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PODCAST

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. Every episode, they will examine politicians, what they stand for, what they say and what they might really mean. They will work out which politicians are coming out on top and who is having an Electoral Dysfunction. WhatsApp - 07934 200444

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All Episodes

46:36

How do you raise boys in a culture of misogyny?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/12/19

Do we have a cultural problem when it comes to teaching boys about sexual violence? The Labour government certainly thinks so with its new strategy.Home Office minister and former podcaster Jess Phillips tells Beth in this episode why the strategy has taken so long and how she's changing the focus towards prevention.But will their new approach work? Can we just rely on teachers to step in and keep women and girls safe? Beth, Ruth and Harriet discuss their responsibilities as parents of boys when it

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44:45

Does Starmer need his mates more than ever?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/12/12

Westminster is restless, and the team are digging into why. Beth,Ruthand Harrietdiscussthe growing unease inside Labour,as somebody new joins the cabinet table.We also go overthe damning findings of Baroness Amos's interim report into maternity care in England, featuring deeply personal accounts from women affected by systemic failings,including former Conservative MPTheo Clarke, who now hoststhe podcast BreakingTheTaboo.Ifyou'vebeen affected by issues in this episode,you can reach out to theBirth

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46:32

Did Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves mislead us?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/12/05

The chancellor is being accused of "lying" over what she knew and when ahead of her budget – so did Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmeractually misleadthe public?Beth walks us through a detailed timeline of the OBR forecasts, the so-called "black hole", and why journalists now feel they were given only half the story. Ruth and Harriet weigh in on political honesty, the dangers of selective briefing, and why trust between the government, the media and the public is fraying fast.Plus, former Number10

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43:13

Is the government gaslighting us over tax rises?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/11/28

With all the speculation, it was always going to be a big one, but Rachel Reeves's second budget turned into a political earthquake before she even stood up at the dispatch box.In this bumper budget special, Beth, Ruth and Harriet unpick what happened on one of the most dramatic days in the fiscal calendar.With the unprecedented leak of theOffice for Budget Responsibility'sassessment giving the opposition a sneak preview, Kemi Badenoch delivered a fiery attack. Listeners weigh in on their thoughts

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47:17

Shabana Mahmood – the new Margaret Thatcher?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/11/21

The home secretary is going hard on immigration andshe'staking a lot of people with her, not least Kemi Badenochandthe Reform party.Shabana Mahmood is using her identity – as a British Asian Muslim – to prove why she understands the migration problem in the country better than most.So how extreme are her new policies, modelled on the Danish system? Can she persuade thewholeLabour party thatthey'renotgoingtoo far,whenthey'vespent years calling Tory policies "racist"?And as a tough, plain speaking and

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41:38

Is Wes Streeting now a shoo-in for Labour leader?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/11/14

UPDATE: We talked again on this episode about speculation that Rachel Reeves was going to raise income tax rates in the budget. Since we recorded, Beth's been told that those plans have been ditched. Read her analysis here and we'll discuss what's going on next time.ON THIS EPISODE: Wes Streeting had to say he's more Joe Marler than Jonathan Ross after Number 10 started briefing he was plotting to oust Keir Starmer. Westminster has been full of Traitors analogies after a chaotic week which ended

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58:39

Why are prisoners being released by mistake?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/11/07

Who is to blame for two more inmates being wrongly freed from prison? The Conservatives attempted a mic drop moment with David Lammy this week by trying to get the Justice Secretary to admit to it live in the House of Commons.So why did Lammy avoid the question five times? And when 262 prisoners were released by mistake in the year to March – how is this happening every week?At the very least, Harriet sees the saga as an opportunity for the government to sort out the prison service.Plus Beth, Ruth

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11:11

Cheat Sheet.... A new podcast from Sky News

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/11/03

Sophy Ridge and Wilf Frost bring you the Cheat Sheet to the day’s news in 10 minutes.On this first episode, they look at the Huntington mass stabbing and hear from an eye witness. Sophy’s spoken to the sole survivor of the Air India crash which killed 241 people back in June. And Wilf’s heard from the US ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens, who wants the UK to keep drilling for oil and gas.And India’s women bring home the cricket World Cup.

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45:50

Is Zack Polanski making the Greens less green?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/10/31

Harriet responds to your messages about the Green Party after she went viral for her take on leader Zack Polanski.How does its surge in popularity link up with the result of the Caerphilly by-election? And is the party getting more support because it's not entirely focused on climate change? Plus, rumour has it that the Labour government is planning to raise income tax in next month's budget. It would mean breaking a manifesto promise. So how believable is it? Beth, Ruth and Harriet aren't

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49:59

How did the grooming gangs inquiry get so toxic?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/10/24

Sir Keir Starmer has backed safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, as a fifth abuse survivor calls on her to quit to restore trust in the grooming gangs inquiry. Beth, Ruth and Harriet explain why the national inquiry into the sexual exploitation of children by grooming gangs in England and Wales has become so poisonous and why the victims are so unhappy.Plus, as the government faces growing calls to formally strip Prince Andrew of his dukedom – what's the relationship between politics and royalty?And

