This Is Why

A decade to the day since the Brexit referendum, the European Union has postponed a proposed summit to reset the UK’s relationship with Europe.

Following the fall of the Starmer premiership, Brussels will now wait and see what a new Labour leader – likely to be Andy Burnham – wants to achieve from any potential EU negotiation.

But as every prime minister over the past 10 years has discovered, trying to reshape those relations from outside the union is fraught with political danger.

Will a Burnham Number 10 seek to strengthen ties with Europe? Could he call for a customs union - and be willing to pay the price? And how will it be viewed by the Leave-supporting voters of Makerfield and the rest of the so-called “Red Wall”?

Niall Paterson is joined by Anne McElvoy, executive editor of POLITICO Europe and co-host of our sister podcast, Politics at Sam and Anne’s.

Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk

It's become a familiar sight in British politics - the lectern outside 10 Downing Street, ready for another resignation speech.

On Monday morning, Sir Keir Starmer became the sixth prime minister to stand down in almost a decade, despite on paper commanding a huge Labour majority.

So, why was his departure inevitable? And what will be the Starmer legacy following his two years in office?

Niall Paterson is joined by Sky's political correspondent Rob Powell.

Serena Williams has nothing left to prove. She's won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, inspired generations of players and built a legacy that reaches far beyond tennis. But after nearly four years away from the sport, she's returning to Wimbledon.

So, Niall asks why one of the greatest athletes of all time is making a comeback. He is joined by Charlie Eccleshare, senior tennis writer for The Athletic, as they discuss what motivates elite competitors long after they've conquered their sport, and whether Serena Williams can still defy expectations one more time.

Have you got a question for Niall? Email the show: why@sky.uk. And if you wanted to watch Niall, check out This is Why on YouTube.

End the war, get the oil tankers moving, and the world’s economy returns to normal. It sounds easy. It really isn’t.

Donald Trump and the Iranian regime have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the hopes of bringing the four-month conflict to an end.

But the key objective of allowing global shipping to pass freely through the currently Iran controlled Strait of Hormuz is far less straightforward than it may appear.

From the threat of minefields to a change of heart over military action, it could take months – if not longer – for the region to return to normal.

Niall Paterson is joined by Sky's military analyst Sean Bell.

Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk

"Just one of those things." A typically British response to an unprecedented act of belligerence.

When Alan and Jane Kelvey took their yacht out for a sail across the English Channel, the last thing they expected was to be at the centre of a huge diplomatic incident.

But when a Russian-flagged frigate fired warning shots as the couple sailed nearby, it was yet another sign of the breakdown in relations between the Kremlin and the UK.

Was this an indirect response to the impounding of a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker by British forces? Why are Moscow’s warships operating so close to the UK coastline in the first place? And is it another example of the Royal Navy's lack of resources?

Niall Paterson is joined by Sky’s military analyst Professor Michael Clarke.

Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk