Ed Miliband is the guy I like the most for PM. But I dont think the country agrees with me.
You’re right ! I simply can’t forgive him for his role in Brexit . I know people might think I’m unhinged but he set into motion where we are now .
He was never supposed to stand and then did the Judas on his brother . David Miliband would have stopped a Tory majority .
The rest is history. I’m in no mood to see him hand the keys of No 10 to Reform .
I can't understand this perspective at all. He had every right to stand - and of course the fact he won shows he was right to do so.
For me its David who comes out looking bad from the affair. He quit the country rather than support his brother as leader and damaged him before he'd even started.
Ed has put in the hard yards since too, he lives the politics not just when he might win the top prize.
Ed Miliband is the guy I like the most for PM. But I dont think the country agrees with me.
You’re right ! I simply can’t forgive him for his role in Brexit . I know people might think I’m unhinged but he set into motion where we are now .
He was never supposed to stand and then did the Judas on his brother . David Miliband would have stopped a Tory majority .
The rest is history. I’m in no mood to see him hand the keys of No 10 to Reform .
I can't understand this perspective at all. He had every right to stand - and of course the fact he won shows he was right to do so.
For me its David who comes out looking bad from the affair. He quit the country rather than support his brother as leader and damaged him before he'd even started.
+1 - equally David had a chance earlier and utterly blew it...
It's been said many times before and it's not fair, but Ed Milliband's main problem is the sound of his voice. It just sounds weird.
Not worse than Starmer.
Starmer has lovely hair and isn’t bad looking . Age hasn’t been kind to Miliband who looks even more goofy than 10 years ago .
Starmer has awful hair and he really needs to wash it more often. He has good, thick hair for a man his age, or even a younger man but he's hit the awkward point where the quality of each hair strand is deteriorating. He should cut it shorter, round about a number 3/2.
I genuinely can't figure out what outcome would be best for team Kemi.
Obviously we'd want a Labour PM who would swiftly become unpopular, but not with the kind of policies that would be a catalyst for a Reform surge. It's tough to know who to root for...
Best for them would be two more Labour PMs before the election.
Yes. Ideal is probably Rayner, brought down by tax scandal in short order.
Streeting gets it by default, then Burnham comes back and challenges successfully but the Labour right quite the party a la Chuka Umunna in a huff.
It's been said many times before and it's not fair, but Ed Milliband's main problem is the sound of his voice. It just sounds weird.
Not worse than Starmer.
Just wait until you hear it every day on every issue.
Britain: a country with apparently insurmountable problems whose political leaders keep making the wrong decisions. Britain: a country where what a politician's voice sounds like is considered a relevant factor in selecting political leaders. Could these facts perhaps be related?
Starmer's voice is even more annoying than Liz Truss's.
Ed Miliband is the guy I like the most for PM. But I dont think the country agrees with me.
You’re right ! I simply can’t forgive him for his role in Brexit . I know people might think I’m unhinged but he set into motion where we are now .
He was never supposed to stand and then did the Judas on his brother . David Miliband would have stopped a Tory majority .
The rest is history. I’m in no mood to see him hand the keys of No 10 to Reform .
I can't understand this perspective at all. He had every right to stand - and of course the fact he won shows he was right to do so.
For me its David who comes out looking bad from the affair. He quit the country rather than support his brother as leader and damaged him before he'd even started.
David felt betrayed and realized that it would end in tears . I admit that I would still vote for Ed M if it meant stopping Reform but I’m not the part of the electorate that he has to worry about . And that’s what worries me .
Rothbury black pudding with Coquet Island scallops!
Anyone eating them or just photographing them?
They are all “influencers”. Visuals first
Typo in "wankers" there.
I used to think that. I don’t any more
I’ve worked on assignment with a lot of influencers now
They work really hard. They are often really smart. You have to be imaginative and resourceful. I just had a long chat with one of the girls on this Northumberland foodie road trip, she’s making £10k a month out of Instagram vids, TikTok shop, and stuff I’ve never heard of. And she’s travelling around the world for free. And she’s 23
Ed Miliband is the guy I like the most for PM. But I dont think the country agrees with me.
You’re right ! I simply can’t forgive him for his role in Brexit . I know people might think I’m unhinged but he set into motion where we are now .
He was never supposed to stand and then did the Judas on his brother . David Miliband would have stopped a Tory majority .
The rest is history. I’m in no mood to see him hand the keys of No 10 to Reform .
You're speaking for yourself, not the country.
Don't we all?
When in response to a comment "I don't think the country agrees with me" someone answers "you're right", do you not think they're getting a bit above themselves?
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
So the soft left want to put in place a leader who has already been rejected by the country ! They’re insane . Why don’t they just collapse the government so we can dispense with the 3 years of Labour MPs pretending he can win an election and go right to the bit where Reform take over !
Could a "left-leaning" Labour Party see off Reform in 2029?
One not headed by Ed Miliband might have a chance . At least Rayner would be a change and has a great back story. I know she’s gobby and very Marmite but I can’t help but like her.
She had unresolved and not quickly resolvable tax issues - heck she didn’t even hold her hands up and quickly pay the tax as Jimmy Carr did
Jimmy Carr had written tax advice from licenced professionals, and when HMRC challenged the whole scheme he immediately paid up.
