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@theobertram

The last time Labour changed leader in office was Blair to Brown. That transition lasted years. Labour is not the Tory party. There is no equivalent to sending letters to the 1922 committee.

Starmer's moment of peril will be May 26

Presumably you mean the local elections in May, 2026, or is there some event planned for the 26th of May?

I still expect Starmer to follow Harold Wilson and retire early. What concerns me is the supposed plots might make him want to hang on in order to make it clear he is going on his own terms.

I think he would also be very keen to ensure he is PM longer than Rishi as it would be utterly humiliating for him if he lasted for less time after the pompous and arrogant attacks on Sunak and his government.

I really doubt Starmer cares about that sort of numerology. I can't see Rishi losing sleep over it either.

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

Look at the people in Parliament though - the problem we have is Burnham (and Kahn) look like giants against them.

How much of that is because Metro Mayor is an easier job, so it's easier to look good doing it?

(It's why stealthily not-quite forcing Mayors on everywhere, and giving them a decent wodge of responsibilities, is probably a good thing.

"More politicians" is a hard sell. But if it means that each of those politicians has a small enough role that they can actually do it... That will help a lot.)

Why do you think I said look like giants - it's a far easier job - because if things go wrong you can blame someone else.

Which is why leaving the EU was such a problem for Westminister - the buck now stops at No 10 and you can't put the blame on the awkward part from a set of no win options on someone else.

Isn’t the real question of the weekend how will befriender of poor/rich waitresses Farage accommodate the new populist movement sweeping the kingdom (southern half); share or shaft?

Excellent question. Are we going to get a Party to the right of Farage? The Yaxley-Lennons? There would then be three parties swimming in the same fetid tank. Nothing much keeping them apart except for the ambitions of their leaders.

Robinson has already given his backing to Advance UK. Habib spoke at yesterday's rally

You've got to be on your toes to follow the shenanigans of the far right......,

What a time to rejoin the EU. If only we had a Labour leader with a little bit of backbone we could say goodbye to Trump and Mandy and steer a course back to civilisation

...

Listening to the hand wringing this morning is unbearable. There wasn't a right wing commentator who didn't think appointing Mandy was a masterstroke .....who better to get a deal with an unscrupulous charlatan than one of our own......' Nod nod wink wink' ........

The only ones I remember being sickened were the Corbynites... who surprise surpise are not well represented on the BBC (or PB) this morning....

Pass the sickbag Maude.....

You want former Horsham MP Francis Maude to pass you a sick bag?

I don't know, but I think we should be told

Sir John Junor, editor of the Express for over thirty years was known for his catchphrases, including:

"Pass the sick-bag, Alice"

and

"I don't know, but I think we should be told"

Don't know if Rog had this in mind, or who Maude (or Alice) might be..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Junor

Isn’t the real question of the weekend how will befriender of poor/rich waitresses Farage accommodate the new populist movement sweeping the kingdom (southern half); share or shaft?

Excellent question. Are we going to get a Party to the right of Farage? The Yaxley-Lennons? There would then be three parties swimming in the same fetid tank. Nothing much keeping them apart except for the ambitions of their leaders.

That's a very pertinent question. I think yes, but it would fall to pieces over money or personalities.

We already have a party or 28 to the right of Farage. AFAICS, the most significant was and perhaps is the Homeland Party (who are more or less the drivers of the Epping 'protests'). They were a splinter group off Patriotic Alternative who absorbed much of the white supremacist/nationalist niche. The last reported membership figures I saw for them (Times Radio) was 1,300 (quoted in wiki).

But they split a couple of months ago.

My call is that Farage is trying to domesticate such movements, and they perhaps dream of taking over Reform.

I think Farage is trying to maintain the same kind of relationship with the thuggish far right as Ian Paisley had with the UVF etc. Formally distancing himself while stoking grievances and hoping to harvest their supporters' votes. Seems to be working for him so far.

Listening to the politics programmes this morning It does seem a recognition is emerging that attacking the left and right from a partisan viewpoint does nothing to resolve the division, but rather to acknowledge that there is a real problem and how to start the process of addressing the divisions and calming society and their genuine concerns

Clive Lewis of the Socialist Republic of Norwich I live in wrote a long form tweet about an old school friend of his who attended Unite the etc yesterday and sent him pics. Its unusually thoughtful for Lewis
https://x.com/labourlewis/status/1966988870890963361?s=19

Very good from Lewis and more need to recognise the genuine concerns of just ordinary voters

That’s a good example of a thoughtful, considered post. That’s what we are missing from people like Clive Lewis who usually only issue soundbites. Considered and well argued posts are why I always enjoy @Cyclefree’s headers. Soundbites started with Blair. He’s got a lot to answer for.

Are soundbites not given because soundbites are wanted by interviewers?

When I first started being a TV talking head on subjects I knew about, one could expect two forms- a roughly 8 minute gig and a roughly two minute gig. Now the length of the average interview is measured in seconds, repeated three times an hour. The assumption being that the attention span of the punters is roughly the same as a gnat. The media blame the politicians for dumbing down, but "journalists" have become empty suits looking for the simplest lines in the shortest time.

It gets very frustrating when listening to an interview with a politician or similar on an important issue on the Today programme where the interviewer (apart from the gotcha hunt etc) hurries them saying they are limited for time and then during the programme they spend the same time or longer on some utter balls like Taylor Swift’s engagement - indeed when that happened they played the whole of one of her songs for 3 plus minutes at the end of the programme - all time that could have been used for deeper interviews.

There are plenty of stations, channels and socials for discussing Taylor Swift and other lightweight issues but when what is supposed to be the preeminent news programme on the radio for politics and current affairs can’t be bothered to spend time on interviews then we are doomed.

The media is just not serious anymore.

The balls about Bohemian Rhapsody at the Proms is an example, R4 news has been wittering on about it all weekend and I bet Today won’t resist a post mortem tomorrow.

It’s a pop song whipped up into a kitsch middlebrow confection, not an epochal cultural event.

Though the proms themselves are still a magnificent cultural event, the last night has always been dreadful. It’s a shame that the traditional performance of Beethoven 9 on the penultimate night no longer happens - as that was always a fitting conclusion to the real proms.

Katie Derham presenting is one big cringe

On a potential by-election, other Labour members can chime in here but if I lived in a seat where my Labour MP had resigned so that another candidate without a particularly distinguished record could run against the incumbent Prime Minister, I would not vote for that candidate.

The key you are missing is Burnham's popularity in Greater Manchester and he is a voice from the north furious with the treatment of northen labour mps and especially Lucy Powell

Maybe it is time to realise that those in the north are unimpressed with the London political class and media, and want their voice heard

I do not see Burnham as PM, but I do see him causing considerable problems and yes, there are seats in Greater Manchester he would win comfortably

Listening to the hand wringing this morning is unbearable. There wasn't a right wing commentator who didn't think appointing Mandy was a masterstroke .....who better to get a deal with an unscrupulous charlatan than one of our own......' Nod nod wink wink' ........

The only ones I remember being sickened were the Corbynites... who surprise surpise are not well represented on the BBC (or PB) this morning....

Pass the sickbag Maude.....

You do know Rosena Alin-Khan was on Kuenssberg this morning and said Mandelson should not have been appointed and gave Starmer to next May

They're all coming out of the woodwork NOW. Where were they when Starmer/Mandelson was getting these supercharged deals which were the envy of the EU? What about the gloating Brexiteers? Every dick at the telegraph can be wise after the event. Even some MPs passed over for promotion.

You are not taking this very well are you ?