About this podcast
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
The newest 50 of 222 episodes
- What can Andy Burnham learn from Donald Trump? · 33 minIf 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…
- Nothing left to tax – are painful cuts on the way? · 47 minIt’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…
- Could Andy Burnham come unstuck on immigration and welfare? · 45 minIt’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…
- Does Andy Burnham know enough about AI? · 46 minIs 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…
- Has Zack Polanski’s Green bubble burst? · 38 minNo 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…
- Andy Burnham draws his battle lines · 48 minAndy 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…
- Can Andy Burnham make Britain believe again? · 43 minCan 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…
- Is the government doing anything to stop AI killing us all? · 57 minThe 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…
- Why did Andy Burnham choose Israel for his biggest moment yet? · 52 minEd 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…
- What changes if Zack Polanski is an MP? · 39 minCould 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…
- 'A bloodsport': Were journalists to blame for Keir Starmer’s downfall? · 43 minDo 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…
- How ‘mega-donors’ are buying political influence... and your algorithm · 48 minHow 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…
- What does Nigel Farage’s win in Clacton actually prove? · 40 minNigel 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…
- 'I hated it': Jess Phillips on life inside Keir Starmer's government · 35 minHear 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…
- ‘Intensely unpopular’: Was Keir Starmer doomed from the start? · 44 minBeth 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…
- Is the Burnham government starting to feel like The Traitors? · 45 minIn 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…
- Did a "difficult woman" upset Andy Burnham's cabinet plans? · 38 minWe 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…
- Has Starmer done Burnham any favours? · 46 minWe'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…
- Could Farage's by-election plan backfire? · 42 minRachel 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…
- Will women get a seat at Andy Burnham’s table? · 43 minThe 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…
- Can Andy Burnham really govern without an election? · 49 minAndy 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…
- Keir Starmer resigns. What’s next? · 20 minThe 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…
- ‘Andy Burnham is going to be Prime Minister’ · 41 minAndy 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…
- Introducing our first members' episode · 3 minFind 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…
- More resignations for Keir Starmer: can it get any worse? · 54 minAs 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…
- 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…
- Andy Burnham on Britain’s future... and his own · 25 minBeth 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…
- Why the UK isn’t ungovernable – yet · 42 minIs 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…
- Who is regulating reality TV? Lessons from MAFS UK · 47 minReality 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…
- Jess Phillips: Starmer Doesn’t Listen · 48 minAndy 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…
- EXTRA - Are these Keir Starmer’s final days as Prime Minister? · 32 minLess 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…
- Local elections: Reform up, Labour down, Starmer out? · 44 minUK 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…
- Can Keir Starmer risk a reshuffle? · 47 minIf 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…
- Will we ever know everything about Peter Mandelson? · 47 minSir 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…
- EXTRA: Why didn’t Starmer ask more questions about Mandelson? · 33 minKeir 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…
- Is this the election that makes Nigel Farage unstoppable? · 50 minAre 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…
- Could the UK sleepwalk into Trumpian politics? · 31 minThe 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…
- How much economic damage is Donald Trump doing? | Q&A · 37 minIt'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…
- EXCLUSIVE: Keir Starmer on his special relationship with Trump · 44 minBeth 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…
- Could Angela Rayner’s comeback rescue Labour? · 54 minAngela 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…
- Why the Mandelson files matter for Starmer's future · 50 minKeir 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…
- Has Starmer got it right over his Iran War response? · 40 minPresident 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…
- Did the Greens just deliver a knockout blow for Keir Starmer? · 41 minHarriet 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…
- Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor: Is anyone truly above the law? · 37 minAndrew – 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 a ‘boys’ club’ undermining Starmer’s government? · 42 minThe 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…
- EXTRA: Wes Streeting on his friendship with Peter Mandelson · 40 minHealth 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…
- Can Starmer survive the Mandelson scandal? · 52 minKeir 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…
- What does Starmer really want from China? · 35 minBeth 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…
- EXTRA: Why Andy Burnham was blocked by Keir Starmer · 23 minAndy 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…
- Is this the end of social media for teenagers? · 39 minShould 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…
