Sir Keir Starmer is resisting calls from senior Cabinet ministers to stand down
He’s just announced six new PPS appointments to replace those who quit after calling for him to go
Loyal ministers say he stands by his position from this morning - he will not walk away
This is going to get very, very messy indeed
This doesn't sound messy to me. He's Prime Minister, he's got a majority, he's got loads of new MPs so if some of the ministers want to quit he can bring some new blood in.
If someone thinks they'd do a better job they can get 80 signatures and have a leadership challenge, there are perfectly good rules in place for how to do that.
Usually people break before the challenge, the way most people 'resign' when told to or they will be sacked. But on rare occasions people say 'No, if you want to sack me, do it', 'No, if you want to remove me, challenge me properly'.
We shall see if he forces the issue.
Maybe I'm out-of-touch here but it's not clear to me that Starmer loses a challenge.
I think the left rank him over Streeting and the right rank him over Rayner. And people who really, really want it to be Burnham might want to keep him in place until Burnham can run, which Starmer can ensure never actually happens.
Also I know he hasn't shown himself to be brilliant at using this but he's Prime Minister, he has some control over the agenda that the other contenders don't.
Cooper or Miliband or somebody might be able to attract transfers from both sides but it's not clear they're interested in running.
The one thing Starmer is really, really good at is Labour Party machinations, and he’s shown to be stubborn and resilient. If he bites down it will be like fighting an XL Bully and frankly I don’t think there is anyone really up for that.
Watching Newsnight - Ian Dale making the point I have been that the Kings Speech on Wednesday is the hard stop moment. Dragging the King into a constitutional crisis as Keith not only hands over a speech to Chaz which may not be relevant by the end of the day, but then needs to stand up at the Dispatch Box proposing his program for government.
Also, one of the PPS resignations was to Shabana Mahmood. Who has now told him to go. So why has a new PPS been appointed? What's the point?
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
This "Quality Streeting" plan feels like a galaxy brain effort from Wes. After eight or so ministers have told Starmer to go his enemies are happy to revel in his discomfort. But there are no heroes in politics and given the flakiness of his plan, celebrations will likely be in short supply in the Streeting camp.
If he has choreographed this he has shown more ability to run the country in 1 night than Starmer has in 2 years.
I hope he gets it and that's not because it happens to land a nice bet for me and it's not because I feel aligned with his faction of the party (I don't). I just think (and this could be wrong but it's a strong and genuine opinion) that he is the class of the field on ability, vision and comms. There are others who I'm sure would be ok but Wes Streeting is the one with the potential to move the dial.
Watching Newsnight - Ian Dale making the point I have been that the Kings Speech on Wednesday is the hard stop moment. Dragging the King into a constitutional crisis as Keith not only hands over a speech to Chaz which may not be relevant by the end of the day, but then needs to stand up at the Dispatch Box proposing his program for government.
Also, one of the PPS resignations was to Shabana Mahmood. Who has now told him to go. So why has a new PPS been appointed? What's the point?
The PPS has resigned and she hasn't so obviously he appointed a new PPS? If she resigns that would be the time to appoint a new Home Secretary and probably shuffle the other people around, but as things stand she hasn't done that.
I supported Sir Keir, I was proud to do so and he was clearly the best choice in 2020.
But things move on, I accept he’s not been a good PM and in ma many ways I feel duped that I honestly thought he had a plan. I was wrong. I accept that.
It can be anyone except Rayner or Miliband. Burnham is the best even though I don’t like him but he’s not an MP
McSweeney had a plan; Starmer was his front man. Cf Dominic Cummings and Boris.
If McSweeney had a plan why has Sir Keir been so poor?
It basically went from bad to worse as soon as Gray left.
You used to rave about mcsweeney, or at least about his election strategy. I suggest that Labour had a uniquely lucky situation that led Starmer to think he had a mandate. He got fewer votes than Corbyn for fecks sake. And then with the chance to be radical he’s cowered back from every tough choice. I think that Starmer would have been fine pre 2008. But since then, since the new economic normal, all PMs are expected to work miracles, and none can.
It's not a miracle to get a decent amount of economic growth.
Just because they haven't done it, doesn't mean it's impossible.
What it DOES mean is that they've been too cowardly, lazy and/or stupid to take the short term political pain necessary to get the country back to a decent level of prosperity.
So we stagnate even in good times, and decline in bad ones - all the more tragic because completely unnecessary.
At the last PMQs before the recess and out of view of the TV cameras but clearly visible from the Peers' gallery was John Healey, standing prominently at the bar of the commons, not on the front bench.
As I remarked to my Noble Friends, "there you go, he's next."
He's the one to watch.
With the Kings Garden Party tomorrow there's not a long of time for him to rehearse another Speech on Wednesday
Bunnco - Your man on the spot
Welcome back, please keep posting.
My legendary modesty prevents me from reminding everyone I tipped Healey at 50s.
At the last PMQs before the recess and out of view of the TV cameras but clearly visible from the Peers' gallery was John Healey, standing prominently at the bar of the commons, not on the front bench.
As I remarked to my Noble Friends, "there you go, he's next."
He's the one to watch.
With the Kings Garden Party tomorrow there's not a long of time for him to rehearse another Speech on Wednesday
Bunnco - Your man on the spot
Welcome back, please keep posting.
My legendary modesty prevents me from reminding everyone I tipped Healey at 50s.
Sir Keir Starmer is resisting calls from senior Cabinet ministers to stand down
He’s just announced six new PPS appointments to replace those who quit after calling for him to go
Loyal ministers say he stands by his position from this morning - he will not walk away
This is going to get very, very messy indeed
This doesn't sound messy to me. He's Prime Minister, he's got a majority, he's got loads of new MPs so if some of the ministers want to quit he can bring some new blood in.
If someone thinks they'd do a better job they can get 80 signatures and have a leadership challenge, there are perfectly good rules in place for how to do that.
Usually people break before the challenge, the way most people 'resign' when told to or they will be sacked. But on rare occasions people say 'No, if you want to sack me, do it', 'No, if you want to remove me, challenge me properly'.
We shall see if he forces the issue.
Maybe I'm out-of-touch here but it's not clear to me that Starmer loses a challenge.
I think the left rank him over Streeting and the right rank him over Rayner. And people who really, really want it to be Burnham might want to keep him in place until Burnham can run, which Starmer can ensure never actually happens.
Also I know he hasn't shown himself to be brilliant at using this but he's Prime Minister, he has some control over the agenda that the other contenders don't.
Cooper or Miliband or somebody might be able to attract transfers from both sides but it's not clear they're interested in running.
Before today, I'd have agreed.
The rationale for Starmer in both 2020 and 2024 was not about his talents as the greater flaws of the alternatives. And that's probably still true now.
Streeting and Burnham are both opportunistic shits. Whilst you need a bit of that in politics, I suspect we've gone beyond the point where it's a good thing. And as a result, things have been said and done today that can't be taken back.
So someone else is about to be cursed by getting the job they always wanted.
This is a subject I know way too much about, and I'm not entirely convinced that Dan Neidle is right and Polanski was wrong. Or more precisely, I think Neidle is drawing conclusions that might - and only "might" - nominally be what the law says in one place, but which in practice are not observed by most local councils or marinas. There are at least two possible interpretations that Neidle doesn't appear to have considered. Saying "yeah, fair point" and moving on, while the media's eye is elsewhere, is probably good politics for Polanski.
At the last PMQs before the recess and out of view of the TV cameras but clearly visible from the Peers' gallery was John Healey, standing prominently at the bar of the commons, not on the front bench.
As I remarked to my Noble Friends, "there you go, he's next."
He's the one to watch.
