Shows / This Is Why
This Is Why
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
Episodes
This Is WhyHumza Yousaf quits - does this spell the end for Scottish independence?
Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf has resigned – days after he cut the SNP's power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens. It followed a bitter row over…
This Is WhyLocal elections: What’s at stake - for voters and parties?
The 2 May local elections will have more than 2,600 seats are at stake across 107 English councils. Labour’s Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham are among the 10 city…
This Is WhyWould nationalisation get the railways back on track?
Labour have promised to renationalise nearly all passenger railways within their first term if they win the next election. But will it leave the railways…
This Is WhyTikTok and its possible US ban - here’s what happens next…
Only two months ago Joe Biden joined the social media platform TikTok with a video captioned "lol hey guys". Now, the US president is poised to sign a bill…
This Is WhySunak's Rwanda bill passes – what impact will it have on immigration?
After months of parliamentary ping-pong between the House of Commons and the Lords, Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Bill has passed. The prime minister called it a…
This Is WhyTrump on trial: Porn stars, hush money and a presidential election
As the first of Donald Trump's four criminal trials begins this week, will it have any effect on his chances of re-election in November? The former president…
This Is WhyIsrael strikes Iran: What's the state of play?
An Israeli missile has struck Iran, in response to the unprecedented missile and drone attack on Israel over the weekend by the Iranians. It seems an airfield…
This Is WhyTory MP suspended | What's going on with climate targets?
Conservative MP Mark Menzies has been suspended from the parliamentary party in light of allegations he abused local Tory party funds to pay off "bad people"…
This Is WhyInflation falls - but what might it mean for interest rates?
The price of everyday things - mainly food - is now rising at the lowest level since 2021. Official data shows inflation eased last month to 3.2% - down from…
This Is WhyIs banning smoking "unconservative"?
'Absolutely nuts' was how former Prime Minister Boris Johnson described Rishi Sunak’s plan to gradually phase out smoking – banning anyone born since the start…
This Is WhyWhy Iran hates Israel (and America)
Military experts have called Iran's ariel attack on Israel on Saturday night 'ambitious' and warn it could push an already fragile region into a dangerous new…
This Is WhyWEEKEND DAILY: Iran attacks Israel, but what happens next?
On Saturday night Iran launched an unprecedented drone and missile attack against Israel, which Tehran has claimed is in retaliation for an attack on the…
This Is WhyShould the UK send troops to Ukraine?
Ex-armed forces minister James Heappey has told Sky's defence and security editor Deborah Haynes the UK should consider sending its forces to Ukraine to train…
This Is WhyOJ Simpson dies – the story of his complex legacy
The death of arguably one of America’s most talked about names in the 1990s has re-ignited conversations about who OJ Simpson was and how he will be…
This Is WhyIsrael v Iran - Is escalation inevitable?
President Biden has stated US support for Israel is 'ironclad' after reports an Iranian attack is imminent. Iran had promised to retaliate after Israel killed…
This Is WhyWhy are thousands of people refused asylum still in the UK?
More than 55,000 asylum seekers whose applications have been refused since 2011 may not have left the UK.The analysis of Home Office data does not include…
This Is WhyHow Gaza conflict could be worsening Yemen's humanitarian crisis
Yemen is in the middle of a humanitarian disaster after nearly a decade of civil war between the Saudi and Western-backed government, and the Iranian-backed…
This Is WhyAngela Rayner tax claims: Smear, story or both?
Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner is facing questions about whether she paid enough tax on a house sale, almost a decade ago. She denies any wrongdoing and…
This Is Why'Cosmic coincidence': What we can learn from the solar eclipse
Next week, millions of people across North America will be able to see a total solar eclipse, a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many. A total solar eclipse -…
This Is WhyShould the UK stop selling arms to Israel?
Three former Supreme Court justices have warned Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that the UK is breaching international law by continuing to arm Israel. They are…
This Is WhyIs the UK prepared for a war?
