Electoral Dysfunction

• Did Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves mislead us?

  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.

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• Is the government gaslighting us over tax rises?

  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.

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• Shabana Mahmood – the new Margaret Thatcher?

  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.

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

  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.

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• Why are prisoners being released by mistake?

  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 and Harriet are joined by pollster Luke Tryl, and a group of voters who tell us why they’re not convinced by the Prime Minister so far. So how tricky is this budget going to be for Rachel Reeves when most people’s top worry is the cost of living? Can she actually put up taxes? And will more people just end up supporting Nigel Farage and Zack Polanski? Remember, you can also watch Beth Rigby, Harriet Harman and Ruth Davidson on YouTube.

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