With the Kings Garden Party tomorrow there's not a long of time for him to rehearse another Speech on Wednesday
Bunnco - Your man on the spot
Welcome back, please keep posting.
My legendary modesty prevents me from reminding everyone I tipped Healey at 50s.
I actually do think Starmer should stay on, but I do struggle to see how he resists the pressure - if the BBC are reporting how the Home Secretary (among others) is calling for him to set out his timetable for resignation how can he not sack her, and any others in Cabinet publicly reported as saying the same thing?
The media scent blood so are presenting it as a 'when' not an 'if' but obviously the Cabinet are telling everyone what they are saying, and so either they go or he goes.
I suspect he's getting his personal affairs in order.
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
BTW one of the things they say in this podcast is that it's unfortunate that people are running with this completely fake concern about water, because good ways of mitigating the actual, non-fake environmental harms - energy use and local noise pollution - tend to use more water.
Sir Keir Starmer is resisting calls from senior Cabinet ministers to stand down
He’s just announced six new PPS appointments to replace those who quit after calling for him to go
Loyal ministers say he stands by his position from this morning - he will not walk away
This is going to get very, very messy indeed
This doesn't sound messy to me. He's Prime Minister, he's got a majority, he's got loads of new MPs so if some of the ministers want to quit he can bring some new blood in.
If someone thinks they'd do a better job they can get 80 signatures and have a leadership challenge, there are perfectly good rules in place for how to do that.
Usually people break before the challenge, the way most people 'resign' when told to or they will be sacked. But on rare occasions people say 'No, if you want to sack me, do it', 'No, if you want to remove me, challenge me properly'.
We shall see if he forces the issue.
Maybe I'm out-of-touch here but it's not clear to me that Starmer loses a challenge.
I think the left rank him over Streeting and the right rank him over Rayner. And people who really, really want it to be Burnham might want to keep him in place until Burnham can run, which Starmer can ensure never actually happens.
Also I know he hasn't shown himself to be brilliant at using this but he's Prime Minister, he has some control over the agenda that the other contenders don't.
Cooper or Miliband or somebody might be able to attract transfers from both sides but it's not clear they're interested in running.
Before today, I'd have agreed.
The rationale for Starmer in both 2020 and 2024 was not about his talents as the greater flaws of the alternatives. And that's probably still true now.
Streeting and Burnham are both opportunistic shits. Whilst you need a bit of that in politics, I suspect we've gone beyond the point where it's a good thing. And as a result, things have been said and done today that can't be taken back.
So someone else is about to be cursed by getting the job they always wanted.
And ultimately ending in shame and misery because it always does. That's a rule.
I supported Sir Keir, I was proud to do so and he was clearly the best choice in 2020.
But things move on, I accept he’s not been a good PM and in ma many ways I feel duped that I honestly thought he had a plan. I was wrong. I accept that.
It can be anyone except Rayner or Miliband. Burnham is the best even though I don’t like him but he’s not an MP
McSweeney had a plan; Starmer was his front man. Cf Dominic Cummings and Boris.
If McSweeney had a plan why has Sir Keir been so poor?
It basically went from bad to worse as soon as Gray left.
You used to rave about mcsweeney, or at least about his election strategy. I suggest that Labour had a uniquely lucky situation that led Starmer to think he had a mandate. He got fewer votes than Corbyn for fecks sake. And then with the chance to be radical he’s cowered back from every tough choice. I think that Starmer would have been fine pre 2008. But since then, since the new economic normal, all PMs are expected to work miracles, and none can.
I did because I thought it was all going to come out in time. But nothing did. I was wrong.
Overhaul the planning system, he's having a laugh all right. (Ok, making it easier to dismiss challenges was a good move).
I think there is something in the idea that because people don't feel great what would be scandals to shrug off are much harder - although Blair surely never had to face such harsh locals, so soon.
Until someone bites the bullet, slashes spending, and does the difficult pro-growth reforms this country desperately needs, we will continue to have a ridiculous carousel of Prime Minsters.
The truth is the Prime Minister could have survived the Mandelson scandal if people felt better off in their pockets.
While there’s no growth, there’s no longevity of political tenure.
Blair survived plenty of scandal, and plenty of Mandelson, ultimately because everything in life’s wider context didn’t feel so desperately shit.
Until we have a political class brave enough to end the overspending, liberalise the labour market, and *actually* overhaul the planning system - we’re going to be stuck in this same psychodrama of doom. https://nitter.poast.org/tomhfh/status/2053905282976391338#m
One wonders why football doesn’t just implement a stopping clock, akin to rugby. * Hard to see where 13 minutes came from.
*Except of course football hates learning from other sports, especially rugby.
Because it is institutionally stupid.
Hard not to disagree. Var could genuinely have been useful. About three times a season a terriblecwrong would be righted. But no, they couldn’t stop at the Lampard non goal and Maradonas punch and Henry’s handball.
The new offside rule being trialed sounds a million times better than the 'your pinky finger was past the last man' approach they use now.
Why? It'll just shift the argument to whether there was "daylight or no daylight?"
Tonight Spurs were lucky to draw. Leeds will be top 10 next season.
The only thing worse for Labour in Starmer not resigning is Starmer having to have every finger prised off the door jamb of Number 10, as he screams "But I'm the best man for the job!!" into the void.
Acquire some class, man - and resign. Nobody wants you to carry on (save for Andy Burnham - and that is only until the Friday after his by-election win).
The only thing worse for Labour in Starmer not resigning is Starmer having to have every finger prised off the door jamb of Number 10, as he screams "But I'm the best man for the job!!" into the void.
Acquire some class, man - and resign. Nobody wants you to carry on (save for Andy Burnham - and that is only until the Friday after his by-election win).
He's going to walk into cabinet, be told they all think he should go and say that until someone triggers and wins a challenge he's still their PM and somehow not try and sack any of them, rather than taking the decent way out/route anyone with an ounce of political nous would take. We'll end up with a PM whose cabinet is in almost open rebellion.
The only thing worse for Labour in Starmer not resigning is Starmer having to have every finger prised off the door jamb of Number 10, as he screams "But I'm the best man for the job!!" into the void.
Acquire some class, man - and resign. Nobody wants you to carry on (save for Andy Burnham - and that is only until the Friday after his by-election win).
Remember the golden rule: identify which course of action will be the most politically damaging: that is the one they will choose.
One wonders why football doesn’t just implement a stopping clock, akin to rugby. * Hard to see where 13 minutes came from.
*Except of course football hates learning from other sports, especially rugby.
Because it is institutionally stupid.
Hard not to disagree. Var could genuinely have been useful. About three times a season a terriblecwrong would be righted. But no, they couldn’t stop at the Lampard non goal and Maradonas punch and Henry’s handball.
The new offside rule being trialed sounds a million times better than the 'your pinky finger was past the last man' approach they use now.
Why? It'll just shift the argument to whether there was "daylight or no daylight?"
Because getting the timing of your run 1ms off such that 1cm of one toe is over the line is easy to do now, whereas getting your timing so off that you've completely cleared the last man is harder, for professionals.
Sure, there will still be some cases where it is close to whether there is daylight or not, but the balance is shifted toward the attacking side and players and the number of cases of being just past the last man are surely higher than being wholly past.
He'll go in the morning, but I hope he holds out until at least the end of the week - he should wait for someone in Cabinet to poke their head up properly (not 'it is reported X told him to resign) and quit. Then he can say he will resign after a period of X. At least cost them some salary.
Even Tory Cabinet Ministers had the guts to do that, eventually.
The only thing worse for Labour in Starmer not resigning is Starmer having to have every finger prised off the door jamb of Number 10, as he screams "But I'm the best man for the job!!" into the void.
