Podcasts · News

Electoral Dysfunction

Sky News

220 episodes

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

Episodes page 1 of 5

  1. Could Andy Burnham come unstuck on immigration and welfare?

    · 45 min

    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…

  2. Does Andy Burnham know enough about AI?

    · 46 min

    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…

  3. Has Zack Polanski’s Green bubble burst?

    · 38 min · Explicit

    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),…

  4. Andy Burnham draws his battle lines

    · 48 min

    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…

  5. Can Andy Burnham make Britain believe again?

    · 43 min

    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…

  6. Is the government doing anything to stop AI killing us all?

    · 57 min

    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…

  7. Why did Andy Burnham choose Israel for his biggest moment yet?

    · 52 min

    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…

  8. What changes if Zack Polanski is an MP?

    · 39 min

    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…

  9. 'A bloodsport': Were journalists to blame for Keir Starmer’s downfall?

    · 43 min · Explicit

    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…

  10. How ‘mega-donors’ are buying political influence... and your algorithm

    · 48 min

    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…

  11. What does Nigel Farage’s win in Clacton actually prove?

    · 40 min

    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?…

  12. 'I hated it': Jess Phillips on life inside Keir Starmer's government

    · 35 min

    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…

  13. ‘Intensely unpopular’: Was Keir Starmer doomed from the start?

    · 44 min

    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…

  14. Is the Burnham government starting to feel like The Traitors?

    · 45 min

    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…

  15. Did a "difficult woman" upset Andy Burnham's cabinet plans?

    · 38 min

    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…

  16. Has Starmer done Burnham any favours?

    · 46 min

    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…

  17. Could Farage's by-election plan backfire?

    · 42 min

    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.…

  18. Will women get a seat at Andy Burnham’s table?

    · 43 min

    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.…

  19. Can Andy Burnham really govern without an election?

    · 49 min

    Andy Burnham is closing in on Downing Street as Nigel Farage endures a tricky political week. But does Burnham actually have a mandate to be Prime Minister? Or should we have a general election? Beth Rigby, Ruth…

  20. Keir Starmer resigns. What’s next?

    · 20 min

    The prime minister has resigned after less than two years in Downing Street. In this extra episode, Beth Rigby and Harriet Harman react to a dramatic morning in Westminster and ask the question now hanging over…

  21. ‘Andy Burnham is going to be Prime Minister’

    · 41 min

    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…

  22. Introducing our first members' episode

    · 3:21

    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…

  23. More resignations for Keir Starmer: can it get any worse?

    · 54 min

    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…

  24. Is Nigel Farage exploiting Henry Nowak’s murder?

    · 57 min

    "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"…

  25. Andy Burnham on Britain’s future... and his own

    · 25 min

    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…

  26. Why the UK isn’t ungovernable – yet

    · 42 min

    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…

  27. Who is regulating reality TV? Lessons from MAFS UK

    · 47 min

    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…

  28. Jess Phillips: Starmer Doesn’t Listen

    · 48 min · Explicit

    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…

  29. EXTRA - Are these Keir Starmer’s final days as Prime Minister?

    · 32 min

    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…

  30. Local elections: Reform up, Labour down, Starmer out?

    · 44 min

    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…

  31. Can Keir Starmer risk a reshuffle?

    · 47 min

    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…

  32. Will we ever know everything about Peter Mandelson?

    · 47 min

    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…

  33. EXTRA: Why didn’t Starmer ask more questions about Mandelson?

    · 33 min

    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…

  34. Is this the election that makes Nigel Farage unstoppable?

    · 50 min

    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…

  35. Could the UK sleepwalk into Trumpian politics?

    · 31 min

    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…

  36. How much economic damage is Donald Trump doing? | Q&A

    · 37 min

    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…

  37. EXCLUSIVE: Keir Starmer on his special relationship with Trump

    · 44 min

    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…

  38. Could Angela Rayner’s comeback rescue Labour?

    · 54 min

    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…

  39. Why the Mandelson files matter for Starmer's future

    · 50 min

    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…

  40. Has Starmer got it right over his Iran War response?

    · 40 min

    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…

  41. Did the Greens just deliver a knockout blow for Keir Starmer?

    · 41 min

    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…

  42. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor: Is anyone truly above the law?

    · 37 min

    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…

  43. Is a ‘boys’ club’ undermining Starmer’s government?

    · 42 min

    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,…

  44. EXTRA: Wes Streeting on his friendship with Peter Mandelson

    · 40 min

    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…

  45. Can Starmer survive the Mandelson scandal?

    · 52 min · Explicit

    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,…

  46. What does Starmer really want from China?

    · 35 min

    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…

  47. EXTRA: Why Andy Burnham was blocked by Keir Starmer

    · 23 min

    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…

  48. Is this the end of social media for teenagers?

    · 39 min

    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…

  49. Jenrick joins Reform – is it a boost for Nigel Farage or Kemi Badenoch?

    · 38 min

    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?…

  50. Is Starmer still a player in Trump’s world?

    · 42 min

    “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…

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