Afleveringen
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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
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"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.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.uk
And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Ruth and Harriet on YouTube.
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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-information
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 Ruth, Beth and Harriet on YouTube.
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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.uk
And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Ruth and Harriet on YouTube.
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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-information
Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk
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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 Government was right to block Kanye West from coming to the UK, and what the row over the decision tells us about antisemitism in this country.
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 Ruth and Harriet on YouTube.
Reform UK was given the opportunity to respond to Harriet Harman’s remarks about Nigel Farage in this episode.
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It's an Easter special - so grab yourself a hot cross bun and listen in as Beth, Ruth and Harriet answer all of your questions.
From whether Zack Polanski and Nigel Farage might have more in common than they think, to if Ruth and Harriet are ever tempted to make a return to frontline politics - all are up for discussion.
Plus - Ruth and Harriet go head-to-head over why Labour has never had a female leader.
And, the most pressing question of all - how does Beth find the time to train for a marathon, and what are her top tips?
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.
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Beth is in Helsinki with the Prime Minister for an exclusive interview for the podcast.
Keir Starmer has said he "hates the fact" that he made a "mistake" over the appointment of Peter Mandelson.
"I dwell on it. I beat myself up about it," he told Beth, who is accompanying him on a visit to Finland, where he is taking part in a leaders' summit.
Beth also questions him about his relationship with Trump following disparaging comments the President made about Starmer's response to the Iran war.
Plus, Beth, Harriet and Ruth react to the full interview.
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.
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Angela Rayner has stepped back in the spotlight this week and straight into controversy.
Her blunt intervention - warning the government is running out of time, criticising its record on “change” and calling parts of Labour’s immigration policy “un-British” - has sparked a big question: is Rayner simply saying what others are thinking, or going too far?
Harriet certainly thinks it’s a bit much. She says Rayner’s approach could be undermining the government at a critical moment just weeks out from the May elections. Beth says Rayner's tax affairs could be sorted sooner than a lot of people thought.
On the elections, Beth has been in Scotland speaking to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar. Does he still think Starmer should resign?
Plus, what support should the government be offering to help with rising energy costs because of the war in Iran? And can we even afford it as a country?
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.
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Keir Starmer has already admitted appointing Peter Mandelson as US Ambassador was a mistake. But after the first batch of documents was released, Beth, Ruth and Harriet ask the big question: we still don’t know how big that ‘mistake’ it was – could it get worse with what is yet to come out about what the Prime Minister knew about Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein?
In this episode we break down:
What’s in the first tranche of documents around Peter Mandelson’s appointmnet (and what’s still missing)The red flags raised before Mandelson was appointed and why the process looks so rushedWhat “developed vetting” actually is, and why it could become the key detailThe growing political risk for Starmer, including questions around what was said in the CommonsPeter Mandelson has consistently denied any criminal wrongdoing and he is cooperating with the police investigation.
Plus, a powerful moment in Parliament this week as Labour MPs Charlotte Nichols and Natalie Fleet speak about their own experiences as victims. How do their stories feed into the government’s legal reforms? And what would the plans mean for justice, juries and the courts backlog?
Got a question for the burner phone? WhatsApp 07934 200 444 or email electoraldysfunction@sky.uk.
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President Donald Trump has said he was “very disappointed” in Keir Starmer. Did the Prime Minister fall short of his reputation on the international stage? Or has he put Britain first by standing up to Trump? And will we look back at this moment as a success for him?
It’s been a huge week in the Middle East with global repercussions and Beth, Ruth and Harriet are discussing how Keir Starmer has dealt with it all.
Ruth explains why she thinks Starmer should have rained ‘fire and brimstone’ on Iran for their attack on the British bases at Akrotiri in Cyprus.
Meanwhile, Harriet explains how Iraq’s legacy still looms large over Labour and is playing into their decisions over Iran.
And Beth explains the leaks from the National Security Meetings where decisions were made over Iran and what it says about Starmer’s leadership.
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.
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Harriet thinks the Greens delivered a "bruising" defeat to Labour in the Gorton and Denton by-election, so is Keir Starmer now worried about the local elections in May?
The Gorton and Denton by-election result on Friday was a shock for Labour, who Beth says were convinced they would hold on to this once safe seat for the party. And the Greens now have a new MP in Hannah Spencer.
Is this a sign of things to come in the May elections? Are the Green Party a serious contender and concern for the government? What does it mean for Labour to come third behind the Greens and Reform? And have Reform got a ceiling to their support?
Beth, Ruth and Harriet also discuss the arrest of former US ambassador Lord Mandelson this week. He denies all wrongdoing and his lawyers said he wants to "clear his name".
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.
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Andrew – formerly known as Prince – was arrested whilst Harriet and Ruth were in the middle of answering your questions from the Burner Phone for a half term special whilst Beth is away during political recess on her holidays.
So in this episode, they react to the extraordinary news that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested (and later released under investigation) on suspicion of misconduct in public office and discuss what it means for the rule of law.
Later, they tackle questions on the government's latest U-turn over postponed local elections, and whether Reform UK is facing proper scrutiny over the Equality Act.
Plus, as Keir Starmer appoints the first woman head of the civil service, they ask why female public figures still face misogyny.
And with major Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reforms expected next week, Harriet and Ruth hear from parents who fear change could make a broken system worse, not better.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied any wrongdoing.
Responding to Harriet's comments about Reform, a Reform UK spokesman said: "Unlike Harriet, we don't need a pink bus to attract women to our party.
"Reform has high-profile women throughout our cabinet and senior women in our party staff, unlike Starmer."
And on the Equality Act, the spokesman added: "Reform UK remains committed to supporting workplace protections against discrimination. No one should be treated unfairly because of their sex, race, if they are pregnant or have a disability.
"That's why we will introduce a new 'Workplace Fairness Act' to replace the Equality Act and ensure workplace protections are maintained whilst also re-asserting the rights of individuals rather than groups under the law.
"The Equality Act has been damaging to our economy, our society, and the way government works. It has unleashed the burdensome and unfair DEI culture that plagues workspaces and has enforced discrimination and equality of outcome.
"This has led to the unacceptable situation of unfair recruitment policies, positive discrimination and anti-white working-class bias, pitting different groups against each other and dividing our country."
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.
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