Acquire some class, man - and resign. Nobody wants you to carry on (save for Andy Burnham - and that is only until the Friday after his by-election win).
He's going to walk into cabinet, be told they all think he should go and say that until someone triggers and wins a challenge he's still their PM and somehow not try and sack any of them, rather than taking the decent way out/route anyone with an ounce of political nous would take. We'll end up with a PM whose cabinet is in almost open rebellion.
They could get rid with a Commons VONC, but that would be unnecessarily messy.
One wonders why football doesn’t just implement a stopping clock, akin to rugby. * Hard to see where 13 minutes came from.
*Except of course football hates learning from other sports, especially rugby.
Because it is institutionally stupid.
They could also end the culture of shouting at and bullying referees in one afternoon by backing instant yellow or red cards for anyone who does it, but don't have the balls as all clubs would moan it was ruining the game to punish players for it.
Yep. First game of the season. Proper tough on any backchat. Games might end up 7 vs 6 for a game or two, but they’d adapt.
There was a proposal for "Orange Cards" for dissent, where you'd be sin binned for 5-10 minutes.
If they can actually get some stability the people of Syria would accept a lot. Progress does not follow a straight-line trajectory. Syria’s political evolution will come in fits and starts, and there is still plenty of sectarian violence inside the country that threatens to derail its transformation. But even though Syria is no liberal democracy, it is a far more pliant partner for the West than Bashar al-Assad ever was. https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/regime-change-has-its-perks/
One wonders why football doesn’t just implement a stopping clock, akin to rugby. * Hard to see where 13 minutes came from.
*Except of course football hates learning from other sports, especially rugby.
Because it is institutionally stupid.
They could also end the culture of shouting at and bullying referees in one afternoon by backing instant yellow or red cards for anyone who does it, but don't have the balls as all clubs would moan it was ruining the game to punish players for it.
Yep. First game of the season. Proper tough on any backchat. Games might end up 7 vs 6 for a game or two, but they’d adapt.
There was a proposal for "Orange Cards" for dissent, where you'd be sin binned for 5-10 minutes.
Unnecessary complication. Like creating new laws rather than enforcing existing ones.
Yellow for everyone who crowds round the ref shouting at them, so that's four or five usually. That's enough of a warning that the next time they do it the same game it will be down to 1-2 reds.
In random movie trivia news, after 52 days the film Project Hail Mary is reporting $328m foreign gross, and...$327.776m domestic.
Not a common ratio.
I also learned that Dune Part One was actually a massive flop at the box office, which is interesting considering Part Three is coming out end of the year.
In random movie trivia news, after 52 days the film Project Hail Mary is reporting $328m foreign gross, and...$327.776m domestic.
Not a common ratio.
I also learned that Dune Part One was actually a massive flop at the box office, which is interesting considering Part Three is coming out end of the year.
It's not that unusual. From memory Sharon Stone films used to do better foreign than domestic, and Star Wars movies never really broke China.
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
In random movie trivia news, after 52 days the film Project Hail Mary is reporting $328m foreign gross, and...$327.776m domestic.
Not a common ratio.
I also learned that Dune Part One was actually a massive flop at the box office, which is interesting considering Part Three is coming out end of the year.
It's not that unusual. From memory Sharon Stone films used to do better foreign than domestic, and Star Wars movies never really broke China.
If you look at 2025 only one movie in the top 10 worldwide grossed half or more of its total in the US Domestic market. Only 4 of the top 20 earned more in the USA than overseas, and of those only one (Sinners) did so by a large margin (in 2024 it was 3/20 and 2023 it was 2/20). PHM being at 50% domestic is pretty high for a high grossing film.
In random movie trivia news, after 52 days the film Project Hail Mary is reporting $328m foreign gross, and...$327.776m domestic.
Not a common ratio.
I also learned that Dune Part One was actually a massive flop at the box office, which is interesting considering Part Three is coming out end of the year.
It's not that unusual. From memory Sharon Stone films used to do better foreign than domestic, and Star Wars movies never really broke China.
If you look at 2025 only one movie in the top 10 worldwide grossed half or more of its total in the US Domestic market. Only 4 of the top 20 earned more in the USA than overseas, and of those only one (Sinners) did so by a large margin (in 2024 it was 3/20 and 2023 it was 2/20). PHM being at 50% domestic is pretty high for a high grossing film.
Here’s an evening mystery to take our minds off the Labour fandango
For a while I’ve been buying 17th-18th century Delft tiles and turning them into coasters. They are superb at this. Just spray the back with lacquer, if needed. Add felt feet. Done
You have a magical piece of European history repurposed
But this one is my favourite, so it’s on my bedside table. Because it is so enigmatic
It appears to show a cloven hoofed demon walking past an idling amorous couple, where the man has given up his shovel. So the demon is condemning idle love? Or indolence? And yet, look more closely. Both humans are male. Bearded. And they seem to be perfectly happy. And the demon actually looks like he might be blessing them
My guess right now is that this hand painted tile was done by a dissident delft gay tile artist, sneaking his perverse sexuality past the Protestant mores of the day and quietly celebrating man love
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
Here’s an evening mystery to take our minds off the Labour fandango
For a while I’ve been buying 17th-18th century Delft tiles and turning them into coasters. They are superb at this. Just spray the back with lacquer, if needed. Add felt feet. Done
You have a magical piece of European history repurposed
But this one is my favourite, so it’s on my bedside table. Because it is so enigmatic
It appears to show a cloven hoofed demon walking past an idling amorous couple, where the man has given up his shovel. So the demon is condemning idle love? Or indolence? And yet, look more closely. Both humans are male. Bearded. And they seem to be perfectly happy. And the demon actually looks like he might be blessing them
My guess right now is that this hand painted tile was done by a dissident delft gay tile artist, sneaking his perverse sexuality past the Protestant mores of the day and quietly celebrating man love
An insightful, needful post crackling with hetero-camp energy.
Here’s an evening mystery to take our minds off the Labour fandango
For a while I’ve been buying 17th-18th century Delft tiles and turning them into coasters. They are superb at this. Just spray the back with lacquer, if needed. Add felt feet. Done
You have a magical piece of European history repurposed
But this one is my favourite, so it’s on my bedside table. Because it is so enigmatic
It appears to show a cloven hoofed demon walking past an idling amorous couple, where the man has given up his shovel. So the demon is condemning idle love? Or indolence? And yet, look more closely. Both humans are male. Bearded. And they seem to be perfectly happy. And the demon actually looks like he might be blessing them
My guess right now is that this hand painted tile was done by a dissident delft gay tile artist, sneaking his perverse sexuality past the Protestant mores of the day and quietly celebrating man love
An insightful, needful post crackling with hetero-camp energy.
At the last PMQs before the recess and out of view of the TV cameras but clearly visible from the Peers' gallery was John Healey, standing prominently at the bar of the commons, not on the front bench.
As I remarked to my Noble Friends, "there you go, he's next."
He's the one to watch.
With the Kings Garden Party tomorrow there's not a long of time for him to rehearse another Speech on Wednesday
Bunnco - Your man on the spot
Welcome back, please keep posting.
My legendary modesty prevents me from reminding everyone I tipped Healey at 50s.
So did I at very long odds a couple of months back, as a value bet. There are a lot of reasons to think that he could make a decent fist of appealing as a respected non-factional unity candidate without damaging baggage who could come through the middle. The main reservation is that that is all speculation without any evidence that he is in any way interested, so Bunnco's observation is interesting.
I would still be surprised if Healey is seriously entertaining a bid, because if he were doing even the slightest amount of preparation then something would surely have got out and those odds would have come down a bit rather than drifting out in recent weeks. That said, the odds are so long that they imply that there would be widespread surprise at his candidature, and as such they still represent value.
