The whole thing is a farce. I wonder if we are about to get a taste of “left wing” move that’ll force the markets to act.
I’ve also no idea why anyone thinks Burnham can be given a seat amongst this and maintain his so called “popularity”. Those that have lent Labour their votes at the last election did so thinking the left of the party were “contained I’d imagine
"Keir said in Cabinet that he won’t discuss the elections or his leadership, and that he will only speak to cabinet ministers about that individually. Then after the meeting he refused to see Cabinet ministers individually."
Walter Titty and Farage are very lucky that all the focus on Starmer meaning their council tax dodging and definitely.not iffy gift scandals arent getting any air time.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
Most kids went to their closest school too. It's a function of the tyranny of choice as well as societal changes. Particularly the need to have two parents working full time to afford the mortgage/rent.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
This sort of things still goes on massively. The complex system of accumulating mutual childcare favours is one of the delights of parenting. See for instance the TV show Motherland where this choreography is successfully satirised. Of course, much of this work falls on female shoulders, so the PB demographic may be unaware it is happening!
Our son will start school next year and I'm already fretting about these kind of logistics...
All I can tell you is that you will manage, because everybody does, ultimately. It's hard but it's doable. And gradually you will go from what seems like a daily trial to something that you suddenly realise you've been enjoying doing for years - the chats with your child who no longer needs cajoling every step of the way, the changing of the seasons, the regular chats with your favoured people to interact with at school (I think women call these people 'friends'). After almost a decade of this I came out the other side of it last September when my youngest, in year 6, decided she wanted to walk to and from school on her own (school allow this in year 6, as long as you fill in a permission slip). There was definitely a bit of existential adjustment required. What's the point of me then? It is, however, a different source of joy when you see the three of them all arrive home almost simultaneously from their respective schools.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
And didn't have to be collected either - the junior school gate opened and we took ourselves home (I'm a bit older than you but still true for my younger brother in the early 80s).
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
And didn't have to be collected either - the junior school gate opened and we took ourselves home (I'm a bit older than you but still true for my younger brother in the early 80s).
In parts of the country it was true in the mid 90s.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Should help with walking and cycling too. More time to drop off and then head to work.
Indeed. On the days when I dropped my kids at breakfast club (this was before it was free, but the point still stands), I would walk the kids down to school about 7.45, walk back, walk to the tram stop, and head in, and be at work for 9. On the days I didn't, I'd drive down to school, park as close as I could, drop them off at 8.50, get back in the car, drive to the tram, park as close as I could, and just make it in to work for 9.30. Parents don't necessarily want to drive their kids to school. But - given that primary schools insist on children being handed over - you can't just leave them in the playground - for many having their cars ready to leap into as soon as they're out the school gate is the only way both school drop off and the commute are possible.
I agree. It's a major step forward for those it impacts. And a removal of a needless barrier to work. Hasn't been fully funded, mind. So most schools are making a loss from it. Which is coming out of other budgets. The handing over thing is because of the laws on in loco parentis. Spent a frustrating proportion of time dealing with complaints from parents about what happened on the bus/outside the school gates. And having to basically say it's nowt to do with us.
Not all employers are as flexible as Cookie's either, being later than 9am could be non-negotiable.
"Keir said in Cabinet that he won’t discuss the elections or his leadership, and that he will only speak to cabinet ministers about that individually. Then after the meeting he refused to see Cabinet ministers individually."
I thought this was a joke when I first saw it, but now the BBC is reporting it, so if it is a joke they didn't get it.
If it's not a joke, surely it's political suicide?
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
This sort of things still goes on massively. The complex system of accumulating mutual childcare favours is one of the delights of parenting. See for instance the TV show Motherland where this choreography is successfully satirised. Of course, much of this work falls on female shoulders, so the PB demographic may be unaware it is happening!
Our son will start school next year and I'm already fretting about these kind of logistics...
It all somehow works out in the end, don't worry. But there is an impossible trinity of being a good parent, a good spouse and a good employee. It is impossible to be all three if you have kids.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
And didn't have to be collected either - the junior school gate opened and we took ourselves home (I'm a bit older than you but still true for my younger brother in the early 80s).
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
And didn't have to be collected either - the junior school gate opened and we took ourselves home (I'm a bit older than you but still true for my younger brother in the early 80s).
Just thinking about it, when did it become obligatory to collect your 8-year old child from school? It was by the time mine were at school, so that was 2005 or so. Same with cubs, I wasn't collected, I just walked home with my friends. At 8.30PM. Modern parents would all have kittens with that!
