Episode notes
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…
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Electoral Dysfunction
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 autho
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9 Oct 2026 · 38 min
Has Polanski’s Green bubble burst?
No 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 Pancras (Sir Keir Starmer's former seat), losing to Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali, in the week his party faced huge criticism over a motion passed at their autumn conference. So how does the Green's "Zionism is racism" motion affect Polanski's future? Did it have a part to play in him losing the by-election? Or is Prime Minister Andy Burnham's popularity - the so-called "Burnham bounce" - behind the fade in the Green Party's…
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2 Oct 2026 · 48 min
Andy Burnham draws his battle lines
Andy 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 first-past-the-post voting system. Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman discuss whether he can deliver on his promises, and if the odds of an early election have just shortened. And has he inadvertently given Kemi Badenoch her attack lines for the Conservative Party conference? To listen without ads, get exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more and subscribe at…
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25 Sep 2026 · 43 min
Can Andy Burnham make Britain believe again?
Can 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 Harriet Harman discuss whether Mr Burnham's leadership has brought about a sense of change in the Labour Party - and the country - and make their predictions ahead of the party conference next week. Plus - are the Liberal Democrats irrelevant on the national stage, despite being the third biggest party at Westminster? To listen without ads, exclusive bonus episodes, and much more, become a Sky News Insider. Find out more…
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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…
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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…
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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,…
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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…
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14 Aug 2026 · 40 min
What does Nigel Farage’s win in Clacton actually prove?
Nigel 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 left us with more questions than answers? And why didn’t Farage go to the count? Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman are joined by pollster Luke Tryl, executive director of More In Common, to dissect Farage’s victory. Plus, Harriet explains what happens next when it comes to the parliamentary standards' investigation into Farage's finances, and why she thinks another by-election could be imminent. To listen without ads,…
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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…
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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…
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