One wonders why football doesn’t just implement a stopping clock, akin to rugby. * Hard to see where 13 minutes came from.
*Except of course football hates learning from other sports, especially rugby.
Because it is institutionally stupid.
Hard not to disagree. Var could genuinely have been useful. About three times a season a terriblecwrong would be righted. But no, they couldn’t stop at the Lampard non goal and Maradonas punch and Henry’s handball.
The new offside rule being trialed sounds a million times better than the 'your pinky finger was past the last man' approach they use now.
Why? It'll just shift the argument to whether there was "daylight or no daylight?"
Tonight Spurs were lucky to draw. Leeds will be top 10 next season.
Yes. The advantage of the it was only his big toe is that it is at least objective fact.
One wonders why football doesn’t just implement a stopping clock, akin to rugby. * Hard to see where 13 minutes came from.
*Except of course football hates learning from other sports, especially rugby.
Because it is institutionally stupid.
Hard not to disagree. Var could genuinely have been useful. About three times a season a terriblecwrong would be righted. But no, they couldn’t stop at the Lampard non goal and Maradonas punch and Henry’s handball.
The new offside rule being trialed sounds a million times better than the 'your pinky finger was past the last man' approach they use now.
Why? It'll just shift the argument to whether there was "daylight or no daylight?"
Tonight Spurs were lucky to draw. Leeds will be top 10 next season.
Yes. The advantage of the it was only his big toe is that it is at least objective fact.
Cricket works well with umpires call. Eliminates much of the arguments.
Just stick with on field decision unless clearly on, or clearly off.
The very idea I floated here earlier, now being floated by the New Statesman a few hours later...... even with the fine detail of Miliband being eventually rewarded by being made Chancellor as part of the deal.
So it's not quite as fanciful as some here were suggesting earlier, because I'm not the only one thinking it.
11 May 2026 Install Ed Miliband as caretaker prime minister Then bring back Andy Burnham
Extract: ".....So what’s the solution? As unorthodox as this would be, one way forward would be for a current sitting MP – Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner, or someone less well-known – to challenge Starmer for the leadership now, with the express and explicit intention of using their position as leader to recompose the NEC, bring Burnham back into parliament, and make way for him as leader and Prime Minister as soon as possible. Yes, the press would squawk about uncertainty, chaos and the bond markets. But Burnham could be brought into cabinet discussions as soon as the new leader were in place; that way, investors could be reassured that a consistent programme would be followed during the few weeks that it would take to complete this process: especially if, for example, caretaker PM Ed Miliband were to be appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer as soon as his more electable colleague was installed as Premier......."
One wonders why football doesn’t just implement a stopping clock, akin to rugby. * Hard to see where 13 minutes came from.
*Except of course football hates learning from other sports, especially rugby.
Because it is institutionally stupid.
Hard not to disagree. Var could genuinely have been useful. About three times a season a terriblecwrong would be righted. But no, they couldn’t stop at the Lampard non goal and Maradonas punch and Henry’s handball.
The new offside rule being trialed sounds a million times better than the 'your pinky finger was past the last man' approach they use now.
Why? It'll just shift the argument to whether there was "daylight or no daylight?"
Tonight Spurs were lucky to draw. Leeds will be top 10 next season.
Yes. The advantage of the it was only his big toe is that it is at least objective fact.
Cricket works well with umpires call. Eliminates much of the arguments.
Just stick with on field decision unless clearly on, or clearly off.
Yes but. Define clearly. Cricket works because it has a defined threshold for Umpires Call.
One wonders why football doesn’t just implement a stopping clock, akin to rugby. * Hard to see where 13 minutes came from.
*Except of course football hates learning from other sports, especially rugby.
Because it is institutionally stupid.
Hard not to disagree. Var could genuinely have been useful. About three times a season a terriblecwrong would be righted. But no, they couldn’t stop at the Lampard non goal and Maradonas punch and Henry’s handball.
The new offside rule being trialed sounds a million times better than the 'your pinky finger was past the last man' approach they use now.
Why? It'll just shift the argument to whether there was "daylight or no daylight?"
Tonight Spurs were lucky to draw. Leeds will be top 10 next season.
Yes. The advantage of the it was only his big toe is that it is at least objective fact.
Cricket works well with umpires call. Eliminates much of the arguments.
Just stick with on field decision unless clearly on, or clearly off.
Yes but. Define clearly. Cricket works because it has a defined threshold for Umpires Call.
It’s easy. Give someone (presumably the coach/manager) x reviews they lose if they are wrong , and let the Ref review if they want. Nothing else. Just like cricket.
Edit - “clearly” becomes “what the VAR ref says” just like some things (e.g. marginal catches) are in cricket.
The very idea I floated here earlier, now being floated by the New Statesman a few hours later...... even with the fine detail of Miliband being eventually rewarded by being made Chancellor as part of the deal.
So it's not quite as fanciful as some here were suggesting earlier, because I'm not the only one thinking it.
11 May 2026 Install Ed Miliband as caretaker prime minister Then bring back Andy Burnham
Extract: ".....So what’s the solution? As unorthodox as this would be, one way forward would be for a current sitting MP – Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner, or someone less well-known – to challenge Starmer for the leadership now, with the express and explicit intention of using their position as leader to recompose the NEC, bring Burnham back into parliament, and make way for him as leader and Prime Minister as soon as possible. Yes, the press would squawk about uncertainty, chaos and the bond markets. But Burnham could be brought into cabinet discussions as soon as the new leader were in place; that way, investors could be reassured that a consistent programme would be followed during the few weeks that it would take to complete this process: especially if, for example, caretaker PM Ed Miliband were to be appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer as soon as his more electable colleague was installed as Premier......."
The only slight problem with this is whether the voters are going to play ball and elect Burnham. Surely it is not in the interests of the other parties to have Labour elect someone who they think will improve the Party's fortunes? If the voters are expected to elect Burnham, then they are in such an ornery mood, they might refuse to go along with this.
Which would be quite hilarious - albeit it might make PM Farage a nearer outcome.
Here’s an evening mystery to take our minds off the Labour fandango
For a while I’ve been buying 17th-18th century Delft tiles and turning them into coasters. They are superb at this. Just spray the back with lacquer, if needed. Add felt feet. Done
You have a magical piece of European history repurposed
But this one is my favourite, so it’s on my bedside table. Because it is so enigmatic
It appears to show a cloven hoofed demon walking past an idling amorous couple, where the man has given up his shovel. So the demon is condemning idle love? Or indolence? And yet, look more closely. Both humans are male. Bearded. And they seem to be perfectly happy. And the demon actually looks like he might be blessing them
My guess right now is that this hand painted tile was done by a dissident delft gay tile artist, sneaking his perverse sexuality past the Protestant mores of the day and quietly celebrating man love
The very idea I floated here earlier, now being floated by the New Statesman a few hours later...... even with the fine detail of Miliband being eventually rewarded by being made Chancellor as part of the deal.
So it's not quite as fanciful as some here were suggesting earlier, because I'm not the only one thinking it.
11 May 2026 Install Ed Miliband as caretaker prime minister Then bring back Andy Burnham
Extract: ".....So what’s the solution? As unorthodox as this would be, one way forward would be for a current sitting MP – Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner, or someone less well-known – to challenge Starmer for the leadership now, with the express and explicit intention of using their position as leader to recompose the NEC, bring Burnham back into parliament, and make way for him as leader and Prime Minister as soon as possible. Yes, the press would squawk about uncertainty, chaos and the bond markets. But Burnham could be brought into cabinet discussions as soon as the new leader were in place; that way, investors could be reassured that a consistent programme would be followed during the few weeks that it would take to complete this process: especially if, for example, caretaker PM Ed Miliband were to be appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer as soon as his more electable colleague was installed as Premier......."
