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This Is Why

Sky News
This Is Why
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  • This Is Why

    Why are NHS staff targeting terror attack victims?

    2026/09/08 | 21 mins.
    Imagine your child has been the victim of a terror attack. Then imagine the most intimate details of their injuries being viewed and shared without your permission or knowledge.
    A Sky News and Health Service Journal investigation has uncovered the extent to which NHS staff are accessing patients’ medical records.
    High profile cases include the victims of the Nottingham and Southport attacks. But information was also accessed to carry out coercive control and domestic abuse.
    Niall Paterson speaks to Sky’s health correspondent, Ashish Joshi, and Zoe Tidman – senior correspondent for the Health Service Journal.
    NHS England has issued a response to the investigation, saying: “All NHS trusts are required to maintain audit logs of access to patient information as well as having controls in place to prevent and identify unauthorised access – and must take action in cases where staff have abused the trust of patients by accessing personal records without good reason.”
    Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk
  • This Is Why

    Why anti-migrant protests are getting more ‘professional’

    2026/09/07 | 19 mins.
    We have become used to seeing protests against small boat arrivals in the UK, but the speed and size of those in Dover and Portsmouth over the weekend felt like something new.
    The demonstrations were led by a group founded by Daniel Thomas - a friend of far-right activist Tommy Robinson - who described the protests as "only the beginning".
    Local authorities were seemingly caught out by events. So, will we now see more similar demonstrations? And what can the police do?
    Gareth Barlow is joined by Sky's Data and Forensics correspondent Tom Cheshire.
    Have you got a question for This is Why? Email us: why@sky.uk
  • This Is Why

    Why Farage is courting rising star of the French far right

    2026/09/04 | 19 mins.
    Lots of 30-year-olds are career-driven, ambitious types - but perhaps none more so than French far-right politician Jordan Bardella.
    The sharp-suited, clean-cut leader of France’s National Rally party is tipped as a future prime minister – or even president – of one of the UK’s closest allies.
    He’s also been the star of the show at the Reform party conference in Birmingham – signing a deal on small boats with his admiring counterpart, Nigel Farage.
    So, who is Bardella? And why would a party like Reform – that denies being far right – consummate such a close relationship?
    Niall Paterson is joined by Dr Philippe Marliere, a professor in French and European politics at University College London.
  • This Is Why

    Why driverless taxis still need a human (for now)

    2026/09/03 | 15 mins.
    Most taxi drivers tell tales about who they’ve had in the back of their cab. But how would you feel about catching a cab that doesn’t have a driver in the front?
    Autonomous taxis can now be ordered on London’s streets – in a move many would liken to something out of a sci-fi movie. In reality, the cars currently arrive with a human “safety” driver - but the plan is that fairly soon they won’t.
    So, how safe are these vehicles? And what does the move mean for real-life cabbies who might be fearing for their jobs?
    Niall Paterson is joined by Sky’s technology correspondent Rowland Manthorpe, who had an eventful journey in an autonomous taxi in central London.
    Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk
  • This Is Why

    Why borrowing costs are Burnham’s biggest problem

    2026/09/02 | 17 mins.
    Governments often tell people to live within their means - but can the new prime minister?
    Andy Burnham will need to try hard after the UK's long-term borrowing costs reached a 28-year high.
    It's a serious headache for a prime minister who faced his first PMQs on Wednesday. So why are the costs so high? And how will this impact chancellor John Healey's first Budget next month?
    Niall Paterson sits down with Sky's economics and data editor, Ed Conway.
    Have you got a question for Niall? Email us: why@sky.uk
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About This Is Why
The world’s a pretty confusing place right now – so how do you make sense of it all? This Is Why  takes one story every day, explains how we got here and why it matters to you. Sky News’ Niall Paterson speaks to experts and correspondents from around the world, getting simple answers to some complex questions. Available every weekday afternoon. This Is Why is a Sky News podcast – if you have a question, contact us: why@sky.uk
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