Anglea Rayner didn’t take the specialist advise she was told to take, and when challenged tried to blame others. It’s unlikely she actually had the funds to write a cheque for the outstanding amount, even if she wanted to pay it.
Farage could sub her, unless he is made to pay hid £5m back.
I genuinely can't figure out what outcome would be best for team Kemi.
Obviously we'd want a Labour PM who would swiftly become unpopular, but not with the kind of policies that would be a catalyst for a Reform surge. It's tough to know who to root for...
Best for them would be two more Labour PMs before the election.
There is still a relatively decent chance that the coup could fizzle out. That wouldn’t be a bad result for the Tories because they’d likely have at least another year of lame duck Starmer, if not longer.
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
It's been said many times before and it's not fair, but Ed Milliband's main problem is the sound of his voice. It just sounds weird.
Not worse than Starmer.
Starmer has lovely hair and isn’t bad looking . Age hasn’t been kind to Miliband who looks even more goofy than 10 years ago .
Starmer has awful hair and he really needs to wash it more often. He has good, thick hair for a man his age, or even a younger man but he's hit the awkward point where the quality of each hair strand is deteriorating. He should cut it shorter, round about a number 3/2.
Someone was saying that Wes looks a bit like the golfer Ludvig Aberg.
A council has confirmed there will be a by-election after a Reform UK councillor who posted a "defamatory" social media message about a Conservative candidate was found guilty of breaking electoral law.
Andy Osborn, 74, was chairman of the North East Cambridgeshire Reform Party in April 2025, when he posted the message.
He was convicted of making or publishing a false statement under the Representation of the People Act 1983 at Westminster Magistrates' Court last month.
Cambridgeshire County Council said Osborn, who represented Roman Bank and Peckover, "has not lodged an appeal in time, therefore, he is no longer a county councillor".
Osborn's court hearing was told he wrote on Facebook in April 2025: "Samantha Hoy worked in the care industry but allegedly was sacked for fraud no wonder Wisbech is in such a state. Reform UK will fix it."
Hoy, who works in the care industry and has never been sacked or faced fraud allegations, later responded online, describing the claims as "an absolute lie and extremely defamatory and damaging".
She is a councillor at both county and district level.
Osborn claimed that his account had been hacked, but the judge dismissed this and found him guilty of the charge.
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
So the soft left want to put in place a leader who has already been rejected by the country ! They’re insane . Why don’t they just collapse the government so we can dispense with the 3 years of Labour MPs pretending he can win an election and go right to the bit where Reform take over !
Could a "left-leaning" Labour Party see off Reform in 2029?
Not if it is given three years, 2026-2029, to bankrupt the country. Like Reform the left rely for votes on what they are going to to, not their glittering legacy.
On the other hand 3 successful years could unite the left for re-election.
I do love how PB supporters of the party of auterity, Brexit and Covid corruption seem to easily forget about their alphabet of economic disasters.
I genuinely can't figure out what outcome would be best for team Kemi.
Obviously we'd want a Labour PM who would swiftly become unpopular, but not with the kind of policies that would be a catalyst for a Reform surge. It's tough to know who to root for...
Best for them would be two more Labour PMs before the election.
There is still a relatively decent chance that the coup could fizzle out. That wouldn’t be a bad result for the Tories because they’d likely have at least another year of lame duck Starmer, if not longer.
If it fizzles out, Labour will start dropping even further in the polls. Single figures are not impossible if Starmer isn't removed
A council has confirmed there will be a by-election after a Reform UK councillor who posted a "defamatory" social media message about a Conservative candidate was found guilty of breaking electoral law.
Andy Osborn, 74, was chairman of the North East Cambridgeshire Reform Party in April 2025, when he posted the message.
He was convicted of making or publishing a false statement under the Representation of the People Act 1983 at Westminster Magistrates' Court last month.
Cambridgeshire County Council said Osborn, who represented Roman Bank and Peckover, "has not lodged an appeal in time, therefore, he is no longer a county councillor".
Osborn's court hearing was told he wrote on Facebook in April 2025: "Samantha Hoy worked in the care industry but allegedly was sacked for fraud no wonder Wisbech is in such a state. Reform UK will fix it."
Hoy, who works in the care industry and has never been sacked or faced fraud allegations, later responded online, describing the claims as "an absolute lie and extremely defamatory and damaging".
She is a councillor at both county and district level.
Osborn claimed that his account had been hacked, but the judge dismissed this and found him guilty of the charge.
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
So the soft left want to put in place a leader who has already been rejected by the country ! They’re insane . Why don’t they just collapse the government so we can dispense with the 3 years of Labour MPs pretending he can win an election and go right to the bit where Reform take over !
Could a "left-leaning" Labour Party see off Reform in 2029?
One not headed by Ed Miliband might have a chance . At least Rayner would be a change and has a great back story. I know she’s gobby and very Marmite but I can’t help but like her.
She had unresolved and not quickly resolvable tax issues - heck she didn’t even hold her hands up and quickly pay the tax as Jimmy Carr did
She may not have a tax issue. Her tax situation was very complex with a trust for disabled child (with special provisions) and the child was just about to turn 18. I don't think it's big deal.
