This Is Why

Winter is coming. So, a decision to finally allow drilling at the controversial Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea should be welcome.
Well, not by environmental campaigners – who've accused the government of backtracking on its net zero commitments.
And even supporters of North Sea expansion have admitted opening Jackdaw won’t reduce energy bills, even though it could start helping to supply homes within months.
Why, then, has Andy Burnham invested so much political capital in giving the go-ahead?
Gareth Barlow is joined by Sky’s science and technology editor Tom Clarke and business correspondent Paul Kelso.
Have you got a question for the show? Email us: why@sky.uk

Europe’s leaders are joining the fight for the Far North – but is it already too late?
The European Union has announced a new security strategy for the Arctic. Yet Russia and China already appear to have a huge advantage in the region.
Moscow is exploring new trade routes through its shadow fleet, and – with Beijing’s help – the race is on to exploit the Arctic’s reserves of rare earth minerals.
Will the UK, US and Canada join Europe’s belated response? Or, as the ice melts, is too late to stop a new cold war from heating up?
Gareth Barlow speaks to Sky’s military analyst, Robert Clark.
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Violent clashes, burning buildings, widespread looting and thousands of arrests. Even for France, the scale of the current protests across the country is extreme.
What started off as student demonstrations, highlighting issues like a lack of staff and equipment in schools, has grown into a much bigger movement – which the government admits it’s struggling to contain.
But France isn’t the only country where the young are protesting. Students in Albania, Italy, Spain and Portugal have also clashed with authorities.
So, what’s caused such a huge disconnect between the state and young people across the continent?
Gareth Barlow speaks to French journalist Catherine Guilyardi, who lives in Paris and witnessed the violence over the weekend.
Have you got a question for the podcast? Email us: why@sky.uk

Surely, the first rule of being a press secretary is never to be the story. But it took Donald Trump's newest spokesperson just 14 minutes to put herself very much front and centre.
That was how long Katie Zacharia's first - and only - White House briefing lasted. Now, the president has asked her to consider her position less than a week into the job, leaving her little choice but to stand down.
Plucked from a role as a TV talking head, Zacharia had been trusted to replace Karoline Leavitt as the president’s press secretary – responsible for relaying the MAGA message to the media.
But she was quickly embroiled in controversy – not least for appearing to overstate her credentials as a fully qualified lawyer.
Recorded before her departure, Niall Paterson is joined by the chairman of Republicans Overseas UK, Greg Swenson.
Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk

Remember when Brexit meant Brexit? Well, a decade on from the referendum to leave the European Union, Andy Burnham thinks now is the right time to reopen the debate.
The new prime minister is calling for a fresh look at our relationship with EU ahead of a summit in November. Is this just an attempt to boost economic growth with a better trade deal or is there more to it?
What does Burnham really want? And would the public swallow the prospect of a 'rejoin' referendum?
Niall Paterson is joined by the director of the UK in a Changing Europe think tank, Anand Menon.
Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk