What does Nigel Farage’s win in Clacton actually prove?

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1. 

   18 Sep 2026 · 57 min

   Is the government doing anything to stop AI killing us all?

   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 seriously? Beth also gets her take on the growing row over plans to house asylum seekers at a former military site near Piddington, Oxfordshire - the village of 300 people who held a referendum this…

2. 

   11 Sep 2026 · 52 min

   Why did Andy Burnham choose Israel for his biggest moment yet?

   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 from Britain's Jewish community, and whether Ed Miliband needs to do more on this now. We also go further into Reform's woes, following on from our members' episode this week. As the Metropolitan…

3. 

   4 Sep 2026 · 39 min

   What changes if Zack Polanski is an MP?

   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 Badenoch after she talked on our episode earlier this week about Claire Coutinho's shadow cabinet promotion while on maternity leave. She'd joked that the leader deserves a 'woke badge'. To listen without…

4. 

   28 Aug 2026 · 43 min

   'A bloodsport': Were journalists to blame for Keir Starmer’s downfall?

   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, including what Kemi Badenoch can do to rebuild the Tory party’s electoral chances. This episode was recorded in June. You can read Michael Savage’s piece in The Guardian here. To listen without ads,…

5. 

   21 Aug 2026 · 48 min

   How ‘mega-donors’ are buying political influence... and your algorithm

   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 General Dominic Grieve breaks down how the Government tries to regulate money in politics. Find out how to subscribe to our members club Sky News Insider here: skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Sky News…

6. 

   7 Aug 2026 · 35 min

   'I hated it': Jess Phillips on life inside Keir Starmer's government

   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 progress? Plus, why did Gaza nearly cost Jess her Birmingham Yardley seat, and will the row over Labour’s policy in the Middle East continue to plague inner-city MPs? To listen without ads, get new…

7. 

   31 Jul 2026 · 44 min

   ‘Intensely unpopular’: Was Keir Starmer doomed from the start?

   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 be back on Tuesday for our Sky News Insider subscribers - find out how to subscribe here: https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction And here's a taster of this week's bonus episode. Got a question…

8. 

   24 Jul 2026 · 45 min

   Is the Burnham government starting to feel like The Traitors?

   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 ministerial job under Burnham. At the Electoral Dysfunction Round Table, Beth Rigby asks Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson how Burnham can deal with the bad blood his choices have created. Harriet…

9. 

   22 Jul 2026 · 38 min

   Did a "difficult woman" upset Andy Burnham's cabinet plans?

   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 to subscribe to Sky News Insider, find out how here https://skynews.com/electoraldysfunction Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email [email protected] . Sky…

10. 

    17 Jul 2026 · 46 min

    Has Starmer done Burnham any favours?

    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 cabinet - and consider how the polls are going for Burnham's own approval rating as he prepares to enter Number 10, with the help of Sky News' election analyst Rob Ford. To listen without ads, exclusive…