The Political Breakdown
The Political Breakdown examines the changes we are seeing across British politics since Labour's 2024 general election landslide victory.
Hosted by former BBC journalists - Simon Thomson and Douglas Beattie - both of whom have decades worth of inside knowledge of Westminster politics and the Labour Party in particular.
In each episode we’ll take one big political story and pull it apart — not just the headline, but the machinery underneath. British politics isn’t just having a bad week - something deeper is happening. The system itself feels like it’s… breaking down.
Douglas Beattie is the author of How Labour Wins and Victory at the Ballot Box - a book looking at Labour's general elections since 1900. He has worked for BBC News, Scottish Television and the Press Association.
Simon Thomson is an award winning former BBC journalist who now works in communications and campaigning. He's a lifelong Labour Party member and critical friend, who has twice stood as a Labour Parliamentary Candidate.
The Political Breakdown
Latest Episodes
Episode 3: Goodbye Keir - Hello Andy?
It was the former Labour Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, who said “a week is a long time in politics.” Well, the last couple of weeks have felt like a year.Keir Starmer has announced he’s stepping down as Labour leader and Prime Minister...
The Political Breakdown
Less than two years after a landslide victory, Labour is tearing itself apart. Resignations, leadership rumours, and a potential showdown in Makerfield — is this the beginning of the end for Keir Starmer?Former BBC journalists Douglas Be...
The Political Breakdown: Episode 2 - Makerfield and Beyond
In this episode Simon Thomson and Douglas Beattie examine the forthcoming Makerfield by-election, explaining how this extraordinary contest might shape British politics in the years ahead. Who might win, and if Andy Burnham triumph...
