By-election eve: Cabinet on the brink
6/17/202618 min
With just 24 hours until polling day, Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy preview three pivotal by-elections that could reshape British politics.
The duo assess the contests in Makerfield, Aberdeen South and Arbroath & Broughty Ferry, exploring:
- Why Makerfield has become one of the most closely watched by-elections in recent political history
- How the Conservatives hope to capitalise on support for the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen South
- Why Arbroath & Broughty Ferry is a crucial test of the SNP’s ability to fend off Labour's challenge
Away from the campaign trail, Anne brings the latest intelligence from the UK-EU summit as political tensions continue to build in Westminster.
Plus, is the cabinet starting to forge a path for the future without Keir Starmer?
Sam and Anne will return on Friday morning for a special de-brief episode to discuss the impact of the by-election results on British politics.
The candidates standing in Makerfield by-election can be found here.
The candidates standing in Aberdeen South by-election can be found here.
The candidates standing in Arbroath and Broughty Ferry by-election can be found here.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsSpeaker 10:00
[water dripping] Hey, it's your ceiling vent, so I'm dripping. Could be the rain, could be the upstairs bathroom. Yikes. You could hire the guy your neighbor recommended, but I'm pretty sure that's just his cousin. Do we know if he's licensed, or does he just own a ladder?
Speaker 20:18
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Ed Conway0:29
[upbeat music] How does a banana trigger a CIA-backed coup? Do AirPods herald the arrival of a new global order? What do LED lights say about the future of humanity? I'm Ed Conway, and in each episode of my new podcast, Stuff Matters, I take an object, crack it open, and reveal the world-shaping forces hidden inside. This is economics told through the things we think we understand. Search Stuff Matters on your podcast app to listen and follow.
Sam Coates· Host0:59
[upbeat music] Hello, good morning and welcome. It's Wednesday, June the 17th. Hostilities are about to begin. No, not the three by-elections, where the polls open tomorrow morning, but politics goes on pause at 9:00 PM tonight for England versus Croatia. Despite politics and football feeling like they're so closely intertwined, unfortunately, no British ministers are due at England's opening match in Dallas, and that's in stark contrast with Scotland's winning opening match against