The UK spends more than £50bn a year - 2.2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) - on defence, but government documents shared with Sky News show the country has no…
This Is WhyIsrael-Hamas war: Will volunteers leave Gaza after aid deaths?
Aid group World Central Kitchen says seven members of its team have been killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza. The charity said the volunteers had just unloaded…
This Is WhyUnreliable Witness: Who is Ellie Williams?
It’s the height of lockdown, 19-year-old Ellie Williams claims on social media she's been raped and exploited by an Asian grooming gang across the north of…
This Is WhyWater woes: Could sewage in the sea lead to higher bills?
The amount of raw sewage being spilled into England’s waterways has hit a record high – more than doubling since last year. Water companies are allowed to do…
This Is WhyBaltimore bridge collapse: Expert view on what happened
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, a cargo ship leaving the US city of Baltimore catastrophically struck a major bridge. The entire middle section of the…
This Is WhyHow will Putin react to the Moscow concert attack?
Four men have been charged with carrying out an attack at a concert in Moscow on Friday that killed more than 130 people. They all appeared in court on Monday…
This Is WhyUS Gaza ceasefire vote - why did it fail?
The US has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza for the first time as secretary of state Antony Blinken lands in Tel Aviv for talks with Israeli Prime…
This Is WhyKate’s cancer diagnosis – what we know
The Princess of Wales has issued a personal message revealing that she has been diagnosed with cancer following her abdominal surgery earlier this year and…
This Is WhyWill the government "do the right thing" for the Waspi campaigners?
Thousands of women should get payouts because of the way changes to the state pension affected them, according to a watchdog. The Parliamentary and Health…
This Is WhyWhat’s behind Leo Varadkar's shock resignation?
The resignation of Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has come as a shock. He suffered defeats in two referendums earlier this month, where the public voted…
This Is WhyThe Kate photos: When conspiracy theories meet the royals
More than half of people in the UK have seen online conspiracy theories about why the Princess of Wales has been absent from public life, but it hasn't dented…
This Is WhyFaultlines: Why isn’t housing a bigger election issue?
A new Sky News series 'Faultlines' covers in-depth and immersive reports exploring contemporary social challenges across the UK. This episode asks 'is our…
This Is WhyPutin's power – why Russia's election matters
As Russians go to the polls, the outcome is certainly already written as Vladimir Putin runs pretty much uncontested in his bid for a fifth term in office…
This Is WhyBritish troops speak out about exposure to toxic chemicals | Redefining 'extremism' with Sam Coates
In the early months of the Iraq war in 2003, around 88 British troops were deployed to the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant to provide round-the-clock…
This Is WhyDiane Abbott: Why the Tories won't return the race row money
The prime minister has resisted calls to hand back £10m donated to the Conservative Party by businessman Frank Hester. Speaking in the Commons, Rishi Sunak…
This Is WhyHow UK-made cars are getting into Russia despite sanctions
After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the imposition of sanctions on the country meant direct exports of British-made luxury vehicles fell to zero. However…
This Is WhyKate, the photo and trying to solve the conspiracy theory crisis
The Princess of Wales has apologised "for any confusion" after she admitted "editing" a Mother's Day image of her and her children. Major international picture…
This Is WhyEverything that happened at the Oscars
The biggest night in Hollywood promised glitz and glamour, but there were no surprises when it came to the big Academy Award winners. Oppenheimer took home…
This Is Why'More lives lost than saved': why Britain's IRA spy never faced justice
Freddie Scappaticci was Britain's most highly prized IRA informant. His codename was 'Stakeknife' and the unit he led - ironically in charge of hunting…
This Is WhyIf National Insurance is scrapped, who wins and who loses?
After cutting national insurance for the second time in yesterday's Budget, the prime minister has said it's his "long-term ambition" to eventually scrap the…
This Is WhyEd Conway and Beth Rigby: Was that a budget for a May election?
