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Germany is facing calls to withdraw its billions of euros’ worth of gold from US vaults, spurred on by the shift in transatlantic relations and the unpredictability of Donald Trump.

Germany holds the world’s second biggest national gold reserves after the US, of which approximately €164bn (£122bn) worth – 1,236 tonnes – is stored in New York.

Emanuel Mönch, a leading economist and former head of research at Germany’s federal bank, the Bundesbank, called for the gold to be brought home, saying it was too “risky” for it to be kept in the US under the current administration.

“Given the current geopolitical situation, it seems risky to store so much gold in the US,” he told the financial newspaper Handelsblatt. “In the interest of greater strategic independence from the US, the Bundesbank would therefore be well advised to consider repatriating the gold.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/24/repatriate-the-gold-german-economists-advise-withdrawal-from-us-vaults

Makes sense. Trump is basically Goldfinger.

I've never heard him say anything as funny as, "No Mr Bond, I expect you to die."

I thought it was "No, Mr Powers, I expect you to die!"

Germany is always trying to get that gold back - the USA is always refusing. Trump is another angle on that request - it will fail again. It's the USA's gold now.

@alexrogerssky
A number of Labour sources in the north west expect Andy Burnham will put in a nomination for the Gorton and Denton byelection by the 5pm deadline, with an announcement expected later today - but watch this space

The speculation is that Burnham expects to be blocked by the NEC - thereby triggering a wave of support which strengthens his position and weakens the PM's

A different week, a different party having psychodrama.

It is very much a construct of right wing media and Burnham's ego.

How so? All this Team Starmer will block Burnham standing angle hasn't been coming from right wing media.

If course it has.

My own view is Burnham is mischief making in conjunction with the media.

Are you suggesting the likes of the Guardian are now part of the right wing media?

Then he faces the challenge of getting selected by a panel of the party’s ruling national executive committee. Four NEC members who spoke to the Guardian gave his chances of being selected by that body as “zero”.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/22/andy-burnham-labour-nec-parliament-analysis

Along with Sky, BBC Newsnight, basically anybody with a microphone, twitter account or column in a media have been given the briefing that Team Starmer hate Burnham and they have a load of ways to block him which they will deploy.

The maximum hilarity option will be if Burnham announces he’s standing without resigning the mayoralty & dares the NEC to block him.

Side question: When was the rule blocking mayors from standing passed? Was it a deliberate “stop Burnham” measure or has it always been there?

@Phil

It is a side effect of the Police and Crime Commissioners not being allowed to be MPs. The Mayor of Manchester is also the PCC for Greater Manchester Police, so he cannot be an MP. That has been the case since that role was created. It does not apply to all mayors - I don't know when it became part of the London mayoralty, although it now is, but the only other one affected is West Yorkshire.

Why does it mean he has to resign as Mayor before running for Parliament? He could get elected, and then step down. That, in fact, seems sensible.

Although it might be a Labour Party rule as well as the law, and as a party rule apply to all mayoralties

In the other direction Brabin resigned as an MP only upon winning the mayoral election, so I'm not sure why it wouldn't apply exactly the same the other way.