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
This sort of things still goes on massively. The complex system of accumulating mutual childcare favours is one of the delights of parenting. See for instance the TV show Motherland where this choreography is successfully satirised. Of course, much of this work falls on female shoulders, so the PB demographic may be unaware it is happening!
Our son will start school next year and I'm already fretting about these kind of logistics...
It all somehow works out in the end, don't worry. But there is an impossible trinity of being a good parent, a good spouse and a good employee. It is impossible to be all three if you have kids.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
They are fine, but relatively uncontroversial, and they're not going to move anyone's dial.
This is a bit closer to the mark (allowing for hyperbole). Whats mental is if he just went, fuck it - rejoin EU, nationalise rail, nationalise water & do a wealth tax
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
And didn't have to be collected either - the junior school gate opened and we took ourselves home (I'm a bit older than you but still true for my younger brother in the early 80s).
Even by the late 80s, my teachers essentially saw the clock strike three and said “piss off then, I’m not responsible for you any more”.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Should help with walking and cycling too. More time to drop off and then head to work.
Indeed. On the days when I dropped my kids at breakfast club (this was before it was free, but the point still stands), I would walk the kids down to school about 7.45, walk back, walk to the tram stop, and head in, and be at work for 9. On the days I didn't, I'd drive down to school, park as close as I could, drop them off at 8.50, get back in the car, drive to the tram, park as close as I could, and just make it in to work for 9.30. Parents don't necessarily want to drive their kids to school. But - given that primary schools insist on children being handed over - you can't just leave them in the playground - for many having their cars ready to leap into as soon as they're out the school gate is the only way both school drop off and the commute are possible.
I agree. It's a major step forward for those it impacts. And a removal of a needless barrier to work. Hasn't been fully funded, mind. So most schools are making a loss from it. Which is coming out of other budgets. The handing over thing is because of the laws on in loco parentis. Spent a frustrating proportion of time dealing with complaints from parents about what happened on the bus/outside the school gates. And having to basically say it's nowt to do with us.
Not all employers are as flexible as Cookie's either, being later than 9am could be non-negotiable.
True. It's another thing that holds us back as a nation. Many schools start at 8:30 now. But that just shifts the problem to earlier in the afternoon.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Should help with walking and cycling too. More time to drop off and then head to work.
Indeed. On the days when I dropped my kids at breakfast club (this was before it was free, but the point still stands), I would walk the kids down to school about 7.45, walk back, walk to the tram stop, and head in, and be at work for 9. On the days I didn't, I'd drive down to school, park as close as I could, drop them off at 8.50, get back in the car, drive to the tram, park as close as I could, and just make it in to work for 9.30. Parents don't necessarily want to drive their kids to school. But - given that primary schools insist on children being handed over - you can't just leave them in the playground - for many having their cars ready to leap into as soon as they're out the school gate is the only way both school drop off and the commute are possible.
I agree. It's a major step forward for those it impacts. And a removal of a needless barrier to work. Hasn't been fully funded, mind. So most schools are making a loss from it. Which is coming out of other budgets. The handing over thing is because of the laws on in loco parentis. Spent a frustrating proportion of time dealing with complaints from parents about what happened on the bus/outside the school gates. And having to basically say it's nowt to do with us.
Not all employers are as flexible as Cookie's either, being later than 9am could be non-negotiable.
I do wonder how some families manage - if I have to go to the office I need to leave home at about 7:30. This is normal for London. None of the schools near here are on the way to the station.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
And didn't have to be collected either - the junior school gate opened and we took ourselves home (I'm a bit older than you but still true for my younger brother in the early 80s).
Even by the late 80s, my teachers essentially saw the clock strike three and said “piss off then, I’m not responsible for you any more”.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
Most kids went to their closest school too. It's a function of the tyranny of choice as well as societal changes. Particularly the need to have two parents working full time to afford the mortgage/rent.
Not much choice in this neck of the woods! You can apply to a school which isn't your closest, but you won't get in, because it's at capacity and full from people in the catchment area. That said, even here, I think that has come to an end - I'm hearing of sought-after schools in Trafford now accommodating people from over a mile away in a neighbouring authority. That wouldn't have happened ten years ago.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
They are fine, but relatively uncontroversial, and they're not going to move anyone's dial.
This is a bit closer to the mark (allowing for hyperbole). Whats mental is if he just went, fuck it - rejoin EU, nationalise rail, nationalise water & do a wealth tax
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
Most kids went to their closest school too. It's a function of the tyranny of choice as well as societal changes. Particularly the need to have two parents working full time to afford the mortgage/rent.
