Electoral Dysfunction

Andy Burnham is coming back to Westminster – is he about to become prime minister? And could Sir Keir Starmer be in denial?

After a stunning victory in the Makerfield by-election, Burnham has gone from mayor of Greater Manchester to Labour MP, instantly kickstarting the speculation about a challenge to Starmer's leadership.

So is this the beginning of the end for Starmer and will his MPs turn against him? Harriet has the lowdown from inside the Labour party – so how quickly will it kick off?

Beth Rigby has raced back from Makerfield to join Harr...

Find out how to subscribe to our members' club, Sky News Insider, here: https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction

Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman, Jess Phillips and Ruth Davidson are back early this week with details of the first ever Electoral Dysfunction members’ only episode. To listen to the full podcast, follow the link above for all the information.

In her first podcast back with the ED gang since quitting the government, Jess lifts the lid on what went on behind the scenes in the lead up to Starmer’s social media ban for under 16s, and explains why...

As we sat down to get voters’ verdicts on the prime minister in Makerfield, he suffered yet another massive headache – his Defence Secretary, John Healey, resigned. And a few hours later, two more resignations. How weak is Keir Starmer now? And is this a problem for the safety of the UK?

Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson, and Harriet Harman hear from locals voting next week - do they think Andy Burnham is destined for Number 10? What about the other parties’ ambitions for the area, and what do they make of all the attention they’ve been getting lately?

Plu...

"Pure cold rage": Will Nigel Farage regret his intervention over the murder of Henry Nowak?

Beth, Ruth and Harriet discuss whether Farage is pandering to the far right, or if he has a point about "two-tier policing" in Britain.

And, as Nicola Sturgeon attempts to distance herself from her estranged husband Peter Murrell – Ruth asks if her legacy is now forever tarnished.

Nicola Sturgeon has said she was “completely cleared and exonerated” by police and that she had been “misled” and “deceived” by Murrell.

For a full list of candidates standing in Makerfield...

Beth has a punchy exclusive interview with Andy Burnham for this extra episode of Electoral Dysfunction.

Saying the quiet bit out loud, Beth asks if Burnham is using this as his path to Number 10 Downing Street or whether he would be loyal as an MP and serve in Keir Starmer’s cabinet? You might want to watch on YouTube to see his response...

She also asks how Burnham's ideas for the country are different to what we already have in government.

Plus, what does the current Mayor of Greater Manchester think about Reform an...

Is the UK on its way to becoming ungovernable?

And what does a £5m gift to Nigel Farage from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne tell us about scrutiny and transparency in British politics?

Harriet Harman, Beth Rigby and Ruth Davidson discuss in a special live edition of the pod, recorded at the Hay Festival.

Plus, Harriet offers advice to Green Party leader Zack Polanski on how to handle his council tax row - inspired by her own experience being chased by the paparazzi.

For a full list of candidates standing in your a...

Reality show Married At First Sight UK on Channel 4 is facing serious allegations this week, so Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson, and Harriet Harman discuss whether more should be done to make reality TV safer – and if MPs ought to get involved.

Plus, with three by-elections coming up, has Andy Burnham’s bid to return to Westminster thrown the constituency of Makerfield into chaos? And why might the North Sea oil reserves become a hot button issue for voters in Aberdeen South?

For a full list of candidates standing in your area, visit the Electoral Commission webs...

Andy Burnham, Angela Rayner, Wes Streeting - the list of potential names to challenge Keir Starmer is growing but the leadership race is not officially on... yet.

Jess Phillips, who resigned from the government this week, tells Beth why she's backing Wes Streeting in a future race and why Andy Burnham needs to be careful he doesn't look entitled as he searches for a parliamentary seat. She also gives a devastating verdict on the prime minister, telling Beth he 'finds it hard to listen" in her first interview since resigning.

Plus, as one Labour MP...

Less than two years into his stint, could it all be over for Keir Starmer? The drama is high after a handful of his government ministers have now resigned, and more than eighty MPs are now calling for the PM to go – so can the Prime Minister continue to hold firm?

Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman are back with an extra episode to discuss whether Keir Starmer can keep his job, and who his potential challengers are. Plus – could Andy Burnham be the answer to Starmer’s troubles?

Got a question for the burner...

UK politics has been reshaped after a bloodbath for Labour in the May elections, so what’s next for Keir Starmer and his Government?

It was a historic night for both Reform UK and the Green Party – but will their gains translate when it comes to a general election? And can Nigel Farage keep up his momentum?

Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman break down the results coming out of Scotland, Wales and England.

Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.

If Labour's election losses are as bad as some experts predict, Keir Starmer might need a cabinet reshuffle to try to show some strength of leadership.

Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson discuss the risks of that and why it might be counter-productive for the PM.

Plus, pollster Luke Tryl from More in Common returns to chat about the Senedd elections in Wales – why has the voting system changed and why do so few voters seem to understand it?

For a list of all candidates standing in your area, visit the Electoral Co...

Sir Keir Starmer says he has "put to bed" the row over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as US ambassador – but it looks set to rumble on for the PM.

Starmer's former chief of staff Morgan McSweeney has now been summoned to give evidence to the Commons, as well as Sir Olly Robbins's predecessor at the Foreign Office, Sir Philip Barton.

Beth explains why Barton's evidence could end up being "box office", while Ruth and Harriet give their assessment on Starmer's very difficult week.

And the team discuss if it might be easier to...

Keir Starmer says that if he'd known Peter Mandelson had failed his vetting, he would never have appointed him US ambassador.

The PM told the MPs that civil servants in the Foreign Office had made a "deliberate decision" not to tell him, and that it "beggars belief" that he didn’t know.

This is a story full of political process, about whether rules were followed. But for many it may just boil down to why the Prime Minister did not ask more questions, especially when it concerned a man who had already resigned twice from go...

Are voters about to hand Nigel Farage his biggest win yet? Reform are polling in second place in Scotland, and while Farage’s party might not win in May, could the result change politics in the UK as we know it?

This podcast was recorded on Thursday morning before the news that Peter Mandelson failed his security vetting.

Beth, Ruth and Harriet dive into what’s really driving this moment for Reform and whether it’s a protest vote against Scottish independence or something more permanent. And Beth reports back on her trip north of the bo...

The world is reeling, thanks (again) to US President Donald Trump -who started his week by threatening to kill a “whole civilisation”... and is ending it by insulting his NATO allies. It’s left Harriet asking just how Trump got to be so out of control - and how did the checks and balances designed to rein him in fail so spectacularly?

Ruth and Harriet discuss whether Trump’s chaotic leadership style shows that western democracies - including the UK - might be more fragile than we think, and if there’s a chance we could end up with ou...

It's an Easter special - so grab yourself a hot cross bun and listen in as Beth, Ruth and Harriet answer all of your questions.

From whether Zack Polanski and Nigel Farage might have more in common than they think, to if Ruth and Harriet are ever tempted to make a return to frontline politics - all are up for discussion.

Plus - Ruth and Harriet go head-to-head over why Labour has never had a female leader.

And, the most pressing question of all - how does Beth find the time to train...

Beth is in Helsinki with the Prime Minister for an exclusive interview for the podcast.

Keir Starmer has said he "hates the fact" that he made a "mistake" over the appointment of Peter Mandelson.

"I dwell on it. I beat myself up about it," he told Beth, who is accompanying him on a visit to Finland, where he is taking part in a leaders' summit.

Beth also questions him about his relationship with Trump following disparaging comments the President made about Starmer's response to the Iran war.

Plus, Beth, Harriet and...

Angela Rayner has stepped back in the spotlight this week and straight into controversy.

Her blunt intervention - warning the government is running out of time, criticising its record on “change” and calling parts of Labour’s immigration policy “un-British” - has sparked a big question: is Rayner simply saying what others are thinking, or going too far?

Harriet certainly thinks it’s a bit much. She says Rayner’s approach could be undermining the government at a critical moment just weeks out from the May elections. Beth says Rayner's tax affairs could be sorted sooner than a...

Keir Starmer has already admitted appointing Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador was a mistake. But after the first batch of documents was released, Beth, Ruth and Harriet ask the big question: we still don’t know how big that ‘mistake’ it was – could it get worse with what is yet to come out about what the Prime Minister knew about Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein?

In this episode we break down:

President Donald Trump has said he was “very disappointed” in Keir Starmer. Did the Prime Minister fall short of his reputation on the international stage? Or has he put Britain first by standing up to Trump? And will we look back at this moment as a success for him?

It’s been a huge week in the Middle East with global repercussions and Beth, Ruth and Harriet are discussing how Keir Starmer has dealt with it all.

Ruth explains why she thinks Starmer should have rained ‘fire and brimstone’ on Iran for their attack on the Britis...

Harriet thinks the Greens delivered a "bruising" defeat to Labour in the Gorton and Denton by-election, so is Keir Starmer now worried about the local elections in May?