I realise that the right wing press will try to make it a big deal and ignore Farage's tax and gifting affairs.
She was recommended to ask for specialist advice by her solicitor but it looked to me like a typical arse covering provision by the solicitor.
Former Tory whip Brandreth compares today to when Thatcher and Major were challenged, compares Starmer and Streeting who have both been on his podcast, and then meanders off into reminiscences about previous Prime Ministers.
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
So the soft left want to put in place a leader who has already been rejected by the country ! They’re insane . Why don’t they just collapse the government so we can dispense with the 3 years of Labour MPs pretending he can win an election and go right to the bit where Reform take over !
It was more than a decade ago, that's fine for a second chance.
Bad idea though.
And the alternative was David Cameron.
In 2028/9 the alternative will be Farage or Polanski.
And Miliband was up against a falsely positive view of Cameron - who was flattered by being forced to be in a coalition with the LDs who (with hindsight) significantly restricted the Conservatives' ability to do bonkers stuff, as subsequent events have shown.
What really did for Miliband was Scotland. He gained seats from both Tories and Lib Dems elsewhere.
Not this again.
Even if Labour had won every seat in Scotland Dave would still have had a majority.
Scotland did do for Miliband. Remember "coalition of chaos" and that artwork of Miliband in Salmond's pocket? All over Conservative election literature in England.
Deeply unfair as Ed was the one with the bright idea of barbed wire and watchtowers at the border if Scotland went independent, but them’s the breaks.
Ed Miliband is the guy I like the most for PM. But I dont think the country agrees with me.
You’re right ! I simply can’t forgive him for his role in Brexit . I know people might think I’m unhinged but he set into motion where we are now .
He was never supposed to stand and then did the Judas on his brother . David Miliband would have stopped a Tory majority .
The rest is history. I’m in no mood to see him hand the keys of No 10 to Reform .
You're speaking for yourself, not the country.
Don't we all?
When in response to a comment "I don't think the country agrees with me" someone answers "you're right", do you not think they're getting a bit above themselves?
I genuinely can't figure out what outcome would be best for team Kemi.
Obviously we'd want a Labour PM who would swiftly become unpopular, but not with the kind of policies that would be a catalyst for a Reform surge. It's tough to know who to root for...
Weirdly she might need someone who appeals to new Reformers. If it takes off even 5% ftom Reform without hurting the Tories and suddenly the party can at least claim to be top dog on the right again.
Indeed. It's just not obvious who that candidate is.
Rayner's personality might take a bit of the RedWall Old Labour support back from Reform, but then Burnham's personal vote probably has some overlap with that group.
Being a retread might actually help EdM with older voters who put some value on experience, name recognition and not being a young whippersnapper, or however their mental processes work.
Streeting looks like the worst option, despite being more closely aligned on actual policy positions.
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
So the soft left want to put in place a leader who has already been rejected by the country ! They’re insane . Why don’t they just collapse the government so we can dispense with the 3 years of Labour MPs pretending he can win an election and go right to the bit where Reform take over !
It was more than a decade ago, that's fine for a second chance.
Bad idea though.
And the alternative was David Cameron.
In 2028/9 the alternative will be Farage or Polanski.
And Miliband was up against a falsely positive view of Cameron - who was flattered by being forced to be in a coalition with the LDs who (with hindsight) significantly restricted the Conservatives' ability to do bonkers stuff, as subsequent events have shown.
What really did for Miliband was Scotland. He gained seats from both Tories and Lib Dems elsewhere.
Not this again.
Even if Labour had won every seat in Scotland Dave would still have had a majority.
Scotland did do for Miliband. Remember "coalition of chaos" and that artwork of Miliband in Salmond's pocket? All over Conservative election literature in England.
Deeply unfair as Ed was the one with the bright idea of barbed wire and watchtowers at the border if Scotland went independent, but them’s the breaks.
Could we see your avatar in number 10? I’d not be surprised
Ed Miliband is the guy I like the most for PM. But I dont think the country agrees with me.
You’re right ! I simply can’t forgive him for his role in Brexit . I know people might think I’m unhinged but he set into motion where we are now .
He was never supposed to stand and then did the Judas on his brother . David Miliband would have stopped a Tory majority .
The rest is history. I’m in no mood to see him hand the keys of No 10 to Reform .
I can't understand this perspective at all. He had every right to stand - and of course the fact he won shows he was right to do so.
For me its David who comes out looking bad from the affair. He quit the country rather than support his brother as leader and damaged him before he'd even started.
David felt betrayed and realized that it would end in tears . I admit that I would still vote for Ed M if it meant stopping Reform but I’m not the part of the electorate that he has to worry about . And that’s what worries me .
Why feel betrayed? He must have known his brother also dreamt of being PM.
I have two sons, I would never expect the younger to stand aside for the older if they both wanted a job. But I'd be livid if the one who missed out undermined his brother.
I genuinely can't figure out what outcome would be best for team Kemi.
Obviously we'd want a Labour PM who would swiftly become unpopular, but not with the kind of policies that would be a catalyst for a Reform surge. It's tough to know who to root for...
Best for them would be two more Labour PMs before the election.
