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.