Electoral Dysfunction
Can Starmer silence the rebels?
Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Harriet Harman analyse Rachel Reeves’s spring statement and how Donald Trump may have made things worse for her. The chancellor has redone her maths to make sure she sticks to her own rules on running the economy - but in doing that she has got tougher on welfare cuts. Can Labour keep the dissenting voices within their own party quiet? Harriet has some insight on how they'll be trying to do that. And do Trump's tariffs on US car imports (and the prospect of more tariffs looming) just put the chancellor on the backfoot anyway? Also, after an American journalist was added to a US government Signal group, how much government business is done on apps? And how much loose-lipped gossip is on there? Meanwhile, as Beth goes into the last few weeks of London marathon training, did we just start the Electoral Dysfunction run club? Email us at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk, post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444. Remember you can also watch us on YouTube! Help us understand more about our listeners by taking our survey This form should only take a few minutes to complete, and Sky anonymises the responses as much as possible.
28 مارس 2025 - 44 دقائق 04 ثانية
Is Rachel Reeves about to have a very tough week?
As Rachel Reeves prepares to unveil the spring statement next week, Beth, Ruth and Harriet discuss what cuts the chancellor will make to close her budget deficit and how difficult it will be for her to justify her actions. They also examine the effects of this week's welfare reforms and look at what a change in the personal independence payment, or PIP, means for those who rely on it. Also, how will Sir Keir Starmer's "coalition of the willing" protect Ukraine from Russia without US support? The three look at how the prime minister is performing on the world stage and what difference he can make. Email us at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk, post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444. Remember you can also watch us on YouTube! Help us understand more about our listeners by taking our survey This form should only take a few minutes to complete, and Sky anonymises the responses as much as possible.
21 مارس 2025 - 43 دقائق 51 ثانية
Is Keir Starmer bringing back austerity?
Sir Keir Starmer is doubling down on his bid to reduce government waste, but is his plan a fix or just more spending spin? Beth is in Hull after hearing what the Labour leader is promising, including scrapping NHS England to "cut bureaucracy" and bring management of the health service "back into democratic control". Alongside Harriet and Ruth, they also discuss Starmer potentially facing down a rebellion from his own MPs over plans to shake up benefits reform and welfare payments. The cracks are widening for Reform UK’s internal spat. Beth speaks to Andrea Jenkyns, who left the Tories to join Reform, on the party's latest bust-up, and Ruth and Harriet look at whether the party’s chaos is helping both Labour and the Conservatives. Email us at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk, post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444. And remember, you can also watch us on YouTube!
14 مارس 2025 - 37 دقائق 09 ثانية
Rachel Reeves: "People want to talk me down... I'll prove I can do it"
Beth’s been to 11 Downing Street to talk to the Chancellor for Electoral Dysfunction. She took some of your questions (and a couple of Electoral Dysfunction mugs) with her. Rachel Reeves reflects on her first few months in the job, explains what she thinks of the “Rachel from Accounts” label and shares her own money-saving tip which she tries to do every day when at Downing Street. She also hints on what might come in her Spring Statement with some strong words on the need for welfare reform. Email us at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk, post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444. And remember, you can also watch us on YouTube!
7 مارس 2025 - 01 دقيقة 01 دقائق 51 ثانية
Will a ministerial resignation dent Starmer's post Trump high?
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has returned from the US after what has been seen by Number 10 as a highly successful meeting with Donald Trump. This week, Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson look at the preparation that went into this visit. Beth reveals how she caught the US president's attention. Plus, what is it like in the Oval Office? And how did Mr Trump react when he got that invitation from the King. They also discuss the resignation of development minister Annelise Dodds after the aid budget was cut to boost defence spending and ask whether this will dent Mr Starmer's post-Trump confidence. Email us at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk, post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444. And remember, you can also watch us on YouTube!
28 فبراير 2025 - 36 دقائق 04 ثانية
A pact between Farage and Badenoch?
What could a pact between Nigel Farage’s Reform party and Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives look like? Are we about to see the Tory party lurch closer to the right? Beth, Ruth and Harriet answer this and more, as they go through your questions – which means we also get the backstory to the iconic Beth Rigby red lipstick. And how difficult is being married to an MP? We hear from Ruth’s partner Jen about their lives in the spotlight when Ruth was leader of the Scottish Conservatives. Email us at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk, post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444. And remember, you can also watch us on YouTube!
21 فبراير 2025 - 29 دقائق 18 ثانية
Labour WhatsApps: "If you’ve got racist thoughts then you shouldn't be an MP!"
Do MPs say one thing in public, and another in private? This week, Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson ask what’s been going on with the two MPs suspended from the Labour party over WhatsApps messages containing offensive comments. Andrew Gwynne and Oliver Ryan both lost the whip after Sunday newspaper revelations. It’s been a difficult week for Harriet – she's worked with Andrew Gwynne for a number of years and says it’s made her question her judgement. Also – are we about to see by elections as a result? And in the week the assisted dying debate is back in the news, we discuss the repercussions of the plan to scrap the need for High Court approval after Beth speaks to the MP who has campaigned for the changes, Labour’s Kim Leadbeater. Email us at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk, post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444. Watch us on Youtube too - new videos every week here .
14 فبراير 2025 - 41 دقائق 39 ثانية
Is it already over for Kemi Badenoch?
This week, Ruth's changed her opinion about Kemi Badenoch – but it isn't any more favourable for the new Tory leader. Ruth had thought she'd get two years in the job – now she's thinking it might be less than 18 months. Beth's in a hotel room in Preston after an interview with Keir Starmer. She reflects on how the prime minister can push his domestic message when most people want to talk about Donald Trump. And Harriet goes all headmistressy with a warning to new Labour MPs in the "red wall" who've reportedly set up a group to lobby their leader for a tougher stance on migration. She says: "We don't want factionalism and all these different tribes. Don't set up these flipping groups." You can now watch us on YouTube! Just search for "Electoral Dysfunction". Email us at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk , post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444 .
7 فبراير 2025 - 39 دقائق 40 ثانية
Can Love Island help Rachel Reeves?
You can now watch Beth, Ruth and Harriet on YouTube! Just search for "Electoral Dysfunction". The chancellor was trying to channel Love Island when she announced her plans for growth this week. But are her new ideas actually the "bombshell" her advisers hope they'll be? Can they get everyone's attention? And will the strategy be enough for Rachel Reeves to keep all of the cabinet and the Labour Party on side when so many of them have been opposed to the third runway at Heathrow? Meanwhile, on the five-year anniversary of Brexit – is Sir Keir Starmer getting closer to Europe? Email us at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk , post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444.
31 يناير 2025 - 40 دقائق 41 ثانية
Southport murders – was there a ‘cover-up’?
As Axel Rudakubana is sentenced for the murder of three young girls and the attempted murder of 10 more people last year, Electoral Dysfunction reflects on how the prime minister has handled claims that authorities covered up how much they knew about the killer in the days and weeks after. Beth discusses how Sir Keir Starmer answered her questions about those claims. Harriet calls for the public inquiry into the failings to be completed quickly and Ruth agrees with the PM about changing the legal definition of terrorism. Later in the podcast – how will Donald Trump impact UK politics? Email us at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk , post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444.
24 يناير 2025 - 35 دقائق 28 ثانية