It was a budget of few surprises. As promised, the chancellor cut the rate of National Insurance tax by 2p in every pound but admits the overall tax burden is…
This Is WhyCouncil Tax: What could bankruptcy mean for our bills?
For most of us, our council tax bills are going up - with nearly every local authority in the country increasing it by the maximum amount. Nottingham City…
This Is WhyBudget: Are tax cuts the vote winner they seem?
As the country gears up for the general election, Wednesday's budget may be the last before the voters go to the polls. Hailed as "a budget to save the Tory…
This Is WhyIntroducing… Electoral Dysfunction
Today, something different – we're bringing you the first episode of an exciting new podcast from Sky called Electoral Dysfunction. Beth Rigby. Jess Philips…
This Is WhyPutin's nuclear threat as Baltic states bolster their armies
In a national address, Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to use nuclear weapons if NATO countries were to join a ground offensive in Ukraine. The…
This Is WhyInside Ecuador's crackdown on drug cartels
Ecuador has become the deadliest country in South America with drug gangs and their Mexican cartel bosses murdering people, detonating car bombs and…
This Is Why'Bombshell revelations' at Post Office scandal hearing... What's the truth?
It's been years since the extent of the Post Office Horizon scandal became clear - but hundreds of sub-postmasters, who were falsely convicted of fraud or…
This Is Why'Words matter' - Lee Anderson, heightened tension and MPs' safety
The former Tory deputy chair, Lee Anderson, has refused to apologise for comments that saw him suspended from the party. He said he believed "Islamists" had…
This Is WhyTwo years on since Russia's invasion but Ukraine is still in the fight
Two years on from Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the war is largely at a stalemate but President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's troops face acute shortages of…
This Is WhyCommotion and a no confidence motion: What damage has the Commons Gaza row done?
The third largest party in the House of Commons, the SNP, says it doesn't have confidence in its Speaker, Lindsay Hoyle. The Speaker himself says he took…
This Is WhyThe Post Office scandal - more trouble on the Horizon?
The former chair of the Post Office, Henry Staunton, who was dismissed last month, claims he was told by a top civil servant to "hobble into the election" and…
This Is WhyHacking the hackers: How cyber gang Lockbit was 'locked out'
One of the world's most prolific cyber crime gangs has been taken down by law enforcement agencies including the FBI, Europol and the UK's National Crime…
This Is WhyDid Russian opposition die with Alexei Navalny?
Hundreds of Russians have been detained at memorials to opposition politician Alexei Navalny. Navalny's mother and lawyers have been denied access to his body…
This Is WhyRussian opponent Alexei Navalny dies... and analysing Labour's double by-election win
Alexei Navalny, the most prominent critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has died in jail. Barred in 2018 from running in elections, he remained Mr…
This Is WhyTechnically it’s a recession, but what’s actually changed? With Ed Conway
Sky News’ economics and data editor Ed Conway looks at the implications of Britain entering recession on this episode. Although the two quarters of negative…
This Is WhyCan Starmer ever really deliver on his antisemitism promise?
In his early weeks as Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer said: “It was very important to me to seek to address the disgrace of antisemitism in our party as soon…
This Is WhyHas Starmer been ‘decisive’ over Rochdale.. and the battle for The Body Shop
Labour is no longer backing a candidate in the Rochdale by-election. Party spokespeople had been out to bat for local councillor Azhar Ali up until Monday…
This Is WhyIsrael-Hamas war: Will Netanyahu pause the offensive on Rafah?
The UK says Israel should "stop and think seriously", the US wants to see a credible plan for civilians - but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists…
This Is WhyWEEKEND DAILY: Work until you're 71? What's the alternative?
A new report has suggested the state retirement age may need to rise to 71 to maintain the number of people who financially support the pension system - and it…
This Is WhyBiden: 'My memory is fine' - what's just changed for the presidential election?
Joe Biden couldn't remember when he was vice president, according to a new report. And, according to the same investigation, he couldn't remember when his son…