The Gorton and Denton by-election result on Friday was a shock for Labour, who Beth says were convinced they would hold on to this once safe seat for the party. And the Greens now have a new MP in Hannah Spencer.

Is this a sign of things to come in the May elections? Are the Green Party a serious contender and concern for the government? What does...

Andrew – formerly known as Prince – was arrested whilst Harriet and Ruth were in the middle of answering your questions from the Burner Phone for a half term special whilst Beth is away during political recess on her holidays.

So in this episode, they react to the extraordinary news that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested (and later released under investigation) on suspicion of misconduct in public office and discuss what it means for the rule of law.

Later, they tackle questions on the government's latest U-turn over postponed local elections, and whether Reform UK is facing prop...

The Prime Minister has just about made it to Friday... but the crises keep coming. So is Downing Street a “boys’ club”? And how did two senior Labour figures with links to convicted paedophiles pass vetting?

Beth, Ruth and Harriet lift the lid on the weekend that led to Morgan McSweeney’s sudden resignation, revealing the three options that were on the table.

So now he has two women interim chiefs of staff – are claims that there’s a boys’ club in Downing Street valid? The ladies answer a listener question about whether women are being pushed o...

Health Secretary Wes Streeting speaks exclusively to Beth as pressure on the Prime Minister to resign continues to rise.

Streeting tells Beth that people should “give Keir a chance” after he claimed it “has not been the best week for the government”, and recognises there is a “febrile” atmosphere.

It comes after a weekend of briefing around how Wes Streeting is connected to Peter Mandelson over the weekend – and in this podcast, Wes Streeting exclusively reveals his Whatsapp messages with Beth, over the period that Mandelson was ambassador in Washington.

But is he at risk of suf...

Keir Starmer is fighting for his career amid one of the biggest political scandals of the century. Harriet thinks the prime minister could be brought down after he appointed Peter Mandelson as the US ambassador, despite knowing about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

So can Starmer find the strength to turn a corner, reset his whole team and admit he was wrong? Or is it too late? Harriet thinks his tone this week made him look "gullible and naive".

And what does the whole fiasco say about politics and the establishment as a...

Beth joins the Prime Minister on his historic trip to China, where he has met the country's president Xi Jinping. It’s a trip that has sparked debate back in the UK, amid worries over espionage and security. But has it helped reset relations? And what does Starmer really hope to achieve from his visit?

Beth, Harriet and Ruth discuss.

Plus, Beth brings us all the behind-the-scenes gossip from the trip - including what it was like on the PM’s plane and what gift Starmer bought for Xi.

Meanwhile, back in the UK...

Andy Burnham came across as "entitled", according to Harriet Harman, when he went on social media after Keir Starmer blocked him from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election. So what actually happened behind the scenes?

This mini episode is your quick guide to the political chaos of the past 48 hours. Why did Mr Burnham try to get back into parliament and why did Labour’s leadership move to stop him? What does it mean for Starmer's authority, the looming by-election, and Labour's battle with Reform?

Plus, as we go into the studio to record, th...

Should social media be banned for under 16s? After a dramatic vote in the House of Lords, Beth, Harriet and Ruth dig into what a ban would really mean and what impact it will have on young people, and they hear from some of them.

And on the world stage, Donald Trump’s threats over Greenland and tariffs have rattled allies and forced an uncomfortable reckoning about the strength of the transatlantic relationship. With Davos dominated by power plays and a hard-hitting speech from Canada’s Mark Carney, the trio ask whether the rules-based world order is alre...

Robert Jenrick joins Reform and becomes the party’s second big name defection from the Tories in days – after former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi jumped ship earlier in the week.

So is this a big blow to Kemi Badenoch? Beth, Ruth and Harriet think she’s come out of it all pretty well after dramatically sacking her former leadership rival before he could jump ship.

How much will the Tories miss Jenrick? And how will he get on working with Nigel Farage, his new leader? The ladies look back at some of Farage’s past comments about Je...

“We feel bullied” - former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt joins Beth, Harriet, and Ruth on this week’s Electoral Dysfunction, as Denmark finds itself at the centre of a growing international crisis over Greenland.

Thorning-Schmidt describes how it feels for a small nation to be pressured by a far more powerful ally.

As Donald Trump revives his threats over Greenland, the trio examine what this moment means for NATO, international law, and the rules-based order plus whether the UK’s special relationship with the US actually matters anymore.

You can WhatsApp the podcast...

This is the second episode of our two-part New Year special. As Britain approaches 10 years since the Brexit referendum, Beth Rigby sits down with former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to ask what really went wrong, and why the consequences have been far worse than predicted.