More evidence for the Housing Theory of Everything.
Now I’m not saying that Graham Linehan is an attention seeking idiot but RTE are showing Father Ted as counter programming on RTE2 as they done many years in the past
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
People often make a false leap here that the culture has changed because the roads are riskier when the polar opposite is the case.
In the 1980s it peaked at approximately 400 child pedestrians a year dying.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
And didn't have to be collected either - the junior school gate opened and we took ourselves home (I'm a bit older than you but still true for my younger brother in the early 80s).
Even by the late 80s, my teachers essentially saw the clock strike three and said “piss off then, I’m not responsible for you any more”.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
They are fine, but relatively uncontroversial, and they're not going to move anyone's dial.
This is a bit closer to the mark (allowing for hyperbole). Whats mental is if he just went, fuck it - rejoin EU, nationalise rail, nationalise water & do a wealth tax
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
Most kids went to their closest school too. It's a function of the tyranny of choice as well as societal changes. Particularly the need to have two parents working full time to afford the mortgage/rent.
More evidence for the Housing Theory of Everything.
Also, both parents have to work because housing is so expensive.
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
So he’ll stubbornly cling on until he’s forced to go. Boris all over again.
The fact the cabinet ministers who were calling for him to go haven’t resigned yet is ridiculous in the extreme. Have the courage of your convictions.
Starmer's just doing everyone says Dave should have done in 2016- force the Leave campaign to work out and say what they actually want to happen afterwards, rather than winning on a blank cheque.
But yes- it's a big bad thing that Mahmood and Streeting haven't resigned from the cabinet. I get why, if they don't think the coup works in the short term, but it's not dignified.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
People often make a false leap here that the culture has changed because the roads are riskier when the polar opposite is the case.
In the 1980s it peaked at approximately 400 child pedestrians a year dying.
Most recent figures put that at 20.
A 95% decrease.
People are more risk averse nowadays.
As @Cookie says the difference to when I was growing up in 1970s and early 1980s is astounding.
No one. Literally no one was dropped off by car at our primary school as far as I recall. I don't even recall anyone being walked there by their parents. You walked to school and played in the play ground.
At secondary school there were a handful who were dropped off by car but that's it.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Should help with walking and cycling too. More time to drop off and then head to work.
Indeed. On the days when I dropped my kids at breakfast club (this was before it was free, but the point still stands), I would walk the kids down to school about 7.45, walk back, walk to the tram stop, and head in, and be at work for 9. On the days I didn't, I'd drive down to school, park as close as I could, drop them off at 8.50, get back in the car, drive to the tram, park as close as I could, and just make it in to work for 9.30. Parents don't necessarily want to drive their kids to school. But - given that primary schools insist on children being handed over - you can't just leave them in the playground - for many having their cars ready to leap into as soon as they're out the school gate is the only way both school drop off and the commute are possible.
I agree. It's a major step forward for those it impacts. And a removal of a needless barrier to work. Hasn't been fully funded, mind. So most schools are making a loss from it. Which is coming out of other budgets. The handing over thing is because of the laws on in loco parentis. Spent a frustrating proportion of time dealing with complaints from parents about what happened on the bus/outside the school gates. And having to basically say it's nowt to do with us.
Not all employers are as flexible as Cookie's either, being later than 9am could be non-negotiable.
True. It's another thing that holds us back as a nation. Many schools start at 8:30 now. But that just shifts the problem to earlier in the afternoon.
Yes, I realise I am one of the lucky ones (and therefore one of the few able to have three children). We have got ourselves into a position where raising children is just too damn difficult. As Dixiedean says, this is consequential for our future.
Tying two subjects together. I briefly did some supply work at a Primary in a tiny ex mining village in the Makerfield constituency whilst caring for a sick mother just before Christmas 2024. I was completely astonished by the laxity around this. Kids walking to school alone. Arriving with a different friend, relative, neighbour every day. And all gathering in the playground before and after school supervised by Mums and Dads and others in a very ad hoc manner. When every body knows everybody else and has done for generations that's just what happens.
I saw Keir speak in Newcastle when he was running for Labour leader. He was vacuous even then. Spoke a lot of words without saying anything. His whole pitch was competent electability. He was electable but he’s not a good Prime Minister and he certainly isn’t re-electable.
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
Apart from 6, which is just what weak PMs think they need, I can get behind all of that.