There is still a relatively decent chance that the coup could fizzle out. That wouldn’t be a bad result for the Tories because they’d likely have at least another year of lame duck Starmer, if not longer.
I think it was Rupert Lowe who said something similar, that the opposition parties wanted Starmer out but at the same time wanted Starmer to remain for the selfish reason he was good for their electoral prospects. No challengers for him though!
Here’s a counter factual thought. What if Corbyn was still a Labour MP today.
He'd hoover up the Green vote and his leading opponents couldn't blame him for being too supportive of Putin or anti- Semitic without first biting their tongues.
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
So the soft left want to put in place a leader who has already been rejected by the country ! They’re insane . Why don’t they just collapse the government so we can dispense with the 3 years of Labour MPs pretending he can win an election and go right to the bit where Reform take over !
Could a "left-leaning" Labour Party see off Reform in 2029?
One not headed by Ed Miliband might have a chance . At least Rayner would be a change and has a great back story. I know she’s gobby and very Marmite but I can’t help but like her.
She had unresolved and not quickly resolvable tax issues - heck she didn’t even hold her hands up and quickly pay the tax as Jimmy Carr did
She may not have a tax issue. Her tax situation was very complex with a trust for disabled child (with special provisions) and the child was just about to turn 18. I don't think it's big deal.
I realise that the right wing press will try to make it a big deal and ignore Farage's tax and gifting affairs.
Both Farage and Polanski will have to muzzle it for a while given their problems. And finally the BBC had to report on the £5 million . Chris Mason must have needed counselling !
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
So the soft left want to put in place a leader who has already been rejected by the country ! They’re insane . Why don’t they just collapse the government so we can dispense with the 3 years of Labour MPs pretending he can win an election and go right to the bit where Reform take over !
Could a "left-leaning" Labour Party see off Reform in 2029?
One not headed by Ed Miliband might have a chance . At least Rayner would be a change and has a great back story. I know she’s gobby and very Marmite but I can’t help but like her.
She had unresolved and not quickly resolvable tax issues - heck she didn’t even hold her hands up and quickly pay the tax as Jimmy Carr did
Jimmy Carr had written tax advice from licenced professionals, and when HMRC challenged the whole scheme he immediately paid up.
Anglea Rayner didn’t take the specialist advise she was told to take, and when challenged tried to blame others. It’s unlikely she actually had the funds to write a cheque for the outstanding amount, even if she wanted to pay it.
I appreciate that this may not be popular with some on PB, but anyone who signed up for an IOM payroll EBT scheme thinking that it was legitimate based on the legal opinion being touted by the scheme promoters is either not being honest with themselves or an idiot.
Rayner's flat purchase was a 2nd home only because she is a trustee for her son's trust and is therefore considered to have an interest in the property held for him in trust. She should have taken proper legal advice and she shouldn't have tried to mislead everyone about the matter, but it's fairly clear that she considers that property to be her son's not hers and she will not have a financial interest in it once he's 18.
A council has confirmed there will be a by-election after a Reform UK councillor who posted a "defamatory" social media message about a Conservative candidate was found guilty of breaking electoral law.
Andy Osborn, 74, was chairman of the North East Cambridgeshire Reform Party in April 2025, when he posted the message.
He was convicted of making or publishing a false statement under the Representation of the People Act 1983 at Westminster Magistrates' Court last month.
Cambridgeshire County Council said Osborn, who represented Roman Bank and Peckover, "has not lodged an appeal in time, therefore, he is no longer a county councillor".
Osborn's court hearing was told he wrote on Facebook in April 2025: "Samantha Hoy worked in the care industry but allegedly was sacked for fraud no wonder Wisbech is in such a state. Reform UK will fix it."
Hoy, who works in the care industry and has never been sacked or faced fraud allegations, later responded online, describing the claims as "an absolute lie and extremely defamatory and damaging".
She is a councillor at both county and district level.
Osborn claimed that his account had been hacked, but the judge dismissed this and found him guilty of the charge.
Reform continuing to attract high quality people I see.
The LDs suspended a councillor for antisemitic remarks only a matter of days ago. All parties have tainted representatives
They do, the question is which has the most and how do they treat them.
I am, in no way, supportive of Reform. Any new party achieving large numbers of novice councilors will almost inevitably not have robust enough vetting procedures. Older parties have had decades to put those in place.
Reform has got to weed out those with dodgy track records more effectively and efficiently.
Any new party has a steep learning curve. But the quality of council candidates has been dropping for a long time. So it will be an issue for all parties for the foreseeable future.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is officially sanctioned by China, for his outspoken support of the Hong Kong protestors five years ago. Well done that man!
But he’s now the American foreign minister, so of course he’s going to China with the President and a massive trade delegation.
So the Chinese made a subtle change to the translation of his name, and all of a sudden they have no record of him ever having being sanctioned, and they don’t lose face by overturning the old decision.
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
So the soft left want to put in place a leader who has already been rejected by the country ! They’re insane . Why don’t they just collapse the government so we can dispense with the 3 years of Labour MPs pretending he can win an election and go right to the bit where Reform take over !
Could a "left-leaning" Labour Party see off Reform in 2029?
One not headed by Ed Miliband might have a chance . At least Rayner would be a change and has a great back story. I know she’s gobby and very Marmite but I can’t help but like her.
She had unresolved and not quickly resolvable tax issues - heck she didn’t even hold her hands up and quickly pay the tax as Jimmy Carr did
Jimmy Carr had written tax advice from licenced professionals, and when HMRC challenged the whole scheme he immediately paid up.
Anglea Rayner didn’t take the specialist advise she was told to take, and when challenged tried to blame others. It’s unlikely she actually had the funds to write a cheque for the outstanding amount, even if she wanted to pay it.
Farage could sub her, unless he is made to pay hid £5m back.
US Secretaty of State Marco Rubio is officially sanctioned by China, for his outspoken support of the Hong Kong protestors five years ago.
But he’s now the American foreign minister, so of course he’s going to China with the President and a massive trade delegation.
So the Chinese made a subtle change to the translation of his name, and all of a sudden they have no record of him ever having being sanctioned, and they don’t lose face by overturning the old decision.
@johnmcdonnellMP · 1h Just a thought. Wes Streeting owes his political status to the support he’s received over years from Peter Mandelson & Morgan McSweeney at Labour Together. He wouldn’t make a move against Keir Starmer without Mandelson’s say so. So look on this as Mandelson’s & Morgan’s revenge.
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
So the soft left want to put in place a leader who has already been rejected by the country ! They’re insane . Why don’t they just collapse the government so we can dispense with the 3 years of Labour MPs pretending he can win an election and go right to the bit where Reform take over !
It was more than a decade ago, that's fine for a second chance.
Bad idea though.
And the alternative was David Cameron.
In 2028/9 the alternative will be Farage or Polanski.
And Miliband was up against a falsely positive view of Cameron - who was flattered by being forced to be in a coalition with the LDs who (with hindsight) significantly restricted the Conservatives' ability to do bonkers stuff, as subsequent events have shown.
What really did for Miliband was Scotland. He gained seats from both Tories and Lib Dems elsewhere.
Not this again.
Even if Labour had won every seat in Scotland Dave would still have had a majority.
Scotland did do for Miliband. Remember "coalition of chaos" and that artwork of Miliband in Salmond's pocket? All over Conservative election literature in England.
Deeply unfair as Ed was the one with the bright idea of barbed wire and watchtowers at the border if Scotland went independent, but them’s the breaks.
Could we see your avatar in number 10? I’d not be surprised
Possibly more likely than the other non mp. Might not want to give up his lucrative and influential media gig though.
US Secretaty of State Marco Rubio is officially sanctioned by China, for his outspoken support of the Hong Kong protestors five years ago.
But he’s now the American foreign minister, so of course he’s going to China with the President and a massive trade delegation.
So the Chinese made a subtle change to the translation of his name, and all of a sudden they have no record of him ever having being sanctioned, and they don’t lose face by overturning the old decision.
Apparently there are no receipts for all that security Farage allegedly spent protecting himself and his girlfriend who doesn’t have much money managed to buy a million pound house soon after Farage received the donation!
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
So the soft left want to put in place a leader who has already been rejected by the country ! They’re insane . Why don’t they just collapse the government so we can dispense with the 3 years of Labour MPs pretending he can win an election and go right to the bit where Reform take over !
It was more than a decade ago, that's fine for a second chance.
Bad idea though.
And the alternative was David Cameron.
In 2028/9 the alternative will be Farage or Polanski.
And Miliband was up against a falsely positive view of Cameron - who was flattered by being forced to be in a coalition with the LDs who (with hindsight) significantly restricted the Conservatives' ability to do bonkers stuff, as subsequent events have shown.
What really did for Miliband was Scotland. He gained seats from both Tories and Lib Dems elsewhere.
Not this again.
Even if Labour had won every seat in Scotland Dave would still have had a majority.
Scotland did do for Miliband. Remember "coalition of chaos" and that artwork of Miliband in Salmond's pocket? All over Conservative election literature in England.
Deeply unfair as Ed was the one with the bright idea of barbed wire and watchtowers at the border if Scotland went independent, but them’s the breaks.
Could we see your avatar in number 10? I’d not be surprised
Possibly more likely than the other non mp. Might not want to give up his lucrative and influential media gig though.
US Secretaty of State Marco Rubio is officially sanctioned by China, for his outspoken support of the Hong Kong protestors five years ago.
But he’s now the American foreign minister, so of course he’s going to China with the President and a massive trade delegation.
So the Chinese made a subtle change to the translation of his name, and all of a sudden they have no record of him ever having being sanctioned, and they don’t lose face by overturning the old decision.
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
So the soft left want to put in place a leader who has already been rejected by the country ! They’re insane . Why don’t they just collapse the government so we can dispense with the 3 years of Labour MPs pretending he can win an election and go right to the bit where Reform take over !
Could a "left-leaning" Labour Party see off Reform in 2029?
One not headed by Ed Miliband might have a chance . At least Rayner would be a change and has a great back story. I know she’s gobby and very Marmite but I can’t help but like her.
She had unresolved and not quickly resolvable tax issues - heck she didn’t even hold her hands up and quickly pay the tax as Jimmy Carr did
Jimmy Carr had written tax advice from licenced professionals, and when HMRC challenged the whole scheme he immediately paid up.
