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Electoral Dysfunction

Sky News

Political powerhouses Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman unite to unravel the spin and explain what’s really going on in Westminster and beyond.
Each episode examines who holds influence, what politicians are really saying, and the forces driving decisions behind closed doors.
With authoritative insight and candid conversation, they assess who is rising, who is falling, and who is heading for Electoral Dysfunction.
For audience questions and comments, message the team on WhatsApp: 07934 200444

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Friday · 33 min
What can Andy Burnham learn from Donald Trump?
If Andy Burnham fails to deliver on the cost of living, will he end up just as unpopular as Donald Trump? Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman dissect what the US midterms can teach the Labour party, and why big money doesn’t always translate into big wins. Plus, they delve into Shabana Mahmood’s immigration reforms – including whether she’s silenced her Labour critics on this for good, and if it’s fair to accuse her of a U-turn. Click here to send Beth, Ruth, Harriet and Jess your question for our London live show – tickets are available now, join us on 26 November: https://cadoganhall.com/whats-on/electoral-dysfunction-live/book/1391434/ To listen without ads, get exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
October 30 · 47 min
Nothing left to tax – are painful cuts on the way?
It’s the first budget of the Andy Burnham Government – but Chancellor John Healey’s been accused of kicking important decisions around welfare spending and defense into the long grass. So did John Healey play it too safe, or was he wise to try and avoid market and political upset? Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Gillian Keegan give their verdicts on the budget – and discuss whether John Healey was being too ‘laddy’ when he was filmed downing a pint at the pub afterwards. Plus, former Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones joins the pod to give his assessment. Tickets for our London live show are available now, join us on 26 November: https://cadoganhall.com/whats-on/electoral-dysfunction-live/book/1391434/ To listen without ads, get exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
October 23 · 45 min
Could Andy Burnham come unstuck on immigration and welfare?
It’s been almost 100 days since Andy Burnham became PM, but do the people who voted him in in Makerfield feel he has been living up to their expectations – and do they think he will be able to take on the electoral minefields of immigration and welfare policy? Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman are joined by polling expert Luke Tryl, who has been speaking to ordinary voters to take the temperature of the nation. Plus – did the government make the right call in allowing drilling at the Jackdaw gas field to go ahead? And will Rosebank be the next project to get the green light? Tickets for our London live show are available now, join us on 26 November: https://cadoganhall.com/whats-on/electoral-dysfunction-live/book/1391434/ To listen without ads, get exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
October 16 · 46 min
Does Andy Burnham know enough about AI?
Is the UK Government ready for artificial intelligence (AI) – and will there be any jobs left for the next generation? Former technology secretary Liz Kendall joins Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman to discuss her push to get the UK to the forefront of AI development – and tackle some of the fears of the public. Plus, she reflects on her time in the Department for Work and Pensions, and why she wasn’t able to get her welfare reforms through. And, closing out conference season, Beth, Ruth and Harriet discuss the Scottish National Party, and why they’re making they’re making another big push for a second referendum. Tickets for our London live show are available now, join us on 26 November: https://cadoganhall.com/whats-on/electoral-dysfunction-live/book/1391434/ To listen without ads, get exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
October 9 · 38 min
Has Zack Polanski’s Green bubble burst?
No matter how they try to spin it, it's been a difficult week for Zack Polanski's Green Party. The party leader didn't win the by-election to become the MP for Holborn and St Pancras (Sir Keir Starmer's former seat), losing to Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali, in the week his party faced huge criticism over a motion passed at their autumn conference. So how does the Green's "Zionism is racism" motion affect Polanski's future? Did it have a part to play in him losing the by-election? Or is Prime Minister Andy Burnham's popularity - the so-called "Burnham bounce" - behind the fade in the Green Party's popularity? Beth, Ruth and Harriet are joined by More in Common's Luke Tryl to go through the detail and reflect on Kemi Badenoch's speech at the Conservative Party conference and her divisive inheritance tax policy. Tickets for our London live show are available now, join us on 26 November: https://cadoganhall.com/whats-on/electoral-dysfunction-live/book/1391434/ To listen without ads, get exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
October 2 · 47 min
Andy Burnham draws his battle lines
Andy Burnham set out his stall during an emotional speech at the Labour Party conference – pledging to scrap the triple lock, create a national care service, and reform the first-past-the-post voting system. Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman discuss whether he can deliver on his promises, and if the odds of an early election have just shortened. And has he inadvertently given Kemi Badenoch her attack lines for the Conservative Party conference? To listen without ads, get exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
September 25 · 42 min
Can Andy Burnham make Britain believe again?