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
Local government is an absolute mess. Low quality councillors in all parties. Too much power in the hands of unelected Officers who dominate policy making. Consultation process completely devalued by councils not listening.
More devolution without sorting out the fundamental weaknesses will lead to more chaos.
If Labour had the same rules as the Tories ie a VONC is needed to remove a Conservative leader now then Starmer would probably be gone by now. However as a leadership challenge is needed to remove a Labour leader Starmer has cleverly divided supporters of Streeting and Burnham who both want him gone. Streeting is told to put up or shut up as Major told Portillo supporters in 1995, either they nominate their man for leader to challenge him or shut up. In the end Portillo chickened out and Redwood challenged Major and lost to the PM.
If Streeting does challenge Starmer can tell Burnham and Rayner backers back me or you get Streeting and no prospect of a Burnham return
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
Apart from 6, which is just what weak PMs think they need, I can get behind all of that.
Yes, 6 is just displacement for having a PM who has a list of priorities and forces them through
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
Local government is an absolute mess. Low quality councillors in all parties. Too much power in the hands of unelected Officers who dominate policy making. Consultation process completely devalued by councils not listening.
More devolution without sorting out the fundamental weaknesses will lead to more chaos.
That fundamental weakness is largely a result of decades of power draining away to central government. "Sorting out the fundamental weakness" just isn't going to happen without that being reversed.
If Labour had the same rules as the Tories ie a VONC is needed to remove a Conservative leader now then Starmer would probably be gone by now. However as a leadership challenge is needed to remove a Labour leader Starmer has cleverly divided supporters of Streeting and Burnham who both want him gone. Streeting is told to put up or shut up as Major told Portillo supporters in 1995, either they nominate their man for leader to challenge him or shut up. In the end Portillo chickened out and Redwood challenged Major and lost to the PM.
If Streeting does challenge Starmer can tell Burnham and Rayner backs back me or you get Streeting and no prospect of a Burnham return
There's nothing to stop both streeting and rayner from challenging starmer simultaneously
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
Local government is an absolute mess. Low quality councillors in all parties. Too much power in the hands of unelected Officers who dominate policy making. Consultation process completely devalued by councils not listening.
More devolution without sorting out the fundamental weaknesses will lead to more chaos.
I’m increasingly of the view that Central Government should wipe its hands of housebuilding. Give local authorities the power to force through large resi developments and then leave it up to them. If anyone complains about lack of development, point them in the direction of the local authority.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Should help with walking and cycling too. More time to drop off and then head to work.
Indeed. On the days when I dropped my kids at breakfast club (this was before it was free, but the point still stands), I would walk the kids down to school about 7.45, walk back, walk to the tram stop, and head in, and be at work for 9. On the days I didn't, I'd drive down to school, park as close as I could, drop them off at 8.50, get back in the car, drive to the tram, park as close as I could, and just make it in to work for 9.30. Parents don't necessarily want to drive their kids to school. But - given that primary schools insist on children being handed over - you can't just leave them in the playground - for many having their cars ready to leap into as soon as they're out the school gate is the only way both school drop off and the commute are possible.
I agree. It's a major step forward for those it impacts. And a removal of a needless barrier to work. Hasn't been fully funded, mind. So most schools are making a loss from it. Which is coming out of other budgets. The handing over thing is because of the laws on in loco parentis. Spent a frustrating proportion of time dealing with complaints from parents about what happened on the bus/outside the school gates. And having to basically say it's nowt to do with us.
Not all employers are as flexible as Cookie's either, being later than 9am could be non-negotiable.
I do wonder how some families manage - if I have to go to the office I need to leave home at about 7:30. This is normal for London. None of the schools near here are on the way to the station.
Informal arrangements with other parents, older children minding younger ones outside the gates and unregistered child minding are all options…
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Back in the day this sort of thing would have been sorted out informally. You'd drop your kid off early at the house of a friend* of theirs, and they'd go to school with them, and you'd do some other favour in return.
* Or, perhaps they wouldn't like the kid, but you know the parents from church, or they're a cousin, or some other social circle in the community.
Back in my day - and I'm not THAT old, this was the early 80s - your 8 year old child would walk to school on his own. And he could just wait in the playground with his friends, playing, until it was time to go in. Mind you, in those days, the majority of mums were either stay at homes or just had part time jobs locally, so even if the kids needed to be accompanied there was less pressure to do so.
People often make a false leap here that the culture has changed because the roads are riskier when the polar opposite is the case.
In the 1980s it peaked at approximately 400 child pedestrians a year dying.
Most recent figures put that at 20.
A 95% decrease.
People are more risk averse nowadays.
As @Cookie says the difference to when I was growing up in 1970s and early 1980s is astounding.
No one. Literally no one was dropped off by car at our primary school as far as I recall. I don't even recall anyone being walked there by their parents. You walked to school and played in the play ground.
At secondary school there were a handful who were dropped off by car but that's it.
Barty always uses this circular logic to claim the roads are safer. If we returned to the rate of walking and cycling that we had in the 80s, fatalities would rocket (particularly given the number of SUVs on the school run).
I hope my area makes good progress on LTNs, cycle infrastructure, school streets etc in the next few years so I can let any hypothetical children play and walk to school.
Can any labour MP get through an interview without mentioning free breakfast clubs?
Actually, this is a really good policy. It just sounds underwhelming. They ought to be framing it in a way like: "modern life shits all over those who are trying to do their bit: those who are trying to both work and raise a family - those who are doing their bit for the future of our country - find countless obstacles in their way. Labour are trying to dismantle those obstacles."
I've used breakfast clubs, and even to me they sound fluffy and peripheral (which they very much are not). Perhaps its the association with the 80s film.
Preparation for school clubs. But Labour doesn't like prep schools.
It was quite a shock when my children got to be school age to find that the state expected me to drop my kids off no later than 8.50am in the morning every day with my employer expecting me to arrive at work 6 miles away at 9am. You could get round this by taking them to breakfast club, but this was £5 a day (ten years ago - I guess it will be more now). Actually having some provision where you can drop them off early, for free, in order to get to work feels like at least the state isn't actively kicking you in the face for trying to do your bit. For me, breakfast is an added bonus (though for many children it will be critical).
Should help with walking and cycling too. More time to drop off and then head to work.
Indeed. On the days when I dropped my kids at breakfast club (this was before it was free, but the point still stands), I would walk the kids down to school about 7.45, walk back, walk to the tram stop, and head in, and be at work for 9. On the days I didn't, I'd drive down to school, park as close as I could, drop them off at 8.50, get back in the car, drive to the tram, park as close as I could, and just make it in to work for 9.30. Parents don't necessarily want to drive their kids to school. But - given that primary schools insist on children being handed over - you can't just leave them in the playground - for many having their cars ready to leap into as soon as they're out the school gate is the only way both school drop off and the commute are possible.
I agree. It's a major step forward for those it impacts. And a removal of a needless barrier to work. Hasn't been fully funded, mind. So most schools are making a loss from it. Which is coming out of other budgets. The handing over thing is because of the laws on in loco parentis. Spent a frustrating proportion of time dealing with complaints from parents about what happened on the bus/outside the school gates. And having to basically say it's nowt to do with us.
Not all employers are as flexible as Cookie's either, being later than 9am could be non-negotiable.
I do wonder how some families manage - if I have to go to the office I need to leave home at about 7:30. This is normal for London. None of the schools near here are on the way to the station.
Informal arrangements with other parents, older children minding younger ones outside the gates and unregistered child minding are all options…
Not really - in reality there will be children who need to be handed to named known individuals for "reasons".. Once you've got that you need to impose the same rules on everyone else for similar reasons..
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
Local government is an absolute mess. Low quality councillors in all parties. Too much power in the hands of unelected Officers who dominate policy making. Consultation process completely devalued by councils not listening.
More devolution without sorting out the fundamental weaknesses will lead to more chaos.
I’m increasingly of the view that Central Government should wipe its hands of housebuilding. Give local authorities the power to force through large resi developments and then leave it up to them. If anyone complains about lack of development, point them in the direction of the local authority.
...who can point them to the developers. These companies sit on large tracks of land. If they chose to develop them all, their profits would go down. The single biggest blocker to development is, crazily, a lack of will for developers to develop. For very good financial reasons however.
squareroot2 said: "Its the risk of being robbed either on site or on the way to the bank."
In my area, marijuana shops are especially prone to robbery. (Marijuana is illegal nationally, but not in Washington state, so the stores can operate, but can not use credit and debit cards.)
One common criminal tactic is to steal a car, and then use it to smash into a marijuana store, taking cash and goods, once they have broken through the defenses. Which can be fairly impressive.
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
Local government is an absolute mess. Low quality councillors in all parties. Too much power in the hands of unelected Officers who dominate policy making. Consultation process completely devalued by councils not listening.
More devolution without sorting out the fundamental weaknesses will lead to more chaos.
