David McCann

The first full year of Stormont Sources

📈 314,000 plus listens over the year
📈 More than 2.6 million engagements on social media.

The first full year of Stormont Sources

📈 314,000 plus listens over the year
📈 More than 2.6 million engagements on social media.

We are delighted to be Northern Ireland's most listened to politics podcast

9 years ago today, we went to the polls in a snap election just 10 months after the last one.

The Assembly is reduced to 90 seats.

Turnout surges to 65%, and for the first time, Unionism loses its majority in the Assembly.

Good luck to any Labour MP with a majority 10,000 and under at the next election

On the podcast this week

⚖️ Is the leadership of reaching out over?
🏛️ What reform could actually mean
💷 Why MLA pay has everyone running for cover

🎧 Available wherever you get your podcasts

20k by 2028

Wait until Making Tax Digital fully comes into place. Someone on 22k will have to file 5 returns instead of one.

10 years ago today, Ireland heads to the polls....

David McCann: Why our MLAs should be paid more (seriously) If we want a higher-calibre political representative, we should be prepared not only to pay for it but also to vote for it

In today's @irishnews.com arguing why our MLAs should be paid more.

The final power on who serves in that chamber rests with us. www.irishnews.com/opinion/davi...

10 years since EURef: Lessons & Learnings for Northern Ireland - Imagine! Belfast An engaging conversation with leading academics and journalists trying to understand the legacy of the EU referendum of June 2016.

Profs @katyhayward.bsky.social , @jontonge.bsky.social & @stephenfarry.bsky.social @sjamcbride.bsky.social, @markdevenport.bsky.social & Allison Morris will reflect on the political implications of Brexit

Get your tickets imaginebelfast.com/event/10-yea...

Great to have @markcarruthers7.bsky.social speaking to @ulsteruni.bsky.social politics students today about political journalism and politics in a digital age

Slugger Event: Two Years Down, One To Go The NI Executive has been back up and running for two years. The next Assembly election is just over a year away. The campaigning is already underway. Given their track record of delivery, we ask whet...

As part of Imagine join Ann Watt @pivotalpolicy.bsky.social Jodie Carson @ulsteruni.bsky.social & Suzanne Breen @belfasttelegraph.co.uk

sluggerotoole.com/2026/02/23/s...

Sunday Politics Northern Ireland - 22/02/2026 Mark Carruthers looks at MLAs' proposed pay rise and why there's been a hold up in introducing a minimum price for alcohol.

Was on Sunday Politics today talking about MLA Pay and the upcoming Gordon and Denton by-election. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

TBH, just to see if it would work. Could we add something different?

Unionism's Identity Crisis, Irish Government Apology Calls and One Year of Stormont Sources! YouTube video by Stormont Sources

One year of Stormont Sources

Today, we examine comments on whether a United Ireland is inevitable and reflect on one year of the podcast.

More than 250,000 listens and downloads in our first year. www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeOw...

On Stormont Sources today

🟥Is a United Ireland inevitable?
🟥Should the Irish government make an apology for events during the Troubles?
🟥We reflect on one year of Stormont Sources.

🎧Available later today

Good old days

% of the Assembly made up of MLAs by designation

2022
U: 41%
N:39%
Oth: 20%

2017
U: 44%
N: 43%
Oth: 12%

2016
U: 52%
N: 37%
Oth: 11%

10 years ago this week, David Cameron agreed a reform deal with the EU. This paves the way for the referendum, which he announces will be held on 23rd June.

Support this 100%.

FPTP is not fit for purpose in a multi party system. It makes parties internally ungovernable and distorts the will of the electorate. Keir Starmer was not elected in a landslide in 2024, the system distorted the actual will of the people.

Over 50 Academics Warn That Voting System Is Not Fit For Multi-Party Politics Dozens of academics have written to the government to warn that the current voting system risks producing distorted results on an 'unprecedented' s...

Over 50 academics have written to the government to warn that the current voting system risks producing distorted results on an "unprecedented" scale at the next general election. www.politicshome.com/news/article...

You're moving to Belfast...don't let me down now.

🆕This week, we discuss the recent announcement of the loan to the Executive.

Breathing space or sticking plaster?

🎧Available wherever you get your podcasts

View From Stormont | The Prime Minister Says He's Going Nowhere YouTube video by ITV News In Full

Was on View from Stormont with Clare Rice discussing the future of Keir Starmer and current polling ahead of the devolved elections.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=iffK...

Did they forget it was their round, though?

Instability of UK PM's article is a four star

We are going to dust off the explanations for why, in a parliamentary democracy, you elect a party rather than a leader.

No General Election needs to be called because the PM changes. Oppositions always call for them and then ignore the same standard when they get into govt.

Winning popular vote/% share

2024: Lab, 9,708,716 votes: 33.7%
2019: Con, 13,966,454 votes: 43.6%
2017: Con, 13,636,684 votes: 42.3%
2015: Con, 11,334,726 votes: 36.9%
2010: Con, 10,703,654 votes, 36.1%
2005: Lab, 9,552,376 votes, 35.3%
2001: Lab, 10,724,953 votes, 40.7%

Another parallel, Australia went from 2007-2019 with no PM completing a full term. Rudd-Gillard-Rudd-Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison.

The UK is well on its way to the same outcome.

Interesting that some consideration is being given to changing the Assembly's sitting days.