Best Of

On topic, if the answer is Burnham you asked the wrong question.

Though, it does show what a shambles labour are in, and in particular Starmer and Reeves performance over the last 15 months

It speaks to the paucity of talent in British politics. Every party is led by the second rate. Backed by the fifth rate.

You look at Thatcher’s cabinets - sure, there were one or two clowns. But a good half of them could have been PM.

Well, it's often said we get the politicians we deserve but I think the quality of political journalism and analysis as presented on all media is disappointing. GB News is unwatchable as is Sky. Most questions are presented as simplistic binary options (which they aren't) and nobody is given time to put forward complex arguments for discussion. Trying to "discuss" immigration in two and a half minutes in an informed and reasoned way is impossible unless your sole argument is "sink the boats" or "deport them all".

I think the coming of social media and the 24/7 news cycle and the end of any kind of deference have made an enormous and negative impact to the quality (as distinct from the quantity) of our politics.

What state is the Labour Party in when Burnham is seen as its saviour. Do the people supporting him not remember his pitiful run at the leadership previously. A campaign which made Kamala Harris’s for the Democratic nomination seem inspired.

I think Labour should persist with Starmer, get through the next locals, and Starmer needs to start grooming the next generation and promoting them.

Exactly. He was in charge of the NHS when the Staffordshire scandal happened. His record on grooming gangs in Manchester is not good either. He got a pitiful number of votes when he last stood and he simply jumps from bandwagon to bandwagon.

The Mid-Staffs thing has the potential to become a problem. There was a concerted campaign against the whistleblowers and some politicians actually backed this on a “protect the NHS” basis

I dont think the next Labour leader will be one who served in the Blair and Brown governments. Indeed that is one reason that Corbyn got the gig.

Burnham can have influence, and has reinvented himself as King of the North, but Labour need and want a fresher face.

On topic, if the answer is Burnham you asked the wrong question.

Though, it does show what a shambles labour are in, and in particular Starmer and Reeves performance over the last 15 months

It speaks to the paucity of talent in British politics. Every party is led by the second rate. Backed by the fifth rate.

You look at Thatcher’s cabinets - sure, there were one or two clowns. But a good half of them could have been PM.

And the same was true of those on the Opposition benches. Even when they were wrong (Foot, say) or a bit mad (Benn), they were people of substance.

I think you've pointed out before that people of substance mostly don't want to touch public service through government with a bargepole. Partly because there are easier ways of making a better living, but also... why would you? Why go on the stage when a million Waldorfs and Statlers are going to heckle your every action.

And on top of that, the 'sack the manager' syndrome means that what little talent there is get pushed to the top jobs before they are ready and are quickly binned when they inevitably fail. Since World War 2, the supply of people capable of being an effective PM has been... 1 or 2 a decade? In recent years, demand has exceeded supply.

I know it triggers some when I say it, but Starmer and Badenoch are the least rancid options on the shelf. Changing either of them would be another change for the worse. And the idea that 'the public deserves better' is largely tosh as well. We may not have done it deliberately, but the society around us is the consequence of the totality of the choices we have collectively made over decades. We have almost exactly the quality of politicians we deserve.

Daily Mail - 'Starmer cried: 'You're supposed to be protecting me'. The showdown between PM and key aide that's the talk of Westminster'

"According to the Whitehall grapevine, it was the moment that growing tensions between the two most senior men in the British Government finally exploded into the open.

'You are supposed to protect me from things like this!' a furious Sir Keir Starmer is said to have bellowed at Morgan McSweeney, the man dubbed The Real Deputy Prime Minister.

'That's exactly what I was trying to do!' Mr McSweeney roared back.

The extraordinary exchange – relayed to The Mail on Sunday by a highly placed source – came after Sir Keir returned to No10 on Wednesday following his Commons mauling over Peter Mandelson's links to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

No 10 denies the encounter took place as described – and even tried to deny that chief of staff Mr McSweeney was in the country at the time, before backtracking.

But what is not in question is that the Mandelson scandal has turned into a full-blown political crisis which could lead to the end of Starmer's premiership.

Despairing Labour MPs are looking to Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham for salvation, with Lucy Powell running as his 'proxy' in the deputy leadership election.

Supporters hope Mr Burnham will return to the Commons in a by-election, making him eligible for a leadership bid."
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15095781/Starmer-cried-showdown-PM-key-aide-Westminster.html

Backing Powell is starting to look like easy money?

I don't think so.

I think Phillipson will win comfortably and have bet accordingly.

Politically these is little between her and Powell, both being soft left. Phillipson is the better speaker. Here she is at the #TUC last week:

https://www.youtube.com/live/8GRutRRkLc4?si=dygUjELbDJtY65Tc

I note that those cheerleading Powell on here want to bring down the government. I don't think that will be the motivation of Labour members. Neither do I think that is the purpose of Powell!

Why shouldn’t people opposed to this shambolic,govt want to see the back of It ? I’m not sure any change of govt to any other party or coalition would improve the country at the moment.

Quite frankly they can elect either Powell or Phillipson, it won’t change much for them until they start, if they can, delivering real improvements for people in their lives in the country as opposed to relying on MPs and tame pro govt social media accounts telling us how great they are.

The annoying thing is there's lots of boring, low-hanging fruit that could be plucked fairly easily just by tidying up government (and in some cases, commercial) procedures that are simply outdated. For example, changing rules on pursuing e-bikes so they can be followed by drones - that would be a major disaster for phone snatchers. Or reform of the court system to speed it up and make things cheaper, which has been talked about but not delivered. Or a massive clampdown on fraudulent bills by utility companies, which is an absolute scourge affecting hundreds of thousands of people every year.

You would have thought Starmer, of all people, would be well-placed to do that. And indeed, often he has made encouraging noises, as in abolishing OFWAT and making greater use of magistrates' courts. But so far, limited progress.

Frankly, who wants to do this boring governing thing when you can emote about things you can't actually do anything about? It's deeply unfashionable.

Over time, I appreciate emperors like Antoninus Pius and Anastasius ever more. No flashy buildings, no military glory, but they governed very competently for decades.

FPT but, in re Antonini Pii, I must ask: what about this honking great wall on the Forth-Clyde Isthmus, with [edit] forts and (possibly) a monumental temple on the road through?*

*Arthur's Oon [oven]. Sadly demolished. https://falkirklocalhistory.club/around-the-area/castles/arthurs-oon/

To be fair, the Antonine Wall did serve a practical purpose. It wasn't just Temple #57 or Church LookAtMyMegalomania. But you're right, I did forget about it.

Michael Gove on Lucy Powell on Trevor Phillips programme

'Andy Burnham's trained killer and will win the deputy leadership'

From the Observer today on yesterday's Robinson/Musk demo:

Religion was a recurring theme among the speakers and performers, with the first words said on the PA system praising “the king of kings, lord of lords, Jesus Christ”.



The Met said officers had been “assaulted with kicks and punches. Bottles, flares and other projectiles were thrown”.

They are also going after the King.

Is it just me or do you think the KING should have paid some sort of tribute to Charlie Kirk and his life.

https://x.com/benonwine/status/1966766424942154075

Is he on drugs ?

That’s just batshit.

The thread answers itself...