I’m increasingly of the view that Central Government should wipe its hands of housebuilding. Give local authorities the power to force through large resi developments and then leave it up to them. If anyone complains about lack of development, point them in the direction of the local authority.
I think the opposite. Local authorities are the blockers on housing often. We need national govt to ram it through. No one ever seems to think of the people that need houses.
Kevin Schofield @KevinASchofield NEW: I'm told Andy Burnham does not plan to say anything publicly about his Labour leadership plans "unless anything kicks off".
"He ain't doing the kicking off," says one supporter.
The MP adds: "Can't believe Wes is bottling it. If he doesn't go this time, he's done as a political force."
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
Local government is an absolute mess. Low quality councillors in all parties. Too much power in the hands of unelected Officers who dominate policy making. Consultation process completely devalued by councils not listening.
More devolution without sorting out the fundamental weaknesses will lead to more chaos.
I’m increasingly of the view that Central Government should wipe its hands of housebuilding. Give local authorities the power to force through large resi developments and then leave it up to them. If anyone complains about lack of development, point them in the direction of the local authority.
I think the opposite. Local authorities are the blockers on housing often. We need national govt to ram it through. No one ever seems to think of the people that need houses.
The people who need houses have votes too. Relying on central government to “ram it through” just takes away accountability. It’s like VAR - referees don’t need to make difficult decisions anymore because VAR will fix it (or take the blame).
I saw Keir speak in Newcastle when he was running for Labour leader. He was vacuous even then. Spoke a lot of words without saying anything. His whole pitch was competent electability. He was electable but he’s not a good Prime Minister and he certainly isn’t re-electable.
Really interesting letter from Jess. I'm a big fan of hers and her resignation letter fills in quite a few gaps. Though she's obviously thought about it and her criticisms are well meant you have to think that with all the things a PM has to take on board there's a certain arrogance complaining that Keir didn't devote the attention to her she thought she merited. Maybe she just isn't used to really high office and can't see a big enough picture
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
How do you make decade (plus) long decisions upfront in a world where PMs last two years at most and the governing parties start with a third of the vote max?
So he’ll stubbornly cling on until he’s forced to go. Boris all over again.
The fact the cabinet ministers who were calling for him to go haven’t resigned yet is ridiculous in the extreme. Have the courage of your convictions.
It's remarkable how similar Starmer has been to Johsnon. Two cheeks of the same ass but at least Boris had a sense of humour where-as Sir Kier is humourless
Wes Streeting tried to see Keir Starmer after cabinet.
But Starmer said in Cabinet that he won’t discuss the elections or his leadership, and that he will only speak to cabinet ministers about that individually.
Then after the meeting he refused to see Streeting one on one.
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
Local government is an absolute mess. Low quality councillors in all parties. Too much power in the hands of unelected Officers who dominate policy making. Consultation process completely devalued by councils not listening.
More devolution without sorting out the fundamental weaknesses will lead to more chaos.
I’m increasingly of the view that Central Government should wipe its hands of housebuilding. Give local authorities the power to force through large resi developments and then leave it up to them. If anyone complains about lack of development, point them in the direction of the local authority.
...who can point them to the developers. These companies sit on large tracks of land. If they chose to develop them all, their profits would go down. The single biggest blocker to development is, crazily, a lack of will for developers to develop. For very good financial reasons however.
And beyond that, land owners themselves. If you’re sat on surplus land but your cash flow is ok, it is more valuable to you if you sell it next year than this year. And it always will be.
I wonder if there’s a world where Starmer keeps his hat in the ring in the “formal process” and ends up winning with members based on transfer votes.
He could stand as a proxy for Burnham as an anti-stitch-up Stop Streeting candidate.
Absolutely. If he had any political cunning he'd build bridges behind the scenes with Burnham and agree to fight on at least till he's in a position to be a candidate. But he doesn't have any.
I can see it now: “It is wrong for this contest to take place without a full range of candidates and that is why I am asking members to give me their backing so that we can have an orderly process, in the fullness of time.”
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
Local government is an absolute mess. Low quality councillors in all parties. Too much power in the hands of unelected Officers who dominate policy making. Consultation process completely devalued by councils not listening.
More devolution without sorting out the fundamental weaknesses will lead to more chaos.
Problem is - there is no way I can have a social life or a online social media presence as a local councillor - you would continually be hassled about things (such as dogs mess) you can do nothing about.
Wes Streeting tried to see Keir Starmer after cabinet.
But Starmer said in Cabinet that he won’t discuss the elections or his leadership, and that he will only speak to cabinet ministers about that individually.
