{"podcast":{"title":"This Is Why","slug":"this-is-why-1011487","podcast_index_feed_id":1011487,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/this-is-why/","website_url":"https://www.skynews.com","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/af4d448c-300f-43e5-b1cc-5994e35475fe/THIS-IS-WHY-HERO-1x1-3000px.jpg","author":"Sky News","episode_count":1000,"summary":"The world’s a pretty confusing place right now – so how do you make sense of it all? This Is Why takes one story every day, explains how we got here and why it matters to you. Sky News’ Niall Paterson speaks to experts and correspondents from around the world, getting simple answers to some complex questions. Available every weekday afternoon. This Is Why is a Sky News podcast – if you have a question, contact us: why@sky.uk","last_synced_at":"2026-08-01T00:18:38.462333+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-is-why-1011487"},"episode":{"title":"'Burnham’s power broker': Why is Louise Haigh back at the heart of government?","slug":"burnham-s-power-broker-why-is-louise-haigh-back-at-the-heart-of-government","published_at":"2026-07-24T15:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-is-why-1011487/burnham-s-power-broker-why-is-louise-haigh-back-at-the-heart-of-government","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-is-why-1011487","url":"https://www.skynews.com","audio_url":"https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/75095fc5-b6b6-4bc5-9e74-78cf54730fb3.mp3?aw_0_1st.showid=2ca7ec14-a9a8-4a0c-8b24-e04eb2953ca0&aw_0_1st.episodeid=75095fc5-b6b6-4bc5-9e74-78cf54730fb3","summary":"Less than two years ago, Louise Haigh resigned from government under a cloud. Today, she's back at the heart of power as Andy Burnham's first secretary of state, and one of the most influential figures in Westminster. Niall Paterson is joined by Bloomberg journalist Rosa Prince to trace Ms Haigh's journey from Sheffield to the Cabinet Office. They discuss the conviction that derailed her career, her role in Mr Burnham's rise to Number 10, and why those who know her see her as much more than the \"Red Lou\" label. They also ask what kind of politician she really is, and whether the woman many now describe as the power behind the prime minister could one day become a leader in her own right. Have you got a question for Niall? Email the show: why@sky.uk","meta_description":"Less than two years ago, Louise Haigh resigned from government under a cloud. Today, she's back at the heart of power as Andy Burnham's first secretary of…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1126,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/this-is-why-1011487/episodes/burnham-s-power-broker-why-is-louise-haigh-back-at-the-heart-of-government/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-is-why-1011487/burnham-s-power-broker-why-is-louise-haigh-back-at-the-heart-of-government.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}