Épisodes

  • Did Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves mislead us?
    Dec 5 2025

    The chancellor is being accused of "lying" over what she knew and when ahead of her budget – so did Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer actually mislead the public?

    Beth walks us through a detailed timeline of the OBR forecasts, the so-called "black hole", and why journalists now feel they were given only half the story. Ruth and Harriet weigh in on political honesty, the dangers of selective briefing, and why trust between the government, the media and the public is fraying fast.

    Plus, former Number10 director of communications Matthew Doyle joins the trio to discuss Labour's early months in power, the turbulence around political messaging, and how governments lose (and can rebuild) narrative control.

    Send us your messages and Christmas-themed questions on WhatsApp at 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.

    And if you didn’t know, you can also watch Beth, Harriet and Ruth on YouTube.

    St. James’s Place sponsors Electoral Dysfunction on Sky News, learn more here.

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    47 min
  • Is the government gaslighting us over tax rises?
    Nov 28 2025

    With all the speculation, it was always going to be a big one, but Rachel Reeves's second budget turned into a political earthquake before she even stood up at the dispatch box.

    In this bumper budget special, Beth, Ruth and Harriet unpick what happened on one of the most dramatic days in the fiscal calendar.

    With the unprecedented leak of the Office for Budget Responsibility's assessment giving the opposition a sneak preview, Kemi Badenoch delivered a fiery attack. Listeners weigh in on their thoughts of her comebacks.

    Send us your messages and Christmas-themed questions on WhatsApp at 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.

    And if you didn’t know, you can also watch Beth, Harriet and Ruth on YouTube.

    St. James’s Place sponsors Electoral Dysfunction on Sky News, learn more here.

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    43 min
  • Shabana Mahmood – the new Margaret Thatcher?
    Nov 21 2025

    The home secretary is going hard on immigration and she's taking a lot of people with her, not least Kemi Badenoch and the Reform party.

    Shabana Mahmood is using her identity – as a British Asian Muslim – to prove why she understands the migration problem in the country better than most.

    So how extreme are her new policies, modelled on the Danish system? Can she persuade the whole Labour party that they're not going too far, when they've spent years calling Tory policies "racist"?

    And as a tough, plain speaking and passionate politician, is she the new Margaret Thatcher? And could she pose a threat to Keir Starmer now the Labour Party is looking beyond him as leader?

    Plus – Harriet thinks the chancellor will scrap the two child benefit cap entirely at next week's budget – but is that actually popular with the party? Or are Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves bending to the demands of their backbenchers?

    Remember, you can also watch Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson on YouTube.

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    47 min
  • Is Wes Streeting now a shoo-in for Labour leader?
    Nov 14 2025

    UPDATE: We talked again on this episode about speculation that Rachel Reeves was going to raise income tax rates in the budget. Since we recorded, Beth's been told that those plans have been ditched.

    Read her analysis here and we'll discuss what's going on next time.

    ON THIS EPISODE: Wes Streeting had to say he's more Joe Marler than Jonathan Ross after Number 10 started briefing he was plotting to oust Keir Starmer.

    Westminster has been full of Traitors analogies after a chaotic week which ended with the PM apologising to his health secretary.

    Harriet tells Beth and Ruth how it all went down within Labour - and she warns the Faithfuls (as they describe themselves) are getting fed up.

    We also talk again about speculation that Rachel Reeves will raise income tax rates in the budget. Since we recorded, Beth's been told that those plans have been ditched.

    Read more about Beth's story here and we'll discuss what's going on next time.

    Also on this episode: it was a tricky week at the BBC too, after two senior resignations. We discuss how politicians will keep talking about the BBC over the next year.

    Remember, you can also watch Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson on YouTube.

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    42 min
  • Why are prisoners being released by mistake?
    Nov 7 2025

    Who is to blame for two more inmates being wrongly freed from prison? The Conservatives attempted a mic drop moment with David Lammy this week by trying to get the Justice Secretary to admit to it live in the House of Commons.

    So why did Lammy avoid the question five times? And when 262 prisoners were released by mistake in the year to March – how is this happening every week?

    At the very least, Harriet sees the saga as an opportunity for the government to sort out the prison service.

    Plus Beth, Ruth and Harriet are joined by pollster Luke Tryl, and a group of voters who tell us why they’re not convinced by the Prime Minister so far.

    So how tricky is this budget going to be for Rachel Reeves when most people’s top worry is the cost of living? Can she actually put up taxes? And will more people just end up supporting Nigel Farage and Zack Polanski?

    Remember, you can also watch Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson on YouTube.

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    59 min
  • Cheat Sheet.... A new podcast from Sky News
    Nov 3 2025

    Sophy Ridge and Wilf Frost bring you the Cheat Sheet to the day’s news in 10 minutes.

    On this first episode, they look at the Huntington mass stabbing and hear from an eye witness. Sophy’s spoken to the sole survivor of the Air India crash which killed 241 people back in June. And Wilf’s heard from the US ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens, who wants the UK to keep drilling for oil and gas. And India’s women bring home the cricket World Cup.

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    11 min
  • Is Zack Polanski making the Greens less green?
    Oct 31 2025

    Harriet responds to your messages about the Green Party after she went viral for her take on leader Zack Polanski.

    How does its surge in popularity link up with the result of the Caerphilly by-election? And is the party getting more support because it's not entirely focused on climate change?

    Plus, rumour has it that the Labour government is planning to raise income tax in next month's budget. It would mean breaking a manifesto promise. So how believable is it? Beth, Ruth and Harriet aren't convinced.

    They discuss how the government could get itself out of the black hole, and what would happen if it did break its promise on tax.

    Remember, you can also watch Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson on YouTube.

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    46 min
  • How did the grooming gangs inquiry get so toxic?
    Oct 24 2025

    Sir Keir Starmer has backed safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, as a fifth abuse survivor calls on her to quit to restore trust in the grooming gangs inquiry.

    Beth, Ruth and Harriet explain why the national inquiry into the sexual exploitation of children by grooming gangs in England and Wales has become so poisonous and why the victims are so unhappy.

    Plus, as the government faces growing calls to formally strip Prince Andrew of his dukedom – what's the relationship between politics and royalty?

    And as membership for the Green Party surges, what's the appeal of the leader Zack Polanski?

    Remember, you can also watch Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson on YouTube.

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    50 min