Then after the meeting he refused to see Streeting one on one.
Wes Streeting tried to see Keir Starmer after cabinet.
But Starmer said in Cabinet that he won’t discuss the elections or his leadership, and that he will only speak to cabinet ministers about that individually.
Then after the meeting he refused to see Streeting one on one.
Wes Streeting tried to see Keir Starmer after cabinet.
But Starmer said in Cabinet that he won’t discuss the elections or his leadership, and that he will only speak to cabinet ministers about that individually.
Then after the meeting he refused to see Streeting one on one.
Kevin Schofield @KevinASchofield NEW: I'm told Andy Burnham does not plan to say anything publicly about his Labour leadership plans "unless anything kicks off".
"He ain't doing the kicking off," says one supporter.
The MP adds: "Can't believe Wes is bottling it. If he doesn't go this time, he's done as a political force."
He "doesn't plan to say anything about his Labour leadership plans" because he can't be Labour leader. There is no vacancy and he is not an MP. He hasn't said in which seat he intends to run and - fundamentally - he then has to win the seat in a by-election. FFS.
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
How do you make decade (plus) long decisions upfront in a world where PMs last two years at most and the governing parties start with a third of the vote max?
JFDI, I guess. And persuade people that you're right.
It more or less worked for Thatcher.
Note that little of that list is particularly left/right coded. 2-5 is all stuff which could appear in the manifesto of a number of parties. It's pragmatist rather than ideological.
3 and 4 are a nice combination, as one represents an increase in Westminster powers; the other a reduction.
This is actually a pretty good list. 2,3,4 and 5 in particular.
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes … 2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost … 3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front … 4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support … 5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses … 6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking … (Guardian)
Local government is an absolute mess. Low quality councillors in all parties. Too much power in the hands of unelected Officers who dominate policy making. Consultation process completely devalued by councils not listening.
More devolution without sorting out the fundamental weaknesses will lead to more chaos.
I’m increasingly of the view that Central Government should wipe its hands of housebuilding. Give local authorities the power to force through large resi developments and then leave it up to them. If anyone complains about lack of development, point them in the direction of the local authority.
...who can point them to the developers. These companies sit on large tracks of land. If they chose to develop them all, their profits would go down. The single biggest blocker to development is, crazily, a lack of will for developers to develop. For very good financial reasons however.
And beyond that, land owners themselves. If you’re sat on surplus land but your cash flow is ok, it is more valuable to you if you sell it next year than this year. And it always will be.
Land value tax. Council tax should be charged as if the houses were built and occupied.
Planning permission should be awarded with a fixed timescale, if it isn't met the land is forfeit.
Comments
I’ve also no idea why anyone thinks Burnham can be given a seat amongst this and maintain his so called “popularity”. Those that have lent Labour their votes at the last election did so thinking the left of the party were “contained I’d imagine
It's a function of the tyranny of choice as well as societal changes. Particularly the need to have two parents working full time to afford the mortgage/rent.
It is, however, a different source of joy when you see the three of them all arrive home almost simultaneously from their respective schools.
Whereas Burnham is just leader of one of several of Labour's oppositions.
If it's not a joke, surely it's political suicide?
It's another thing that holds us back as a nation.
Many schools start at 8:30 now. But that just shifts the problem to earlier in the afternoon.
That said, even here, I think that has come to an end - I'm hearing of sought-after schools in Trafford now accommodating people from over a mile away in a neighbouring authority. That wouldn't have happened ten years ago.
Now I’m not saying that Graham Linehan is an attention seeking idiot but RTE are showing Father Ted as counter programming on RTE2 as they done many years in the past
The fact the cabinet ministers who were calling for him to go haven’t resigned yet is ridiculous in the extreme. Have the courage of your convictions.
W@nker! (Burnham not you).
In the 1980s it peaked at approximately 400 child pedestrians a year dying.
Most recent figures put that at 20.
A 95% decrease.
People are more risk averse nowadays.
@breeallegretti
·
5m
The fightback continues:
Darren Jones's PPSs are circulating a letter to backbenchers - urging them to publicly commit to supporting Keir Starmer as prime minister.
https://x.com/BethRigby/status/2054167990078173471
If any of the leadership contenders could deliver it with genuine speed (as opposed to "with speed", which is Civil Service / Starmerese for somewhere between slow and never). then they'd get my vote. If I had one.
One of the prominent Labour MPs yesterday calling for Keir Starmer’s resignation was Chris Curtis. He is chair of the Labour Growth Group and today it has published a major report with proposals for a Labour government. The full document is here ( https://www.labourgrowth.co.uk ) and this is what the Labour Growth Group says are its six main ideas.
1. Tax gains fairly, cut National Insurance on work. Reform Capital Gains Tax so gains built in Britain are taxed more fairly, while genuine investment and risk-taking are protected. Close death and exit loopholes …
2. Make Clean Power reach the meter. Cut bills with radical energy market reform. Redefine the central mission of Clean Power 2030 from “clean capacity announced” to clean power delivered to British homes and businesses at the lowest total system cost …
3. A ‘Build Britain Act’: decide once, then build. For nationally significant infrastructure including the grid, reservoirs, transport, energy, defence production and strategic compute, Parliament should decide the national interest up front …
4. The most radical English devolution settlement in modern times. Abolish the regeneration ‘begging bowl’ of competitive funding pots. Replace them with long-term settlements for Strategic Authorities. Give mayors and capable local leaders real powers over transport, housing, skills, land assembly, local infrastructure and business support …
5. End fake-market capitalism in essentials. If Thames Water cannot stand on its own obligations, it should enter special administration. Creditors take losses …
6. Build a real Department of the Prime Minister. Break open the Cabinet Office. Build a command centre at the heart of government with authority over delivery stocktakes, programme-critical appointments, Treasury dispute resolution and data tracking …
(Guardian)
But yes- it's a big bad thing that Mahmood and Streeting haven't resigned from the cabinet. I get why, if they don't think the coup works in the short term, but it's not dignified.
No one. Literally no one was dropped off by car at our primary school as far as I recall. I don't even recall anyone being walked there by their parents. You walked to school and played in the play ground.
At secondary school there were a handful who were dropped off by car but that's it.
Though Burnham in Yardley would be interesting.
I briefly did some supply work at a Primary in a tiny ex mining village in the Makerfield constituency whilst caring for a sick mother just before Christmas 2024.
I was completely astonished by the laxity around this.
Kids walking to school alone. Arriving with a different friend, relative, neighbour every day.
And all gathering in the playground before and after school supervised by Mums and Dads and others in a very ad hoc manner.
When every body knows everybody else and has done for generations that's just what happens.
More devolution without sorting out the fundamental weaknesses will lead to more chaos.
If Streeting does challenge Starmer can tell Burnham and Rayner backers back me or you get Streeting and no prospect of a Burnham return
With Burnham in London rumoured to announce he is standing and more resignations likely these are perilous times for Starmer
No idea where that song came from thinking back and we got bollocked for it obviously.
"Sorting out the fundamental weakness" just isn't going to happen without that being reversed.
No reason….
I hope my area makes good progress on LTNs, cycle infrastructure, school streets etc in the next few years so I can let any hypothetical children play and walk to school.
In my area, marijuana shops are especially prone to robbery. (Marijuana is illegal nationally, but not in Washington state, so the stores can operate, but can not use credit and debit cards.)
One common criminal tactic is to steal a car, and then use it to smash into a marijuana store, taking cash and goods, once they have broken through the defenses. Which can be fairly impressive.
@KevinASchofield
NEW: I'm told Andy Burnham does not plan to say anything publicly about his Labour leadership plans "unless anything kicks off".
"He ain't doing the kicking off," says one supporter.
The MP adds: "Can't believe Wes is bottling it. If he doesn't go this time, he's done as a political force."
Cunning.
But Starmer said in Cabinet that he won’t discuss the elections or his leadership, and that he will only speak to cabinet ministers about that individually.
Then after the meeting he refused to see Streeting one on one.
https://x.com/SamCoatesSky/status/2054162876374323624
https://x.com/breeallegretti/status/2054171157348098349
More to follow... A minister texts: "We’re all going."
If he had any political cunning he'd build bridges behind the scenes with Burnham and agree to fight on at least till he's in a position to be a candidate.
But he doesn't have any.
Turning into a really rather sad and pathetic spectacle...
2 Dan Hodges had the story first, didn't he. I wonder (no, I don't wonder at all) who his source was?
And persuade people that you're right.
It more or less worked for Thatcher.
Note that little of that list is particularly left/right coded.
2-5 is all stuff which could appear in the manifesto of a number of parties. It's pragmatist rather than ideological.
3 and 4 are a nice combination, as one represents an increase in Westminster powers; the other a reduction.
Planning permission should be awarded with a fixed timescale, if it isn't met the land is forfeit.
We need profit to be the reward for risk again.