Anglea Rayner didn’t take the specialist advise she was told to take, and when challenged tried to blame others. It’s unlikely she actually had the funds to write a cheque for the outstanding amount, even if she wanted to pay it.
I appreciate that this may not be popular with some on PB, but anyone who signed up for an IOM payroll EBT scheme thinking that it was legitimate based on the legal opinion being touted by the scheme promoters is either not being honest with themselves or an idiot.
Rayner's flat purchase was a 2nd home only because she is a trustee for her son's trust and is therefore considered to have an interest in the property held for him in trust. She should have taken proper legal advice and she shouldn't have tried to mislead everyone about the matter, but it's fairly clear that she considers that property to be her son's not hers and she will not have a financial interest in it once he's 18.
He's already 18. His 18th birthday was on 9th April this year.
Remember Wes Streeting telling Beth Rigby that Corbyn supporters needed to “dry their eyes” when she asked him about Starmer lying to win the Labour leadership?
Turns out we are having to dry our eyes a lot at the moment — but only from crying with laughter.
Fair play to @TSE - if his 100/1 bet on Miliband comes in that might just be the best punt in PB history. Even better than OGH’s famous wager on the unknown Obama?
It will just be terrible luck for the rest of us. Including Labour. I can see Miliband taking them down to around 10-13% in the polls
Still - the fact EICIPM is still an option - the Labour Party have a death wish
But why? Bet you voted Cameron in 2015 for strong and stable leadership. Little did you know that was the catalyst to send this country into the latrine.
US Secretaty of State Marco Rubio is officially sanctioned by China, for his outspoken support of the Hong Kong protestors five years ago.
But he’s now the American foreign minister, so of course he’s going to China with the President and a massive trade delegation.
So the Chinese made a subtle change to the translation of his name, and all of a sudden they have no record of him ever having being sanctioned, and they don’t lose face by overturning the old decision.
Hmm. the overwhelming feeling I have is "all the candidates are shit and I don't want any of them to win". So pretty standard for the Conservative Party post 2019, tbh.
Apparently there are no receipts for all that security Farage allegedly spent protecting himself and his girlfriend who doesn’t have much money managed to buy a million pound house soon after Farage received the donation!
Ed Miliband is the guy I like the most for PM. But I dont think the country agrees with me.
He is loathed
He is, but I don't believe he read that memo.
He is loathed by people on the right. As we saw with Boris and Trump, being loathed by the ideologues on the other side is not necessarily a bar to high office. And unlike Boris or Trump he doesn’t take visible pleasure in trolling the other side.
He has an Achilles heel in his ideological commitment to certain positions on energy that don’t necessarily bear scrutiny (his love of CCS for example), but on the big issue - the vital importance of addressing dangerous climate change - he is correct.
Ed has more authenticity and charisma than any others barring the HMRC-compromised Rayner.
Ed Miliband is the guy I like the most for PM. But I dont think the country agrees with me.
He is loathed
He is, but I don't believe he read that memo.
He is loathed by people on the right. As we saw with Boris and Trump, being loathed by the ideologues on the other side is not necessarily a bad to high office. And unlike Boris or Trump he doesn’t take visible pleasure in trolling the other side.
He has an Achilles heel in his ideological commitment to certain positions on energy that don’t necessarily bear scrutiny (his love of CCS for example), but on the big issue - the vital importance of addressing dangerous climate change - he is correct.
Ed has more authenticity and charisma than any others barring the HMRC-compromised Rayner.
But the media and social media love climate change denial. Trump hates Starmer, well he's going to despise Miliband even more.
Here’s a counter factual thought. What if Corbyn was still a Labour MP today.
He'd be arguing with somebody. Corbyn is the man that founded his own party which immediately split into three parts and couldn't field any candidates. He was wasted in politics and would be better of as an advocate in a pressure group, where he could have argued his case, have a great YouTube channel, many subscribers, then cheerfully ignored and died happy and pointless.
US Secretaty of State Marco Rubio is officially sanctioned by China, for his outspoken support of the Hong Kong protestors five years ago.
But he’s now the American foreign minister, so of course he’s going to China with the President and a massive trade delegation.
So the Chinese made a subtle change to the translation of his name, and all of a sudden they have no record of him ever having being sanctioned, and they don’t lose face by overturning the old decision.
It’s a great insight into how different parts of the world work diplomatically.
A pedant writes. Unlikely to be a translation. More a transliteration.
Ha yes, but the interviewee, an HK lady in the US, said translation.
Don’t you actually speak Chinese?
Used to but it's rusty now. Names are very weird though. It's utterly baffling what can and can't be a name. The most usual way is to approximate the sound though. Which is why I said transliterate. It's also why so many Chinese girls adopt Lynn, Amy or Lily as their "English" names.
Fair play to @TSE - if his 100/1 bet on Miliband comes in that might just be the best punt in PB history. Even better than OGH’s famous wager on the unknown Obama?
It will just be terrible luck for the rest of us. Including Labour. I can see Miliband taking them down to around 10-13% in the polls
Miliband will be more divisive and assertively tribal than Starmer. His floor may therefore be higher, especially if he mixes in a bit of rejoin. Most of Labour’s recent decline in polls has been to the Greens.