Two significant problems with this:
1) What happens if Ed Miliband is still PM when the inevitable sovereign debt crisis this will cause kicks off?
2) What happens when the voters, rather unsportingly but pretty inevitably, vote tactically to ensure Burnham loses.
On the Burnham thing, in the event that for reasons I don't really understand the Labour Party did feel inclined either to faff around with their timetable (in the event that Starmer quits) or let him run in a byelection so he can challenge the leader (in the event that he doesn't) wouldn't it make more sense to change the rules so that a non-MP could run for leader? He can make his challenge, if he loses he can just go back to being Mayor of Manchester and stop fucking around and if he wins they can temporarily make him a lord until such time as they can get him back into parliament.
The very idea I floated here earlier, now being floated by the New Statesman a few hours later...... even with the fine detail of Miliband being eventually rewarded by being made Chancellor as part of the deal.
So it's not quite as fanciful as some here were suggesting earlier, because I'm not the only one thinking it.
11 May 2026 Install Ed Miliband as caretaker prime minister Then bring back Andy Burnham
Extract: ".....So what’s the solution? As unorthodox as this would be, one way forward would be for a current sitting MP – Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner, or someone less well-known – to challenge Starmer for the leadership now, with the express and explicit intention of using their position as leader to recompose the NEC, bring Burnham back into parliament, and make way for him as leader and Prime Minister as soon as possible. Yes, the press would squawk about uncertainty, chaos and the bond markets. But Burnham could be brought into cabinet discussions as soon as the new leader were in place; that way, investors could be reassured that a consistent programme would be followed during the few weeks that it would take to complete this process: especially if, for example, caretaker PM Ed Miliband were to be appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer as soon as his more electable colleague was installed as Premier......."
The only slight problem with this is whether the voters are going to play ball and elect Burnham. Surely it is not in the interests of the other parties to have Labour elect someone who they think will improve the Party's fortunes? If the voters are expected to elect Burnham, then they are in such an ornery mood, they might refuse to go along with this.
Which would be quite hilarious - albeit it might make PM Farage a nearer outcome.
Considering the mood the electorate are in at the moment, surely calling an unnecessary by-election solely to aid Burnham's ambitions to become the next Labour leader and PM has got to be a huge political gamble for him and the Labour party?
The very idea I floated here earlier, now being floated by the New Statesman a few hours later...... even with the fine detail of Miliband being eventually rewarded by being made Chancellor as part of the deal.
So it's not quite as fanciful as some here were suggesting earlier, because I'm not the only one thinking it.
11 May 2026 Install Ed Miliband as caretaker prime minister Then bring back Andy Burnham
Extract: ".....So what’s the solution? As unorthodox as this would be, one way forward would be for a current sitting MP – Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner, or someone less well-known – to challenge Starmer for the leadership now, with the express and explicit intention of using their position as leader to recompose the NEC, bring Burnham back into parliament, and make way for him as leader and Prime Minister as soon as possible. Yes, the press would squawk about uncertainty, chaos and the bond markets. But Burnham could be brought into cabinet discussions as soon as the new leader were in place; that way, investors could be reassured that a consistent programme would be followed during the few weeks that it would take to complete this process: especially if, for example, caretaker PM Ed Miliband were to be appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer as soon as his more electable colleague was installed as Premier......."
Instal Ed Miliband as caretaker Labour leader, then get Burnham in as Labour leader, then make him PM.
I mean it's still bullshit, but it's marginally more plausible
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
At the last PMQs before the recess and out of view of the TV cameras but clearly visible from the Peers' gallery was John Healey, standing prominently at the bar of the commons, not on the front bench.
As I remarked to my Noble Friends, "there you go, he's next."
He's the one to watch.
With the Kings Garden Party tomorrow there's not a long of time for him to rehearse another Speech on Wednesday
One wonders why football doesn’t just implement a stopping clock, akin to rugby. * Hard to see where 13 minutes came from.
*Except of course football hates learning from other sports, especially rugby.
Because it is institutionally stupid.
Hard not to disagree. Var could genuinely have been useful. About three times a season a terriblecwrong would be righted. But no, they couldn’t stop at the Lampard non goal and Maradonas punch and Henry’s handball.
The new offside rule being trialed sounds a million times better than the 'your pinky finger was past the last man' approach they use now.
Why? It'll just shift the argument to whether there was "daylight or no daylight?"
Tonight Spurs were lucky to draw. Leeds will be top 10 next season.
Yes. The advantage of the it was only his big toe is that it is at least objective fact.
Cricket works well with umpires call. Eliminates much of the arguments.
Just stick with on field decision unless clearly on, or clearly off.
Yes but. Define clearly. Cricket works because it has a defined threshold for Umpires Call.
Being out or not out depending on what the original decision was is farcical. You are either out or you aren't.
If the PM goes two days before a King’s Speech, then what dot you do? You can’t have THAT speech because the new PM may not like it.
Do you have an ultra short Parliament with stuff everyone sort of agrees with? Now to Sep to cover a leadership election then go again?
But do you do that, then Labour are giving up another six months of nothing happening.
Why not prorogue Parliament like Boris and Cummings did?
I can see why this will be causing consternation in Downing Street and Buckingham Palace. It is astonishing that no-one is even mentioning the theory of what is / could happen. My guess is that precedent will be broken.
Today, either Starmer kisses hands and some interim Labour person, I kid you not, Lammy goes to the palace and is PM by this evening
OR None of this happens
Tomorrow we have the State Opening of Parliament with the King reading the Speech prepared by the PM, Starmer or LAMMY !!!
There is the vote on the King's Speech. Either it is supported or it is voted down. If Starmer is still PM the speech needs to be voted down by all genuine opposition and those MPs formerly on the government benches who oppose Starmer.
If it is Lammy's Speech, heaven help us, it should PASS and Lammy is PM with the support of the HoC, No it isn't 1st April.
If the Speech is VOTED DOWN then precedent is pretty clear, If the failing PM is Starmer then the King should call on Lammy to see if he can form a government. At that point it is the King's choice, not Labour's
If it is already Lammy, and it ought to be but his speech is voted down, THEN the King must call on the Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition to see if she can form an Administration.
The Leader of the Opposition will attempt to form a minority administration. Because of the numbers she ought to include Reform MPs and LD MPs, maybe even Scot Nats. This government will presumably fall. But, not necessarily. Importantly Kemi IS PM. At this point Kemi informs the King she is unable to command a majority in the HoC and calls for a Dissolution with a GE presumably 1st week in July.
But during the interim Kemi will be PM. You can see why Labour will have to have an interim PM today to avoid all this.
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
- people complained about low water pressure - They were asked to stop watering their lawns as a temporary measure to save water - The county investigated and discovered the source of the problem - The offender was billed for the water that they used
I’m not seeing what your issue is? It seems to be that you think they should have been fined in addition to being charged for the water?
If the PM goes two days before a King’s Speech, then what dot you do? You can’t have THAT speech because the new PM may not like it.
Do you have an ultra short Parliament with stuff everyone sort of agrees with? Now to Sep to cover a leadership election then go again?
But do you do that, then Labour are giving up another six months of nothing happening.
Why not prorogue Parliament like Boris and Cummings did?
I can see why this will be causing consternation in Downing Street and Buckingham Palace. It is astonishing that no-one is even mentioning the theory of what is / could happen. My guess is that precedent will be broken.
Today, either Starmer kisses hands and some interim Labour person, I kid you not, Lammy goes to the palace and is PM by this evening
OR None of this happens
Tomorrow we have the State Opening of Parliament with the King reading the Speech prepared by the PM, Starmer or LAMMY !!!
