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

More from Electoral Dysfunction All episodes →

1. 

   2 Jun 2026 · 25 min

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

   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…

2. 

   29 May 2026 · 42 min

   Why the UK isn’t ungovernable – yet

   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…

3. 

   22 May 2026 · 47 min

   Who is regulating reality TV? Lessons from MAFS 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…

4. 

   15 May 2026 · 48 min

   Jess Phillips: Starmer Doesn’t Listen

   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…

5. 

   12 May 2026 · 32 min

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

   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 [email protected] . And if…

6. 

   1 May 2026 · 47 min

   Can Keir Starmer risk a reshuffle?

   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…

7. 

   24 Apr 2026 · 47 min

   Will we ever know everything about Peter Mandelson?

   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…

8. 

   21 Apr 2026 · 33 min

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

   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…

9. 

   17 Apr 2026 · 50 min

   Is this the election that makes Nigel Farage unstoppable?

   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…

10. 

    10 Apr 2026 · 31 min

    Could the UK sleepwalk into Trumpian politics?

    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 Trump got to be so out of control - and how did the checks and balances designed to rein him in fail so spectacularly? Ruth and Harriet discuss whether Trump’s chaotic leadership style shows that western democracies - including the UK - might be more fragile than we think, and if there’s a chance we could end up with our very own Trump-style leader. They also ask whether the…