@johnmcdonnellMP · 1h Just a thought. Wes Streeting owes his political status to the support he’s received over years from Peter Mandelson & Morgan McSweeney at Labour Together. He wouldn’t make a move against Keir Starmer without Mandelson’s say so. So look on this as Mandelson’s & Morgan’s revenge.
Ed Miliband is the guy I like the most for PM. But I dont think the country agrees with me.
He is loathed
He is, but I don't believe he read that memo.
He is loathed by people on the right. As we saw with Boris and Trump, being loathed by the ideologues on the other side is not necessarily a bad to high office. And unlike Boris or Trump he doesn’t take visible pleasure in trolling the other side.
He has an Achilles heel in his ideological commitment to certain positions on energy that don’t necessarily bear scrutiny (his love of CCS for example), but on the big issue - the vital importance of addressing dangerous climate change - he is correct.
Ed has more authenticity and charisma than any others barring the HMRC-compromised Rayner.
But the media and social media love climate change denial. Trump hates Starmer, well he's going to despise Miliband even more.
That’s a badge of honour. He should wear it with pride. Who wants to be associated with Trump anyway except corrupt scum like Farage?
Ed Miliband is the guy I like the most for PM. But I dont think the country agrees with me.
He is loathed
He is, but I don't believe he read that memo.
He is loathed by people on the right. As we saw with Boris and Trump, being loathed by the ideologues on the other side is not necessarily a bad to high office. And unlike Boris or Trump he doesn’t take visible pleasure in trolling the other side.
He has an Achilles heel in his ideological commitment to certain positions on energy that don’t necessarily bear scrutiny (his love of CCS for example), but on the big issue - the vital importance of addressing dangerous climate change - he is correct.
Ed has more authenticity and charisma than any others barring the HMRC-compromised Rayner.
But the media and social media love climate change denial. Trump hates Starmer, well he's going to despise Miliband even more.
Fair play to @TSE - if his 100/1 bet on Miliband comes in that might just be the best punt in PB history. Even better than OGH’s famous wager on the unknown Obama?
It will just be terrible luck for the rest of us. Including Labour. I can see Miliband taking them down to around 10-13% in the polls
Miliband will be more divisive and assertively tribal than Starmer. His floor may therefore be higher, especially if he mixes in a bit of rejoin. Most of Labour’s recent decline in polls has been to the Greens.
Labour's existential threat is from the Greens. They would still lose the next election to RefCon, but at least there might be a way back .
Senior figures on the soft left say Angela Rayner just isn't up to it. There are concerns she would be a 'complete liability' - and that's before you get to the outstanding HMRC inquiry
Andy Burnham is struggling to find a seat. And even if he finds a seat, secures NEC approval and manages to win it - none of which is a given - he wouldn't be in Westminster for months
We reported today that Miliband has explicitly told Cabinet colleagues that he would be prepared to stand if Streeting triggered a contest. This was denied by those close to Miliband
But ministers are today saying that it will have to be him if Streeting goes over the top. The soft-left can only have one candidate, and at the moment he is the logical choice...
So the soft left want to put in place a leader who has already been rejected by the country ! They’re insane . Why don’t they just collapse the government so we can dispense with the 3 years of Labour MPs pretending he can win an election and go right to the bit where Reform take over !
Could a "left-leaning" Labour Party see off Reform in 2029?
One not headed by Ed Miliband might have a chance . At least Rayner would be a change and has a great back story. I know she’s gobby and very Marmite but I can’t help but like her.
She had unresolved and not quickly resolvable tax issues - heck she didn’t even hold her hands up and quickly pay the tax as Jimmy Carr did
Jimmy Carr had written tax advice from licenced professionals, and when HMRC challenged the whole scheme he immediately paid up.
Anglea Rayner didn’t take the specialist advise she was told to take, and when challenged tried to blame others. It’s unlikely she actually had the funds to write a cheque for the outstanding amount, even if she wanted to pay it.
I appreciate that this may not be popular with some on PB, but anyone who signed up for an IOM payroll EBT scheme thinking that it was legitimate based on the legal opinion being touted by the scheme promoters is either not being honest with themselves or an idiot.
Rayner's flat purchase was a 2nd home only because she is a trustee for her son's trust and is therefore considered to have an interest in the property held for him in trust. She should have taken proper legal advice and she shouldn't have tried to mislead everyone about the matter, but it's fairly clear that she considers that property to be her son's not hers and she will not have a financial interest in it once he's 18.
He's already 18. His 18th birthday was on 9th April this year.
Is that the reason for the HMRC delay? They've got to find a reason to level a penalty and interest on the tax due that can now be reclaimed.
Fair play to @TSE - if his 100/1 bet on Miliband comes in that might just be the best punt in PB history. Even better than OGH’s famous wager on the unknown Obama?
It will just be terrible luck for the rest of us. Including Labour. I can see Miliband taking them down to around 10-13% in the polls
Miliband will be more divisive and assertively tribal than Starmer. His floor may therefore be higher, especially if he mixes in a bit of rejoin. Most of Labour’s recent decline in polls has been to the Greens.