There is the vote on the King's Speech. Either it is supported or it is voted down. If Starmer is still PM the speech needs to be voted down by all genuine opposition and those MPs formerly on the government benches who oppose Starmer.
If it is Lammy's Speech, heaven help us, it should PASS and Lammy is PM with the support of the HoC, No it isn't 1st April.
If the Speech is VOTED DOWN then precedent is pretty clear, If the failing PM is Starmer then the King should call on Lammy to see if he can form a government. At that point it is the King's choice, not Labour's
If it is already Lammy, and it ought to be but his speech is voted down, THEN the King must call on the Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition to see if she can form an Administration.
The Leader of the Opposition will attempt to form a minority administration. Because of the numbers she ought to include Reform MPs and LD MPs, maybe even Scot Nats. This government will presumably fall. But, not necessarily. Importantly Kemi IS PM. At this point Kemi informs the King she is unable to command a majority in the HoC and calls for a Dissolution with a GE presumably 1st week in July.
But during the interim Kemi will be PM. You can see why Labour will have to have an interim PM today to avoid all this.
It’s far more likely the King will invite someone from Labour to form a government as they are likely to be able to command a majority.
If the PM goes two days before a King’s Speech, then what dot you do? You can’t have THAT speech because the new PM may not like it.
Do you have an ultra short Parliament with stuff everyone sort of agrees with? Now to Sep to cover a leadership election then go again?
But do you do that, then Labour are giving up another six months of nothing happening.
Why not prorogue Parliament like Boris and Cummings did?
I can see why this will be causing consternation in Downing Street and Buckingham Palace. It is astonishing that no-one is even mentioning the theory of what is / could happen. My guess is that precedent will be broken.
Today, either Starmer kisses hands and some interim Labour person, I kid you not, Lammy goes to the palace and is PM by this evening
OR None of this happens
Tomorrow we have the State Opening of Parliament with the King reading the Speech prepared by the PM, Starmer or LAMMY !!!
There is the vote on the King's Speech. Either it is supported or it is voted down. If Starmer is still PM the speech needs to be voted down by all genuine opposition and those MPs formerly on the government benches who oppose Starmer.
If it is Lammy's Speech, heaven help us, it should PASS and Lammy is PM with the support of the HoC, No it isn't 1st April.
If the Speech is VOTED DOWN then precedent is pretty clear, If the failing PM is Starmer then the King should call on Lammy to see if he can form a government. At that point it is the King's choice, not Labour's
If it is already Lammy, and it ought to be but his speech is voted down, THEN the King must call on the Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition to see if she can form an Administration.
The Leader of the Opposition will attempt to form a minority administration. Because of the numbers she ought to include Reform MPs and LD MPs, maybe even Scot Nats. This government will presumably fall. But, not necessarily. Importantly Kemi IS PM. At this point Kemi informs the King she is unable to command a majority in the HoC and calls for a Dissolution with a GE presumably 1st week in July.
But during the interim Kemi will be PM. You can see why Labour will have to have an interim PM today to avoid all this.
It’s far more likely the King will invite someone from Labour to form a government as they are likely to be able to command a majority.
He can only call one from Labour and by precedent that would be Lammy. If that goverment falls then the King is bound by precedent to go to the Leader of the Opposition.
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
- people complained about low water pressure - They were asked to stop watering their lawns as a temporary measure to save water - The county investigated and discovered the source of the problem - The offender was billed for the water that they used
I’m not seeing what your issue is? It seems to be that you think they should have been fined in addition to being charged for the water?
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
- people complained about low water pressure - They were asked to stop watering their lawns as a temporary measure to save water - The county investigated and discovered the source of the problem - The offender was billed for the water that they used
I’m not seeing what your issue is? It seems to be that you think they should have been fined in addition to being charged for the water?
Certainly in the UK they woukd have been fined for illegal water extraction. It happens to farmers regularly.
But I don"t know what the US regulations are so it is entirely possible that being billed for the water they took is the limit of their liability.
What I did find interesting was that this was for construction. The firm operating the data centre said that once built water usage would be very low as the place operates on a closed circulating system. Which does make sense.
PMs tend to cling on as long as they can, for the history books and to get some “legacy” legislation passed.
I don’t think if Starmer resigns now that he’ll want to go immediately.
I think it’s far more likely he’ll say he won’t lead them into the next GE and he’ll stand aside in the autumn. Which then passes the baton back to Streeting et al to work out what the heck they do then - are they really going to trigger a contest now or risk Burnham?
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
If the PM goes two days before a King’s Speech, then what dot you do? You can’t have THAT speech because the new PM may not like it.
Do you have an ultra short Parliament with stuff everyone sort of agrees with? Now to Sep to cover a leadership election then go again?
But do you do that, then Labour are giving up another six months of nothing happening.
Why not prorogue Parliament like Boris and Cummings did?
I can see why this will be causing consternation in Downing Street and Buckingham Palace. It is astonishing that no-one is even mentioning the theory of what is / could happen. My guess is that precedent will be broken.
Today, either Starmer kisses hands and some interim Labour person, I kid you not, Lammy goes to the palace and is PM by this evening
OR None of this happens
Tomorrow we have the State Opening of Parliament with the King reading the Speech prepared by the PM, Starmer or LAMMY !!!
There is the vote on the King's Speech. Either it is supported or it is voted down. If Starmer is still PM the speech needs to be voted down by all genuine opposition and those MPs formerly on the government benches who oppose Starmer.
If it is Lammy's Speech, heaven help us, it should PASS and Lammy is PM with the support of the HoC, No it isn't 1st April.
If the Speech is VOTED DOWN then precedent is pretty clear, If the failing PM is Starmer then the King should call on Lammy to see if he can form a government. At that point it is the King's choice, not Labour's
If it is already Lammy, and it ought to be but his speech is voted down, THEN the King must call on the Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition to see if she can form an Administration.
The Leader of the Opposition will attempt to form a minority administration. Because of the numbers she ought to include Reform MPs and LD MPs, maybe even Scot Nats. This government will presumably fall. But, not necessarily. Importantly Kemi IS PM. At this point Kemi informs the King she is unable to command a majority in the HoC and calls for a Dissolution with a GE presumably 1st week in July.
But during the interim Kemi will be PM. You can see why Labour will have to have an interim PM today to avoid all this.
It’s far more likely the King will invite someone from Labour to form a government as they are likely to be able to command a majority.
He can only call one from Labour and by precedent that would be Lammy. If that goverment falls then the King is bound by precedent to go to the Leader of the Opposition.
He can call however many he likes from Labour so long as he thinks they can command a majority.
One wonders why football doesn’t just implement a stopping clock, akin to rugby. * Hard to see where 13 minutes came from.
*Except of course football hates learning from other sports, especially rugby.
Because it is institutionally stupid.
Hard not to disagree. Var could genuinely have been useful. About three times a season a terriblecwrong would be righted. But no, they couldn’t stop at the Lampard non goal and Maradonas punch and Henry’s handball.
The new offside rule being trialed sounds a million times better than the 'your pinky finger was past the last man' approach they use now.
Why? It'll just shift the argument to whether there was "daylight or no daylight?"
Tonight Spurs were lucky to draw. Leeds will be top 10 next season.
Yes. The advantage of the it was only his big toe is that it is at least objective fact.
Cricket works well with umpires call. Eliminates much of the arguments.
Just stick with on field decision unless clearly on, or clearly off.
Yes but. Define clearly. Cricket works because it has a defined threshold for Umpires Call.
That part is easy. Define a threshold for a clear error and operate on that. I would suggest a margin of half the width of a football, but other margins are available.