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32:13

EXTRA: Who will be Labour's deputy leader?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/10/18

Two powerhouse Labour politicians are vying to replace Angela Rayner as deputy leader.With the winner being announced on 25 October, Beth Rigby has been speaking to both candidates about party unity, leadership, leaks, and their political vision in a special Electoral Dysfunction double-header.Lucy Powell pitches herself as the independent "shop steward" ready to speak truth to power, while Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson argues real influence comes from inside government.It's a contest that

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44:57

Is the government too close to China?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/10/17

There are new questions about who knew what and when about the collapse of a trial of alleged Chinese spies.Beth, Ruth, and Harriet explain why a row involving names you might not know does have implications for the country – can Beijing be both a friend and a foe?And while there are questions for government and civil servants – they ask if Kemi Badenoch has made a misstep with her response.Plus, Beth was there as Donald Trump announced his plan for peace in the Middle East. She shares the stories

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43:24

Is it too late for Kemi Badenoch?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/10/10

Fresh from the conference in Manchester, Beth gives Ruth and Harriet the inside track on her 'tetchy' interview with Badenoch - why couldn't she answer a question about Nigel Farage in the same way Keir Starmer did? And just how bad was her conference gaffe compared to ones in the past?Later, with a peace plan brokered by Donald Trump in the Middle East, what effect will it have on protests here?And has the government got it right on policing demonstrations?Remember, you can also watch Beth Rigby,

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34:53

Kemi Badenoch’s biggest weakness

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/10/06

Beth’s at the Conservative party conference – talking to the shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins. She says that Kemi Badenoch has shown resilience and character in her first year as party leader- but it’s taken time to find confidence and her 11 months of ‘listening’ and ‘absorbing’ has come with ‘political knocks’. She acknowledges that she is sorry about the Tory proposal to leave the ECHR - but says politicians have to deal with the politics of today. She also reveals how her parents

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49:24

Is Keir Starmer obsessed with Nigel Farage?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/10/03

When the Prime Minister said Reform’s migration policy was ‘racist’ - was that a mistake? It dominated the Labour Party conference in Liverpool this week, where Beth asked Keir Starmer about his comments... and pulled him up on Donald Trump’s remarks about Sadiq Khan. So with the May elections starting to loom in the minds of politicians, how worried are Labour that they are going to lose out to Reform? And did Andy Burnham have the impact everyone expected in Liverpool? Plus, Harriet and Ruth

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35:52

The Health Secretary puts doctors on notice

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/09/29

Beth interviews Health Secretary Wes Streeting at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. He's clear in his warning to members of the BMA about future strike action: "The NHS is hanging by a thread, don’t pull it." He also reveals his plan to fib to the prime minister if he was offered the home secretary role in the recent shuffle. Remember, you can also watch Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson on YouTube.

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47:46

Why Do Some Men Know Best About Pregnancy?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/09/26

Donald Trump gave his two cents on what women should be doing whilst pregnant this week... and Nigel Farage followed suit with his view back here. So how damaging are their comments? And why do men think they know best about women’s bodies? Later - is Andy Burnham plotting a move on Downing Street? He claims Labour MPs are asking him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the leadership of the party. Days before the Liverpool party conference, what’s Burnham up to and will it unsettle MPs? Harriet

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30:08

Beth asks Trump about Mandelson and Epstein

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/09/19

Starmer and Trump meet at Chequers and the world's eyes are on them. So why did Trump say he doesn't know Peter Mandelson? The UK's former ambassador to Washington who was sacked last week?And what did Trump mean when he said that Putin had "let him down"? To match the occasion - a special episode of Electoral Dysfunction and Trump100, a Sky News podcast mashup. Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson are joined by Mark Stone, who's been on the state visit all week. So as Team Trump leaves

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46:53

Mandelson sacked over Epstein

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/09/11

Peter Mandelson is sacked as the UK's ambassador to the US - his former cabinet colleague, Harriet, says it's shameful that he didn't resign. It's all after new revelations over his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.Ruth isn't impressed either and wonders why Keir Starmer was defending him at PMQs.Donald Trump arrives in London for his state visit next week.Given questions about Epstein always raise his hackles – how will the PM tackle his visit now?Remember, you can also watch Beth Rigby, Harriet

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37:03

Is Labour too London?

Electoral Dysfunction ·

2025/09/09

A long list of women all want to be Labour’s next deputy leader - Lucy Powell, Emily Thornberry, Bridget Phillipson, Alison McGovern, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Paula Barker have all thrown their names into the mix. Beth, Ruth and Harriet look at their prospects and reveal what sort of deputy Keir Starmer would prefer – as well as who the left of Labour would prefer is rooting for. Does the next deputy need to be a Northern woman? Plus, after hot footing it between Birmingham and London, Beth reflects

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169 results

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