From the failures of the Remain campaign to the rise of grievance politics, Clegg argues Brexit was an elite-driven project that has left the UK poorer, weaker and more dependent on American tech. He also explains why he believes Britain will ultimately return to the European fold - and what has...

This is the first episode of our two-part New Year special. Ten years on from the referendum that rewired British politics, Beth, Ruth and Harriet are joined by one of the architects of Brexit, Michael Gove, to rewind through some of the biggest moments.

From David Cameron's surprise 2015 decision to take a gamble and call the referendum, to the brutal tribalism of a campaign that forced the country into a choice between two tick boxes.

Ruth and Harriet take us through the Remain campaign and give their takes on why it didn't always cut through – wh...

Put down the eggnog and stop the washing up because it’s a Merry Christmas from Electoral Dysfunction as Beth, Harriet and Ruth answer your questions.

They’re joined by special guests including the Dish podcast’s Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett, as well as History Hit’s Dan Snow.

From how to make the perfect Christmas sprouts, to which Prime Minister has had the worst Christmas - and a question that’s always been on your mind - what does Larry the Cat get for his Christmas lunch?

You can WhatsApp the podcast at...

Do we have a cultural problem when it comes to teaching boys about sexual violence? The Labour government certainly thinks so with its new strategy.

Home Office minister and former podcaster Jess Phillips tells Beth in this episode why the strategy has taken so long and how she's changing the focus towards prevention.

But will their new approach work? Can we just rely on teachers to step in and keep women and girls safe? Beth, Ruth and Harriet discuss their responsibilities as parents of boys when it comes to talking about what they see online.<...

Westminster is restless, and the team are digging into why. Beth, Ruth and Harriet discuss the growing unease inside Labour, as somebody new joins the cabinet table. 

We also go over the damning findings of Baroness Amos's interim report into maternity care in England, featuring deeply personal accounts from women affected by systemic failings, including former Conservative MP Theo Clarke, who now hosts the podcast Breaking The Taboo. 

If you've been affected by issues in this episode, you can reach out to the Birth Trauma Association or MASIC. 

We discuss stillbirth as part of this. The charity...

The chancellor is being accused of "lying" over what she knew and when ahead of her budget – so did Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer actually mislead the public? 

Beth walks us through a detailed timeline of the OBR forecasts, the so-called "black hole", and why journalists now feel they were given only half the story. Ruth and Harriet weigh in on political honesty, the dangers of selective briefing, and why trust between the government, the media and the public is fraying fast. 

Plus, former Number10 director of communications Matthew Doyle joins the trio to discus...

With all the speculation, it was always going to be a big one, but Rachel Reeves's second budget turned into a political earthquake before she even stood up at the dispatch box.

In this bumper budget special, Beth, Ruth and Harriet unpick what happened on one of the most dramatic days in the fiscal calendar.

With the unprecedented leak of the Office for Budget Responsibility's assessment giving the opposition a sneak preview, Kemi Badenoch delivered a fiery attack. Listeners weigh in on their thoughts of her comebacks.

Send us your messages and Christmas-themed que...

The home secretary is going hard on immigration and she's taking a lot of people with her, not least Kemi Badenoch and the Reform party.

Shabana Mahmood is using her identity – as a British Asian Muslim – to prove why she understands the migration problem in the country better than most.

So how extreme are her new policies, modelled on the Danish system? Can she persuade the whole Labour party that they're not going too far, when they've spent years calling Tory policies "racist"?

And as a tough, plain speaking and passionate politician, is she the new Marga...

UPDATE: We talked again on this episode about speculation that Rachel Reeves was going to raise income tax rates in the budget. Since we recorded, Beth's been told that those plans have been ditched.

Read her analysis here and we'll discuss what's going on next time.

ON THIS EPISODE: Wes Streeting had to say he's more Joe Marler than Jonathan Ross after Number 10 started briefing he was plotting to oust Keir Starmer.  

Westminster has been full of Traitors analogies after a chaotic week which ended with the PM apologising to his health secretary.  

Who is to blame for two more inmates being wrongly freed from prison? The Conservatives attempted a mic drop moment with David Lammy this week by trying to get the Justice Secretary to admit to it live in the House of Commons. 

So why did Lammy avoid the question five times? And when 262 prisoners were released by mistake in the year to March – how is this happening every week? 

At the very least, Harriet sees the saga as an opportunity for the government to sort out the prison service. 

Plus Beth, Ruth and Harri...