If it lands within that margin, stick with the on field decision.
If its outside, overturn it. Clear and obvious error.
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
- people complained about low water pressure - They were asked to stop watering their lawns as a temporary measure to save water - The county investigated and discovered the source of the problem - The offender was billed for the water that they used
I’m not seeing what your issue is? It seems to be that you think they should have been fined in addition to being charged for the water?
Er, prosecuted? Sounds like theft to me.
Why would they be prosecuted for a cock-up at the water company?
However, the discrepancy between QTS’s stated and actual water usage remained undetected for months, with Politico reporting that the county’s water system director, Vanessa Tigert, attributed the oversight to a procedural error during the county's transition to a cloud-based metering system.
Oh to be a spy in Buckingham Palace this morning, at what machinations are going on behind the scenes to avoid dragging the King into a massive political mess.
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
- people complained about low water pressure - They were asked to stop watering their lawns as a temporary measure to save water - The county investigated and discovered the source of the problem - The offender was billed for the water that they used
I’m not seeing what your issue is? It seems to be that you think they should have been fined in addition to being charged for the water?
Er, prosecuted? Sounds like theft to me.
Utility didn’t send them a bill. And when they did it was paid. Seems to have been a botched billing system migration
When I went to bed just under 20% of the Labour parliamentary party had said Starmer should go and 4 members of the Cabinet were suggesting likewise but had not resigned. Has that changed? Is there a chance that Starmer simply tells them to get lost? I think that we might just be getting ahead of ourselves here.
Life would be much simpler if there was any kind of consensus in Labour about what happens next but there isn’t. It is far from clear that any specific candidate has 80 MPs let alone a majority.
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
- people complained about low water pressure - They were asked to stop watering their lawns as a temporary measure to save water - The county investigated and discovered the source of the problem - The offender was billed for the water that they used
I’m not seeing what your issue is? It seems to be that you think they should have been fined in addition to being charged for the water?
Certainly in the UK they woukd have been fined for illegal water extraction. It happens to farmers regularly.
But I don"t know what the US regulations are so it is entirely possible that being billed for the water they took is the limit of their liability.
What I did find interesting was that this was for construction. The firm operating the data centre said that once built water usage would be very low as the place operates on a closed circulating system. Which does make sense.
Turns out that the utility made a mistake on their billing system and didn’t charge them
When I went to bed just under 20% of the Labour parliamentary party had said Starmer should go and 4 members of the Cabinet were suggesting likewise but had not resigned. Has that changed? Is there a chance that Starmer simply tells them to get lost? I think that we might just be getting ahead of ourselves here.
I don’t think he has enough of a power base to cling on.
The only reason others haven’t told him to go immediately is because they’re largely after Burnham and worry an immediate contest will preclude him.
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
- people complained about low water pressure - They were asked to stop watering their lawns as a temporary measure to save water - The county investigated and discovered the source of the problem - The offender was billed for the water that they used
I’m not seeing what your issue is? It seems to be that you think they should have been fined in addition to being charged for the water?
Certainly in the UK they woukd have been fined for illegal water extraction. It happens to farmers regularly.
But I don"t know what the US regulations are so it is entirely possible that being billed for the water they took is the limit of their liability.
What I did find interesting was that this was for construction. The firm operating the data centre said that once built water usage would be very low as the place operates on a closed circulating system. Which does make sense.
The water extraction wasn't illegal. They had a meter legally installed. The utility just forgot to read it, they were in the middle of switching from a manual system to an automated one and they wrongly assumed the meter in question was on the automated one. Then they realized their mistake and sent the company a bill, which the company paid.
Someone then apparently got hold of a letter sent to them about this and jumped to a bunch of wrong conclusions, and a journalist wrote a deliberately misleading article for clicks because people are desperate to believe in this entirely fake issue.
If you're Burnham, do you have either Mike Kane or Andrew Western hold a press conference this morning announcing they are resigning as MPs and support Burnham as there replacement?
Surely the NEC wouldn't block him in these circumstances
When I went to bed just under 20% of the Labour parliamentary party had said Starmer should go and 4 members of the Cabinet were suggesting likewise but had not resigned. Has that changed? Is there a chance that Starmer simply tells them to get lost? I think that we might just be getting ahead of ourselves here.
I don’t think he has enough of a power base to cling on.
The only reason others haven’t told him to go immediately is because they’re largely after Burnham and worry an immediate contest will preclude him.
He can hang on if the majority would rather have him than a specific alternative. So, for example, if a majority would rather put up with Keir than have Streeting or Rayner or whoever he wins. And this might be where we are until Burnham arrives
AI data center project secretly sucked 29 million gallons of water over 15 months before detected by residents complaining about low water pressure — officials refuse to fine builders of massive 6.2 million-square-foot facility over unauthorized water use
- people complained about low water pressure - They were asked to stop watering their lawns as a temporary measure to save water - The county investigated and discovered the source of the problem - The offender was billed for the water that they used
I’m not seeing what your issue is? It seems to be that you think they should have been fined in addition to being charged for the water?
Certainly in the UK they woukd have been fined for illegal water extraction. It happens to farmers regularly.
But I don"t know what the US regulations are so it is entirely possible that being billed for the water they took is the limit of their liability.
What I did find interesting was that this was for construction. The firm operating the data centre said that once built water usage would be very low as the place operates on a closed circulating system. Which does make sense.
The water extraction wasn't illegal. They had a meter legally installed. The utility just forgot to read it, they were in the middle of switching from a manual system to an automated one and they wrongly assumed the meter in question was on the automated one. Then they realized their mistake and sent the company a bill, which the company paid.
Someone then apparently got hold of a letter sent to them about this and jumped to a bunch of wrong conclusions, and a journalist wrote a deliberately misleading article for clicks because people are desperate to believe in this entirely fake issue.
It’s almost as if there’s a very well funded and organised campaign being put together to lobby against data centres in the US.
Comments
Also, one of the PPS resignations was to Shabana Mahmood. Who has now told him to go. So why has a new PPS been appointed? What's the point?
Tomorrow is going to be a belter.
Just because they haven't done it, doesn't mean it's impossible.
What it DOES mean is that they've been too cowardly, lazy and/or stupid to take the short term political pain necessary to get the country back to a decent level of prosperity.
So we stagnate even in good times, and decline in bad ones - all the more tragic because completely unnecessary.
The rationale for Starmer in both 2020 and 2024 was not about his talents as the greater flaws of the alternatives. And that's probably still true now.
Streeting and Burnham are both opportunistic shits. Whilst you need a bit of that in politics, I suspect we've gone beyond the point where it's a good thing. And as a result, things have been said and done today that can't be taken back.
So someone else is about to be cursed by getting the job they always wanted.
The media scent blood so are presenting it as a 'when' not an 'if' but obviously the Cabinet are telling everyone what they are saying, and so either they go or he goes.
I suspect he's getting his personal affairs in order.
Alan Amos.
Possibly the single most execrable politician in Britain today.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Amos
I think there is something in the idea that because people don't feel great what would be scandals to shrug off are much harder - although Blair surely never had to face such harsh locals, so soon.
Until someone bites the bullet, slashes spending, and does the difficult pro-growth reforms this country desperately needs, we will continue to have a ridiculous carousel of Prime Minsters.
The truth is the Prime Minister could have survived the Mandelson scandal if people felt better off in their pockets.
While there’s no growth, there’s no longevity of political tenure.
Blair survived plenty of scandal, and plenty of Mandelson, ultimately because everything in life’s wider context didn’t feel so desperately shit.
Until we have a political class brave enough to end the overspending, liberalise the labour market, and *actually* overhaul the planning system - we’re going to be stuck in this same psychodrama of doom.
https://nitter.poast.org/tomhfh/status/2053905282976391338#m
Tonight Spurs were lucky to draw. Leeds will be top 10 next season.
