Ed Miliband is now the second favourite to be the next Prime Minister – politicalbetting.com
Ed Miliband is now the second favourite to be the next Prime Minister – politicalbetting.com
Following the reports that Ed Miliband led a cabinet revolt over events in Iran punters think this will go down well with Labour MPs and members who choose Labour leaders.
1
Comments
Unlike Ed Miliband
I can't see that scapegoating Miliband makes a lot of sense, given it was only a few weeks ago, during the Greenland crisis, that there was a rising lomg-term possibility even of U.S. action *against Eurooean nations and thr U.K.*. We are not the U.S, however close the pragmatic intersection of interest may sometimes
Unless the polling is off to the point of being meaningless, Labour will suffer epic defeats in Scotland, Wales and the local elections.
He's an even bigger problem now.
Disgraceful.
Jan 6 rioter pardoned by Trump gets life sentence for molesting a child
https://dorseteye.com/convicted-paedophile-was-chosen-as-a-parliamentary-candidate-by-reform-uk/
Convicted paedophile chosen as a Parliamentary candidate by Reform UK
David Lammy: "... because Cyprus is part of NATO"
erm, Cyprus is not a member of NATO. Maybe its just a slip of the tongue? Except he repeats the claim just a minute later
"... Cyprus is a NATO country"
Does the deputy PM not know that Cyprus isn't a member of a NATO?
Thick as mince
From my POV, this war looks like the second Iraq war but with less attempt to justify and with less vision for what happens next (which is saying something!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niMKvJ-Itq8
But sadly, as with Corbyn, that might just be what the Labour members are looking for.
That's not comparable to either terrorism or spying.
The genocide in Srebrenica involved the death of over 30% of the population. That would be approaching a million people had there been a like-for-like "Gaza genocide". BS.
They are definitely not not saying that they might not depending on the circumstances
The US is on for a full fascist takeover apparently.
1. He has a seat so no more 'Gorton and Denton' issues.
2. In these barmy times where ethnicity in the middle east is relevant. He's Jewish and can't be painted by the Israeli supporting ethno bores of being anti semitic.
3. He's compassionate.
4. He's bright.
5. His values unlike Starmer's are Labour ones
6. By a factor of 10 he's better than Andy Burnham
7. By a factor of 20 he's better than Kemi Badenoch
Labour are better sticking with Starmer unfortunately
Meanwhile this week three people have been arrested on suspicion of spying for China. All labour.
We had the collapse of the Chinese spying trial, thanks to the Tories.
But stories like this are deeply damaging to Starmer. Its bad enough he cannot run the country. Not being able to run his own cabinet makes him look so weak.
A week is a long time in politics isn't it Rachel
As TSE said yesterday this could easily create a Depression as an energy price shock takes out a whole set of companies...
1) Compromise candidate
2) Defence, highly relevant for current matters
3) Not totally mental
I actually like him better than I did 20 years ago. An acquired taste.
100/1 was a pretty good tip.
Will RAF jets attack Iran?
https://news.sky.com/video/share-13515807
I'd says his judgement was pretty good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skcPc9HDLBU
Looking at the table on page 274 of the UN Human Development Report for 2025, Libya isn't doing too well at position 115, though not as badly as Iraq at position 126. Interestingly, Iran is at position 75 - not great, but still in the top half of the table. I expect Iran's position will now plummet as the country's infrastructure is destroyed and civil war takes hold.
https://hdr.undp.org/system/files/documents/global-report-document/hdr2025reporten.pdf
https://www1.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2026/02/08/could-a-healey-or-benn-finally-lead-labour/
(can we start some? I've just got on at 1000
But yes, he's indecisive and has no communication skills. Trump is certainly right that he's no Churchill. Only around ten years ago people (rightly) thought that Andy Burnham being PM was a ridiculous prospect.
Reasonably statesmanlike and very boring, willing to be manager just above the relegation zone, seem to be needed qualities. Maybe Starmer is the best fit. There is a long list of worse fits: Badenoch, Farage, Polanski, Rayner, Miliband (E), Burnham.
Might be OK: Cooper, Stride, Hunt, Miliband (D), Jones.
Obviously as a full on despiser of the fossil fuel industry and its neoliberal mates driving climate change for profit, I would say that. But I am right.
They also serve who stand and wait at the buffet.
We have yet to see what happens if substantial numbers of the last of these - USA military in body bags - becomes a reality. The others are a lost cause, sadly.
The numbers were 5320 in 2023, 6192 in 2024 and 8790 in 2025, with the last quarter in 2025 running at ~10000 when annualised. So that is not far off a doubling of rate in 2 years.
That is not huge, but that is on top of a pyramid of USA people coming here to live.
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=i+fink+youre+freaky#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:7c7db5ad,vid:8Uee_mcxvrw,st:0
Not to mention the bitter infighting, most obviously with the Conservatives, and the low degree of job security.
I do agree that quality generally has declined.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Qatar are discussing pulling back from U.S. and other investments as the toll from this regional war with Iran mounts.
https://x.com/MerruX/status/2029688265758933261?s=20
How do you do that eyeroll emoji?
A lot of this goes back to Covid when people got used to the idea that the State was there to hand out wads of cash, and any attempt to rollback on that is met with hyperbolic outrage.
And on resilience, we’ve made ourselves more exposed to global shocks by running a transition that’s heavy on targets and light on firm domestic capacity and grids/storage. Domestic fossil production keeps declining, gas still dominates, and we’re signing long-dated import deals.
If the goal is security and decarbonisation: stop pretending territorial emissions are the whole story, and stop outsourcing both energy and industry while calling it progress.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/06/louise-casey-englands-social-care-system-faces-moment-of-reckoning
is a damning indictment of the paucity of Policy, Funding and planning in this sector at any point this century up to 2025.
Her long awaited report in 2 phases , no and 2028 , is long over due and very welcome.
Her initial recommendations which she askes to be enacted immediately include urgent attention across NHS / Social care on dementia and alzheimers and MND.
It is a positive start that Wes Streeting has commited to implementing recommendations on this asap. ASAP needs to be this year and this needs to be a fundamental part of the Autumn Budget with money set aside for it from then, if not NOW!
Labour has a golden opportunity here to align very closely with LD to deliver a progressive and compassionate BIG BANG in the Social Care sector.
Focussing CARE above welfare
Focussing CARE above defence
Plotting a positive and better future for ALL of us, as we all get older.
If Labour , LD , Greens grasp this opportunity of CARE IN THE COMMUNITY above the Tory / Reform dogma of Profit Privatisation and Corporate Greed, they can and should smash the Tories and Reform , especially the Tories and their 14 years of wilful neglect, gerrymandering and corruption , our of Government for a generation.
Having said all that, if they don't act and act with purpose at speed, they are no better than the Tories and their dereliction of duty of care and Reform for their obsession that big money knows best!