Sky’s the limit as Jess Phillips returns to podcasting

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His letter, published on Monday, leaves Phillips free to speak her mind by imposing ‘standard conditions’ on her new job, meaning she is barred from lobbying, working on government contracts or blabbing privileged information she secured while in office.

Her role is described as “regular contributor to Electoral Dysfunction, a UK political podcast produced by Sky News” – a role she held until July 2024, when her new government job forced her to step down. She has yet to report any additional earnings in the Register of Members’ Interests, although her last declaration, for appearances made from April to June 2024, totalled £1,938.

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Phillips, who has championed women’s issues since becoming an MP in 2015, oversaw safeguarding and violence against women and girls at the Home Office. Her damning resignation letter accused her old boss of being averse to arguments and obsessed with appointing Peter Mandelson. 

She wrote: “The Mandelson saga, whenever it bubbled up, made Number 10 kick into gear on the subject in order to prove our credentials. I will never waste a crisis to make advancements for women and girls and so demands were made and some were met.” 

She added: “I think you are a good man fundamentally, who cares about the right things. However, I have seen first-hand how that is not enough. The desire not to have an argument means we rarely make an argument, leaving opportunities for progress stalled and delayed.” There’ll be more of that, no doubt, on her Sky podcast.