Electoral Dysfunction

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 fa...

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...

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 t...

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...

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 affe...

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 Baden...

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 Democr...

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 seri...

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...

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 Badenoc...

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, in...

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 Gen...

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, Harr...

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 p...

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...

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...

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...

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 cabi...

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...

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 se...

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 Davidson and Harriet Harman give their takes on what Burnham's first 100 Days could look like and who might be in his cabinet, including the all-important role of chancellor. Harriet says...

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 Labour: has the party failed, or is this the reset it desperately needed? And could Andy Burnham be the answer? Beth takes listeners inside the final hours of Starmer's premiership, from ca...

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 agai...

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...

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...