Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 The News Quiz: Ep6. Is the UK getting sunnier?
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Feb 20, 2026 
Mhairi Black, former MP known for sharp wit and local pride, and Stephen Bush, political commentator and analyst. They spar over Keir Starmer’s survival and rumoured coups. They riff on Olympic dramas and a Norwegian athlete’s confession. They close with a debate about whether the UK is actually getting sunnier.
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MP Life And Short Public Patience
- Mhairi Black recounts three years of therapy after nine years as an MP to illustrate political stress.
- She links short public patience for leaders to a culture of rapid political turnover.
Faster Political Turnover
- The panel notes accelerated turnover: eight PMs in 52 years versus five in nine years since 2016.
- They connect this to reduced public patience and a shortened political attention span.
Westminster Canteen Politics
- Panel jokes portray Westminster as a schoolcanteen with tribal seating and social snubs.
- Mhairi Black describes MPs' partitioned seating and the 'kids' table' dynamics.