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Keir Starmer is fighting for his career amid one of the biggest political scandals of the century. Harriet thinks the prime minister could be brought down after he appointed Peter Mandelson as the US ambassador, despite knowing about his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. So can Starmer find the strength to turn a corner, reset his whole team and admit he was wrong? Or is it too late? Harriet thinks his tone this week made him look "gullible and naive". And what does the whole fiasco say about politics and the establishment as a whole? Beth, Ruth and Harriet explain how Peter Mandelson created a network of people he relied upon in politics and the media. Peter Mandelson denies any wrongdoing and has apologised to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein. You can WhatsApp the podcast at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected]. And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Ruth and Harriet on YouTube.

Beth joins the Prime Minister on his historic trip to China, where he has met the country's president Xi Jinping. It’s a trip that has sparked debate back in the UK, amid worries over espionage and security. But has it helped reset relations? And what does Starmer really hope to achieve from his visit? Beth, Harriet and Ruth discuss. Plus, Beth brings us all the behind-the-scenes gossip from the trip - including what it was like on the PM’s plane and what gift Starmer bought for Xi. Meanwhile, back in the UK, listeners have been sending in their questions about the recent Conservative defections to Reform UK. Has Nigel Farage managed to quieten his critics, now his party includes experience of government? And with the Tory right increasingly jumping ship, how has Kemi Badenoch handled the growing number of defections? Harriet and Ruth tackle your questions. You can WhatsApp the podcast at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected]. And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Ruth and Harriet on YouTube.

Andy Burnham came across as "entitled", according to Harriet Harman, when he went on social media after Keir Starmer blocked him from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election. So what actually happened behind the scenes? This mini episode is your quick guide to the political chaos of the past 48 hours. Why did Mr Burnham try to get back into parliament and why did Labour’s leadership move to stop him? What does it mean for Starmer's authority, the looming by-election, and Labour's battle with Reform? Plus, as we go into the studio to record, there's another major Conservative defection - former home secretary Suella Braverman - to Reform. What's going on in the Conservative Party? And do Ruth Davidson and Andy Street have the answer? You can WhatsApp the podcast at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected]. Remember, you can also watch Beth, Harriet and Ruth on YouTube.

Should social media be banned for under 16s? After a dramatic vote in the House of Lords, Beth, Harriet and Ruth dig into what a ban would really mean and what impact it will have on young people, and they hear from some of them. And on the world stage, Donald Trump’s threats over Greenland and tariffs have rattled allies and forced an uncomfortable reckoning about the strength of the transatlantic relationship. With Davos dominated by power plays and a hard-hitting speech from Canada’s Mark Carney, the trio ask whether the rules-based world order is already breaking, and where that leaves Britain. You can WhatsApp the podcast at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected]. Remember, you can also watch Beth, Harriet and Ruth on YouTube.

Robert Jenrick joins Reform and becomes the party’s second big name defection from the Tories in days – after former Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi jumped ship earlier in the week. So is this a big blow to Kemi Badenoch? Beth, Ruth and Harriet think she’s come out of it all pretty well after dramatically sacking her former leadership rival before he could jump ship. How much will the Tories miss Jenrick? And how will he get on working with Nigel Farage, his new leader? The ladies look back at some of Farage’s past comments about Jenrick. You can WhatsApp the podcast at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected]. And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Harriet and Ruth on YouTube.

“We feel bullied” - former Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt joins Beth, Harriet, and Ruth on this week’s Electoral Dysfunction, as Denmark finds itself at the centre of a growing international crisis over Greenland. Thorning-Schmidt describes how it feels for a small nation to be pressured by a far more powerful ally. As Donald Trump revives his threats over Greenland, the trio examine what this moment means for NATO, international law, and the rules-based order plus whether the UK’s special relationship with the US actually matters anymore. You can WhatsApp the podcast at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected]. And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Harriet and Ruth on YouTube.

This is the second episode of our two-part New Year special. As Britain approaches 10 years since the Brexit referendum, Beth Rigby sits down with former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to ask what really went wrong, and why the consequences have been far worse than predicted. From the failures of the Remain campaign to the rise of grievance politics, Clegg argues Brexit was an elite-driven project that has left the UK poorer, weaker and more dependent on American tech. He also explains why he believes Britain will ultimately return to the European fold - and what has to change before that can happen. You can WhatsApp the podcast at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected]. Follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts: https://podfollow.com/electoraldysfunction/.

