Four things we learned from speaking to the shadow chancellor

Since past year's wide election, Sir Mel Stride has go a acquainted look for those of america who similar our politics.

During the campaign, helium regularly recovered himself connected meal TV and radio. So overmuch so, Sir Mel was referred to arsenic the "minister for the greeting round" by immoderate of our manufacture colleagues.

By our count, helium was connected Sky News Breakfast astatine slightest 10 times during the campaign's 43 days.

👉 Tap present to travel Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts 👈

Following the election, and losing the Conservative enactment contention to Kemi Badenoch, Sir Mel present puts questions to Rachel Reeves arsenic shadiness chancellor.

Still seen arsenic a harmless brace of hands, Sir Mel's penchant for doing the "morning round" hasn't slowed down either, making regular appearances connected meal TV and radio.

Luckily, helium recovered immoderate clip betwixt each that to beryllium down for an interrogation with Sky's Beth Rigby for the Electoral Dysfunction podcast. He spoke astir his modulation to Opposition, taking connected Reform, and the astir arguable taxable successful Westminster - lunch.

Here's what we learned:

1. Opposition isn't 'awful' - but it is similar 'warfare'

Before the election, Sir Mel served arsenic enactment and pensions secretary. Shifting to the Opposition was not "awful", contempt losing the musculus of the civilian service.

"But it is similar guerrilla warfare," helium said.

"You abruptly suffer each the trappings of government. Somebody erstwhile said to me, 'when you get successful the backmost of a car and you beryllium down and it doesn't spell anywhere, that's erstwhile you realise you're nary longer a minister'.

"So it is that benignant of consciousness of being looked aft that disappears."

There's besides a smaller squad of Conservatives successful the Commons. Before the election, Rishi Sunak had 343 MPs down him.

Ms Badenoch presently lone has 119.

"When you're down to 120 MPs - and immoderate acceptable portion events, determination mightiness beryllium lone a fraction of those radical determination - it's overmuch quieter.

"What I really often bash is I tin beryllium rather provocative of the Opposition to get them going, due to the fact that past astatine slightest you get thing to provender off. Sometimes I bash that to, conscionable get the vigor successful the chamber."

2. Being astatine the despatch container connected large days tin beryllium 'tricky' - but helium has a 'secret'

You whitethorn retrieve Sir Mel's lively effect to Rachel Reeves's outpouring connection successful March. He revealed that, connected those large governmental days, helium isn't told what the chancellor volition accidental until astir fractional an hr earlier it's said successful the Commons.

"It does springiness you and your squad virtually 10 oregon 15 minutes to... enactment retired what the main things are," helium said.

However, helium tells Electoral Dysfunction that you bash person to beryllium capable to deliberation connected your feet successful that scenario.

He said: "You are reasoning astir 'what are the onslaught lines I'm going to use?'... and amend what you're going to do."

He added that helium doesn't get nervous. That mightiness person to bash with Sir Mel having been president of the Oxford Union debating nine "many, galore years ago".

"Now the secret's out. The concealed is retired Beth, and you're the archetypal to person gleaned that concealed from me," helium said.

To beryllium fair, it is connected his website.

3. He's not a immense instrumentality of Reform

As the Conservatives conflict with Reform for the right, Sir Mel didn't person galore affirmative words for Nigel Farage's party.

"With Reform... these are populists, who peddle phantasy economics," helium said.

"'Take everybody retired of income taxation up to £20,000 costs astir £80bn according to the IFS [Institute For Fiscal Studies]."

The IFS has said it needed "more detail" to precisely outgo Reform's proposal, but "it could easy beryllium successful the scope of £50 to £80bn a year".

"I deliberation ultimately," Sir Mel says, "people volition spot done a batch of the populism that Reform stands for."

He added that helium believed that Reform's 2024 manifesto, was, economically, "a enactment of fiction".

"I mean, it's rather dangerous, actually. I deliberation if they'd been elected... the system would person gone into a precise atrocious place," helium said.

4. His perfect lunch? A food and ham toastie

Sir Mel besides addressed the astir pressing contented of each - lunch.

If you're unaware, this has proven a arguable taxable successful Westminster. Ms Badenoch told The Spectator successful December she was "not a sandwich person... luncheon is for wimps".

In March, however, Ms Reeves gave a rebuttal to Electoral Dysfunction, revealing she whips up a cheddar sandwich successful 11 Downing Street erstwhile she can.

Read much from Sky News:
Labour MP hits retired astatine 'farce' anti-corruption proceedings successful Bangladesh
Lammy refers himself to watchdog aft sportfishing with JD Vance

Sir Mel falls much successful enactment with his other fig than his leader.

"I've ever liked a sandwich, peculiarly a toasted sandwich," helium said.

"I'd spell with the Cadillac, the Rolls Royce of sandwiches, a ham and cheese."

Sir Mel has previously, however, been partial to immoderate much peculiar fillings.

"Do you retrieve those Breville toastie makers? When I went to university, I had 1 of those, oregon immoderate the equivalent was," helium said.

"You could enactment baked beans in, eggs in, and each sorts of things.

"It was fantastic."

To each, their own.

Electoral Dysfunction unites governmental powerhouses Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson, and Harriet Harman to chopped done the spin, and explicate to you what's truly going connected successful Westminster and beyond.

Want to permission a question for Beth, Ruth, and Harriet?

Email: electoraldysfunction@sky.uk

WhatsApp: 07934 200444