Can Andy Burnham bring back hope - or is he all style and no substance? Following the prime minister's meeting with Donald Trump in New York, Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman discuss whether Mr Burnham's leadership has brought about a sense of change in the Labour Party - and the country - and make their predictions ahead of the party conference next week. Plus - are the Liberal Democrats irrelevant on the national stage, despite being the third biggest party at Westminster? To listen without ads, exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
September 18 · 56 min
Is the government doing anything to stop AI killing us all?
The government needs to step up and properly regulate AI - that’s what Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the podcast - saying we can expect to hear more about it soon. She’s on the podcast this week talking to Beth after we’ve heard warnings that AI “could kill us all by the end of the decade”. Lisa Nandy also reflects on the online safety act - are the tech companies taking the UK government seriously? Beth also gets her take on the growing row over plans to house asylum seekers at a former military site near Piddington, Oxfordshire - the village of 300 people who held a referendum this week to leave the UK. So who gets the final say when national policy clashes with local democracy? Beth, Harriet and Ruth debate whether the government needs to rethink its plans on housing asylum seekers, why some communities feel unheard, and how immigration is becoming a defining battleground in British politics. Plus - we have an exciting announcement for our Dysfunctioners! To listen without ads, get new episodes a week early, exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
September 11 · 51 min
Why did Andy Burnham choose Israel for his biggest moment yet?
Ed Milliband made a bold statement in the Commons this week - UK government sanctions on Israeli settlements. But is there more to the timing of this? Harriet makes the case for why it's principled rather than political, and Beth, Ruth and Harriet dig into another question underneath the policy - is this a rebuke of Keir Starmer, and did his government simply not move fast enough? And the response from Britain's Jewish community, and whether Ed Miliband needs to do more on this now. We also go further into Reform's woes, following on from our members' episode this week. As the Metropolitan Police widens its investigation into party donations after Channel 4's undercover documentary, former Conservative-turned-Reform member Tim Montgomerie joins the ladies fresh from quitting the party to explain why he thinks the court around leader Nigel Farage is starting to crack, and whether Reform has already peaked. To listen without ads, get new episodes a week early, exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
September 4 · 39 min
What changes if Zack Polanski is an MP?
Could Zack Polanski win in the St Pancras and Holborn by-election – and how crushing would a loss be to the Green Party’s momentum? Harriet Harman, Ruth Davidson and Beth Rigby discuss – and mull over whether the whole thing will be an early headache for Andy Burnham, or a chance to prove he can regain the confidence of young left-wing voters. Plus – Harriet responds to criticism from Kemi Badenoch after she talked on our episode earlier this week about Claire Coutinho's shadow cabinet promotion while on maternity leave. She'd joked that the leader deserves a 'woke badge'. To listen without ads, get new episodes a week early, exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
August 28 · 43 min
'A bloodsport': Were journalists to blame for Keir Starmer’s downfall?
Do lobby journalists bear some responsibility for the collapse of the Starmer Government – or was it down to poor polling and a loss of authority? Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman discuss whether the chaos around Keir Starmer turned into “a game” for the media - and unpack what it’s like to cover a Prime Minister’s last days in office. Plus – the panel answer more of your questions, including what Kemi Badenoch can do to rebuild the Tory party’s electoral chances. This episode was recorded in June. You can read Michael Savage’s piece in The Guardian here. To listen without ads, get new episodes a week early, exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
August 21 · 47 min
How ‘mega-donors’ are buying political influence... and your algorithm
How are our political parties funded – and is it time for a cap on donations? Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman pull back the curtain on political donations – and discuss whether bots astroturfing social media are rapidly becoming a major threat to democracy. Author and journalist Peter Geoghegan joins the pod to explain how we got here and what exactly is going on online, while former Attorney General Dominic Grieve breaks down how the Government tries to regulate money in politics. Find out how to subscribe to our members club Sky News Insider here: skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over. Find out more and subscribe: skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.
August 14 · 40 min
What does Nigel Farage’s win in Clacton actually prove?
Nigel Farage is an MP once again as he was victorious in the Clacton by-election, winning 63% of the vote and overcoming his main competitor - Count Binface. But has the vote left us with more questions than answers? And why didn’t Farage go to the count? Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman are joined by pollster Luke Tryl, executive director of More In Common, to dissect Farage’s victory. Plus, Harriet explains what happens next when it comes to the parliamentary standards' investigation into Farage's finances, and why she thinks another by-election could be imminent. To listen without ads, get new episodes a week early, exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
August 7 · 35 min
'I hated it': Jess Phillips on life inside Keir Starmer's government
Hear from Jess Phillips regularly on our Tuesday members episode, subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Jess Phillips joins Beth Rigby to reflect on her time as a minister under Keir Starmer. And she asks whether Andy Burnham can fulfil the Labour manifesto commitment to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. Are disinterested government departments to blame for slow progress? Plus, why did Gaza nearly cost Jess her Birmingham Yardley seat, and will the row over Labour’s policy in the Middle East continue to plague inner-city MPs? To listen without ads, get new episodes a week early, exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
July 31 · 43 min
‘Intensely unpopular’: Was Keir Starmer doomed from the start?
Beth Rigby and Harriet Harman dive into what went wrong for Sir Keir Starmer – and why the public turned against him so quickly. And Harriet asks if the Labour party might, in retrospect, have been able to ride out those disastrous local election results without changing its leader. Plus – why has the Labour party waited so long for a female leader, and is a woman-only shortlist the answer? We’ll be back on Tuesday for our Sky News Insider subscribers - find out how to subscribe here: https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction And here's a taster of this week's bonus episode. Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
July 24 · 45 min
Is the Burnham government starting to feel like The Traitors?
In appointing his new cabinet Andy Burnham has removed many of Keir Starmer's faithfuls, including previously key figures like Rachel Reeves and Darren Jones. And critics feel 'traitors' who had tried to destabilise the recently departed PM are being rewarded for their disloyalty. Former Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, called for Starmer to go back in February. Now he's off to the Lords for a ministerial job under Burnham. At the Electoral Dysfunction Round Table, Beth Rigby asks Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson how Burnham can deal with the bad blood his choices have created. Harriet wants him to 'build bridges' with those he ousted. We also have lots of questions from Dysfunctioners about a big political week. We’ll be back on Tuesday for our Sky News Insider subscribers - find out how to subscribe here: https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
July 22 · 38 min
Did a "difficult woman" upset Andy Burnham's cabinet plans?
We didn't get details of Andy Burnham's top team until most people had gone to bed... so why did it take so long? Beth, Jess, Harriet and Ruth discuss whether some ministers negotiated for different jobs – and whether nobody wanted to be justice secretary. Harriet also has stern words for "bitter" former cabinet ministers who are criticising the new government from the sidelines. If you would like to subscribe to Sky News Insider, find out how here https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
July 17 · 45 min
Has Starmer done Burnham any favours?
We're in a transition as Andy Burnham becomes Labour leader three days before he becomes Prime Minister. In Ukraine, Beth Rigby asks the outgoing PM, Keir Starmer, about why he chose to see President Zelenskyy on his final foreign trip. Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman hold the Electoral Dysfunction fort back home. They weigh up whether Burnham should favour ability over popularity in his new cabinet - and consider how the polls are going for Burnham's own approval rating as he prepares to enter Number 10, with the help of Sky News' election analyst Rob Ford. To listen without ads, exclusive bonus episodes and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction To see Beth's full interview with Keir Starmer, go here Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.
July 10 · 42 min
Could Farage's by-election plan backfire?
Rachel Reeves says if Nigel Farage wants to "spend the summer arguing with a bin" then that's up to him. The Reform leader triggered a by-election by resigning this week. He is standing again to fight for the seat. Count Binface is one of those planning to stand against him in Clacton but the main parties won't be there. Beth, Ruth and Harriet dig into whether there are cracks in Farage's plan to reset the narrative after claims about his financial arrangements. Plus, Beth is fresh off the prime minister's plane from Turkey where Sir Keir Starmer was given an illegal gift he couldn't bring back with him. Andy Burnham's also promised MPs an overhaul in party culture. Harriet and Ruth debate whether the changes will ever happen. We’ll be back on Tuesday for our Sky News Insider subscribers. Find out how to subscribe to our members club Sky News Insider here: skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over. Find out more and subscribe: skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. As of July 9th, we’re aware of the following people and parties planning to stand in the Clacton by-election: Adham Alkhatip, Forward Party Count Binface, Independent Piers Corbyn, Independent Nigel Farage, Reform Laurence Fox, Reclaim Party Ollie Granger, Independent Luke Worley, Independent
July 3 · 42 min
Will women get a seat at Andy Burnham’s table?
The New Labour band might be getting back together around Burnham’s cabinet table. Good for nostalgia, but the women have other thoughts if there are set to be two Milibands in the great offices of state and no women. This week, Harriet tells Beth and Ruth this week that trust is broken between female Labour MPs and the top of the party, and now they’re expecting hard proof from Burnham that he sees them equally – because it’s “no more playing nice” from them. And as Keir Starmer leaves Burnham with a black hole in his budget as a parting gift – how can Burnham pay for it? And is this going to be a return of the welfare bill rebels? We’ll be back on Tuesday for our Sky News Insider subscribers - find out how to subscribe here: https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk. Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.

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