Acquire some class, man - and resign. Nobody wants you to carry on (save for Andy Burnham - and that is only until the Friday after his by-election win).
Sure, there will still be some cases where it is close to whether there is daylight or not, but the balance is shifted toward the attacking side and players and the number of cases of being just past the last man are surely higher than being wholly past.
Even Tory Cabinet Ministers had the guts to do that, eventually.
If you want to feel a bigger tit, vote Polanski.
Progress does not follow a straight-line trajectory. Syria’s political evolution will come in fits and starts, and there is still plenty of sectarian violence inside the country that threatens to derail its transformation. But even though Syria is no liberal democracy, it is a far more pliant partner for the West than Bashar al-Assad ever was.
https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/regime-change-has-its-perks/
Yellow for everyone who crowds round the ref shouting at them, so that's four or five usually. That's enough of a warning that the next time they do it the same game it will be down to 1-2 reds.
At the next game none of them will do it.
Not a common ratio.
I also learned that Dune Part One was actually a massive flop at the box office, which is interesting considering Part Three is coming out end of the year.
Yes, if you break China you make bank, but even a moderate run in China usually results in big movies getting more overseas than domestic.
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/2025/?ref_=bo_hm_yrww
For a while I’ve been buying 17th-18th century Delft tiles and turning them into coasters. They are superb at this. Just spray the back with lacquer, if needed. Add felt feet. Done
You have a magical piece of European history repurposed
But this one is my favourite, so it’s on my bedside table. Because it is so enigmatic
It appears to show a cloven hoofed demon walking past an idling amorous couple, where the man has given up his shovel. So the demon is condemning idle love? Or indolence? And yet, look more closely. Both humans are male. Bearded. And they seem to be perfectly happy. And the demon actually looks like he might be blessing them
My guess right now is that this hand painted tile was done by a dissident delft gay tile artist, sneaking his perverse sexuality past the Protestant mores of the day and quietly celebrating man love
I would still be surprised if Healey is seriously entertaining a bid, because if he were doing even the slightest amount of preparation then something would surely have got out and those odds would have come down a bit rather than drifting out in recent weeks. That said, the odds are so long that they imply that there would be widespread surprise at his candidature, and as such they still represent value.
WTF IS GOING ON IN MY REPURPOSED 17TH CENTURY DELFT TILE BEDROOM WINE COASTER
Is it 400-year-old religiose homo-erotic quasi-ceramic agit-prop?
I get the weird feeling I need @kinabalu’s verdict
He's a long standing ne'er do well.
As am I to her.
The advantage of the it was only his big toe is that it is at least objective fact.
Just stick with on field decision unless clearly on, or clearly off.
So it's not quite as fanciful as some here were suggesting earlier, because I'm not the only one thinking it.
https://www.newstatesman.com/comment/2026/05/install-ed-miliband-as-caretaker-prime-minister
11 May 2026
Install Ed Miliband as caretaker prime minister
Then bring back Andy Burnham
Extract:
".....So what’s the solution? As unorthodox as this would be, one way forward would be for a current sitting MP – Ed Miliband, Angela Rayner, or someone less well-known – to challenge Starmer for the leadership now, with the express and explicit intention of using their position as leader to recompose the NEC, bring Burnham back into parliament, and make way for him as leader and Prime Minister as soon as possible. Yes, the press would squawk about uncertainty, chaos and the bond markets. But Burnham could be brought into cabinet discussions as soon as the new leader were in place; that way, investors could be reassured that a consistent programme would be followed during the few weeks that it would take to complete this process: especially if, for example, caretaker PM Ed Miliband were to be appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer as soon as his more electable colleague was installed as Premier......."
Do you have an ultra short Parliament with stuff everyone sort of agrees with? Now to Sep to cover a leadership election then go again?
But do you do that, then Labour are giving up another six months of nothing happening.
Define clearly.
Cricket works because it has a defined threshold for Umpires Call.
Edit - “clearly” becomes “what the VAR ref says” just like some things (e.g. marginal catches) are in cricket.
Which would be quite hilarious - albeit it might make PM Farage a nearer outcome.
(Nah, he'll just announce a timetable).
1) What happens if Ed Miliband is still PM when the inevitable sovereign debt crisis this will cause kicks off?
2) What happens when the voters, rather unsportingly but pretty inevitably, vote tactically to ensure Burnham loses.
I mean it's still bullshit, but it's marginally more plausible
Today, either Starmer kisses hands and some interim Labour person, I kid you not, Lammy goes to the palace and is PM by this evening
OR None of this happens
Tomorrow we have the State Opening of Parliament with the King reading the Speech prepared by the PM, Starmer or LAMMY !!!
There is the vote on the King's Speech. Either it is supported or it is voted down. If Starmer is still PM the speech needs to be voted down by all genuine opposition and those MPs formerly on the government benches who oppose Starmer.
If it is Lammy's Speech, heaven help us, it should PASS and Lammy is PM with the support of the HoC, No it isn't 1st April.
If the Speech is VOTED DOWN then precedent is pretty clear, If the failing PM is Starmer then the King should call on Lammy to see if he can form a government. At that point it is the King's choice, not Labour's
If it is already Lammy, and it ought to be but his speech is voted down, THEN the King must call on the Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition to see if she can form an Administration.
The Leader of the Opposition will attempt to form a minority administration. Because of the numbers she ought to include Reform MPs and LD MPs, maybe even Scot Nats. This government will presumably fall. But, not necessarily. Importantly Kemi IS PM. At this point Kemi informs the King she is unable to command a majority in the HoC and calls for a Dissolution with a GE presumably 1st week in July.
But during the interim Kemi will be PM. You can see why Labour will have to have an interim PM today to avoid all this.
- people complained about low water pressure
- They were asked to stop watering their lawns as a temporary measure to save water
- The county investigated and discovered the source of the problem
- The offender was billed for the water that they used
I’m not seeing what your issue is? It seems to be that you think they should have been fined in addition to being charged for the water?
But I don"t know what the US regulations are so it is entirely possible that being billed for the water they took is the limit of their liability.
What I did find interesting was that this was for construction. The firm operating the data centre said that once built water usage would be very low as the place operates on a closed circulating system. Which does make sense.
I don’t think if Starmer resigns now that he’ll want to go immediately.
I think it’s far more likely he’ll say he won’t lead them into the next GE and he’ll stand aside in the autumn. Which then passes the baton back to Streeting et al to work out what the heck they do then - are they really going to trigger a contest now or risk Burnham?
If it lands within that margin, stick with the on field decision.
If its outside, overturn it. Clear and obvious error.
However, the discrepancy between QTS’s stated and actual water usage remained undetected for months, with Politico reporting that the county’s water system director, Vanessa Tigert, attributed the oversight to a procedural error during the county's transition to a cloud-based metering system.
Mildly surprised Starmer's still there given how things looked yesterday evening.
Oh to be a spy in Buckingham Palace this morning, at what machinations are going on behind the scenes to avoid dragging the King into a massive political mess.
Life would be much simpler if there was any kind of consensus in Labour about what happens next but there isn’t. It is far from clear that any specific candidate has 80 MPs let alone a majority.
The only reason others haven’t told him to go immediately is because they’re largely after Burnham and worry an immediate contest will preclude him.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy02wdzrg6jo
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1EmpUCfoAk/
Someone then apparently got hold of a letter sent to them about this and jumped to a bunch of wrong conclusions, and a journalist wrote a deliberately misleading article for clicks because people are desperate to believe in this entirely fake issue.
Surely the NEC wouldn't block him in these circumstances