This is the first episode of our two-part New Year special. Ten years on from the referendum that rewired British politics, Beth, Ruth and Harriet are joined by one of the architects of Brexit, Michael Gove, to rewind through some of the biggest moments. From David Cameron's surprise 2015 decision to take a gamble and call the referendum, to the brutal tribalism of a campaign that forced the country into a choice between two tick boxes. Ruth and Harriet take us through the Remain campaign and give their takes on why it didn't always cut through – while Michael Gove reveals why he first thought a referendum was a mistake, the friendships it fractured, the high-stakes calculations that pulled key figures into the Leave campaign, Boris Johnson’s “star signing” and the effort to keep Nigel Farage off the biggest stages. And he tells the ladies he regrets pulling the rug from under Boris Johnson when he was trying to become Prime Minister after the Brexit vote. You can WhatsApp the podcast at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected]. And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Harriet and Ruth on YouTube.

Put down the eggnog and stop the washing up because it’s a Merry Christmas from Electoral Dysfunction as Beth, Harriet and Ruth answer your questions. They’re joined by special guests including the Dish podcast’s Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett, as well as History Hit’s Dan Snow. From how to make the perfect Christmas sprouts, to which Prime Minister has had the worst Christmas - and a question that’s always been on your mind - what does Larry the Cat get for his Christmas lunch? You can WhatsApp the podcast at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected]. And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Harriet and Ruth on YouTube.

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 comes to talking about what they see online. Also, who is on top in politics at the end of 2025? The ladies give Kemi Badenoch her flowers and Ruth gives a surprise answer on who is going to have a very good 2026. This episode includes discussions of sexual violence. The Rape Crisis offers help and advice. You can WhatsApp the podcast at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected]. And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Harriet and Ruth on YouTube.

Westminster is restless, and the team are digging into why. Beth, Ruth and Harriet discuss the growing unease inside Labour, as somebody new joins the cabinet table.  We also go over the 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 MP Theo Clarke, who now hosts the podcast Breaking The Taboo.  If you've been affected by issues in this episode, you can reach out to the Birth Trauma Association or MASIC.  We discuss stillbirth as part of this. The charity Sands also offers help and advice.  You can WhatsApp the podcast at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected].  And if you didn't know, you can also watch Beth, Harriet and Ruth on YouTube.  St James's Place sponsors Electoral Dysfunction on Sky News, learn more here. 

The chancellor is being accused of "lying" over what she knew and when ahead of her budget – so did Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer actually mislead the 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 director of communications Matthew Doyle joins the trio to discuss Labour's early months in power, the turbulence around political messaging, and how governments lose (and can rebuild) narrative control.  Send us your messages and Christmas-themed questions on WhatsApp at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected].   And if you didn’t know, you can also watch Beth, Harriet and Ruth on YouTube.    St. James’s Place sponsors Electoral Dysfunction on Sky News, learn more here.       

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 the Office for Budget Responsibility's assessment giving the opposition a sneak preview, Kemi Badenoch delivered a fiery attack. Listeners weigh in on their thoughts of her comebacks. Send us your messages and Christmas-themed questions on WhatsApp at 07934 200 444 or email [email protected].    And if you didn’t know, you can also watch Beth, Harriet and Ruth on YouTube.   St. James’s Place sponsors Electoral Dysfunction on Sky News, learn more here. 

The home secretary is going hard on immigration and she's taking a lot of people with her, not least Kemi Badenoch and the 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 the whole Labour party that they're not going too far, when they've spent years calling Tory policies "racist"? And as a tough, plain speaking and passionate politician, is she the new Margaret Thatcher? And could she pose a threat to Keir Starmer now the Labour Party is looking beyond him as leader? Plus – Harriet thinks the chancellor will scrap the two child benefit cap entirely at next week's budget – but is that actually popular with the party? Or are Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves bending to the demands of their backbenchers? Remember, you can also watch Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson on YouTube.

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 with the PM apologising to his health secretary.   Harriet tells Beth and Ruth how it all went down within Labour - and she warns the Faithfuls (as they describe themselves) are getting fed up.   We also talk again about speculation that Rachel Reeves will raise income tax rates in the budget. Since we recorded, Beth's been told that those plans have been ditched. Read more about Beth's story here and we'll discuss what's going on next time. Also on this episode: it was a tricky week at the BBC too, after two senior resignations. We discuss how politicians will keep talking about the BBC over the next year. Remember, you can also watch Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson on YouTube.