Electoral Dysfunction

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?Plus – the ladies have an announcement - you’ll have to listen through to the end to find out...For a full list of candidates standing in Makerfield, visit the Electoral Commission website.Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.And if you want to hear more about Ed Conway’s Stuff Matters podcast, go to podfollow.com/stuff- matters Sky News Insider requires a paid subscription and is available to UK listeners aged 18 and over.

"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, visit the Electoral Commission website.We are happy to clarify that initiated Sikh women, like initiated Sikh men, are required to wear a kirpan as part of the religion. Whether a Sikh carries a kirpan depends on their initiation status and not on gender.And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Ruth, and Harriet on YouTube.Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.

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 and Nigel Farage’s chances in a future Mayoral race after the party did so well at the local elections there?And this race to be an MP isn't just about Andy Burnham – whilst Beth is in Makerfield, she’s interviewing a number of other candidates too, but Reform and Restore UK’s candidates weren’t available.For a full list of candidates standing in Makerfield, visit the Electoral Commission website.Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.

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 area, visit the Electoral Commission website. Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.

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 website.Channel 4 was approached for comment.Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Ruth, and Harriet on YouTube.

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 resigns in Makerfield so Andy Burnham can stand - can the 'King of the North' win a by-election? Or is he gambling his job on a seat he can't win?And can Keir Starmer keep a lid on it all?Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Ruth and Harriet on YouTube.

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 phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Ruth and Harriet on YouTube.

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 Commission website.Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.ukAnd if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Ruth and Harriet on YouTube.

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 reveal all the information which came up during vetting.Peter Mandelson denies criminal wrongdoing and has not been charged.Plus – Beth's in Manchester interviewing Green Party leader Zack Polanski. Will he be able to persuade voters in Labour heartlands – and beyond - to jump ship?For a list of all candidates standing in your area, check the Electoral Commission website: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/your-election-informationGot a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.ukAnd if you didn't know, you can also watch Ruth, Beth and Harriet on YouTube.

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 government.In this special extra episode Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman give a full debrief on Keir Starmer’s Commons performance.Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.ukAnd if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Ruth and Harriet on YouTube.

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 border with Farage this week, which is part of a series of interviews she is conducting with all the leaders.Plus, pollster Luke Tryl from More in Common is back with a focus group of voters to help us understand what could happen across the board in the May elections and what it means for Labour, the Conservatives, and the future of two-party politics.For a list of all candidates standing in your area, check the Electoral Commission website: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/your-election-informationGot a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk