrood and Westminster.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on platforms like YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Acast.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Alex Massie (journalist) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [02]Bernard Ponsonby - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [03]Alex Massie's Profile | The Spectator Journalistmuckrack.com
- [04]Hire Bernard Ponsonby | Booking Agent - SpeakOut UKspeakout.uk
- [05]The Ponsonby and Massie Podcast - Acastshows.acast.com
- [06]The Debatable Land by Alex Massie | Substackalexmassie.substack.com
- [07]Bernard Ponsonby - Scotland On Airscotlandonair.com
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