I just can’t see it. But it is possible my perspective is warped by a dislike for Ed’s politics
However the polls suggest I’m right. He’s not liked. He won’t trouble Farage. And, worst of all, he has already been rejected by the voters. This is like serving a reheated meal that was already sent back to the kitchen
I am guessing there are brownfield sites in Enfield that should be developed for.
Green belt development should be a last resort not the default
Good news, it's not the default, nowhere near.
Whether this particular one is a decent idea would depend on the circumstances to be sure, not every scheme is good, but there seems to this impression that building on green belt is the norm. In part as people act like any field is green belt even in places with no green belt.
As for last resort, developers will lie and claim it is last resort when it is not. But when it is, due to costs and complications of brownfield, would objections cease? Of course not.
That's how you tell NIMBY from legitmate objection - when issue x is addressed, does objection remain?
Time will tell on this. Unlike NIMBYs i may be predisposed to be in favour, but i'm not predetermined should info change.
Fair play to @TSE - if his 100/1 bet on Miliband comes in that might just be the best punt in PB history. Even better than OGH’s famous wager on the unknown Obama?
It will just be terrible luck for the rest of us. Including Labour. I can see Miliband taking them down to around 10-13% in the polls
Who cares about polls. It’s the GE that matters. Do you really think Labour under Ed would get 10-13% in a GE? Seriously?
Fair play to @TSE - if his 100/1 bet on Miliband comes in that might just be the best punt in PB history. Even better than OGH’s famous wager on the unknown Obama?
It will just be terrible luck for the rest of us. Including Labour. I can see Miliband taking them down to around 10-13% in the polls
Miliband will be more divisive and assertively tribal than Starmer. His floor may therefore be higher, especially if he mixes in a bit of rejoin. Most of Labour’s recent decline in polls has been to the Greens.
I just can’t see it. But it is possible my perspective is warped by a dislike for Ed’s politics
However the polls suggest I’m right. He’s not liked. He won’t trouble Farage. And, worst of all, he has already been rejected by the voters. This is like serving a reheated meal that was already sent back to the kitchen
Potentially disastrous for Labour
Last night's leftover pizza and curry can be great however. Perhaps that's him now, rather than reject. We had a bite, weren't feeling it, but now after sleep we're in the mood for it.
A council has confirmed there will be a by-election after a Reform UK councillor who posted a "defamatory" social media message about a Conservative candidate was found guilty of breaking electoral law.
Andy Osborn, 74, was chairman of the North East Cambridgeshire Reform Party in April 2025, when he posted the message.
He was convicted of making or publishing a false statement under the Representation of the People Act 1983 at Westminster Magistrates' Court last month.
Cambridgeshire County Council said Osborn, who represented Roman Bank and Peckover, "has not lodged an appeal in time, therefore, he is no longer a county councillor".
Osborn's court hearing was told he wrote on Facebook in April 2025: "Samantha Hoy worked in the care industry but allegedly was sacked for fraud no wonder Wisbech is in such a state. Reform UK will fix it."
Hoy, who works in the care industry and has never been sacked or faced fraud allegations, later responded online, describing the claims as "an absolute lie and extremely defamatory and damaging".
She is a councillor at both county and district level.
Osborn claimed that his account had been hacked, but the judge dismissed this and found him guilty of the charge.
Reform continuing to attract high quality people I see.
The LDs suspended a councillor for antisemitic remarks only a matter of days ago. All parties have tainted representatives
They do, the question is which has the most and how do they treat them.
I am, in no way, supportive of Reform. Any new party achieving large numbers of novice councilors will almost inevitably not have robust enough vetting procedures. Older parties have had decades to put those in place.
Reform has got to weed out those with dodgy track records more effectively and efficiently.
Any new party has a steep learning curve. But the quality of council candidates has been dropping for a long time. So it will be an issue for all parties for the foreseeable future.
US Secretaty of State Marco Rubio is officially sanctioned by China, for his outspoken support of the Hong Kong protestors five years ago.
But he’s now the American foreign minister, so of course he’s going to China with the President and a massive trade delegation.
So the Chinese made a subtle change to the translation of his name, and all of a sudden they have no record of him ever having being sanctioned, and they don’t lose face by overturning the old decision.
It’s a great insight into how different parts of the world work diplomatically.
A pedant writes. Unlikely to be a translation. More a transliteration.
Ha yes, but the interviewee, an HK lady in the US, said translation.
Don’t you actually speak Chinese?
Used to but it's rusty now. Names are very weird though. It's utterly baffling what can and can't be a name. The most usual way is to approximate the sound though. Which is why I said transliterate. It's also why so many Chinese girls adopt Lynn, Amy or Lily as their "English" names.
Yes, I used to work for an hotel company in the sandpit, and the Chinese colleagues would often take a ‘Western’ name.
Which was a nightmare as an IT admin. We’d see names like “Han Win Chee (Sophie)” in the database, with email address sophie.han@… IT and HR had so many crazy discussions about it!
@johnmcdonnellMP · 1h Just a thought. Wes Streeting owes his political status to the support he’s received over years from Peter Mandelson & Morgan McSweeney at Labour Together. He wouldn’t make a move against Keir Starmer without Mandelson’s say so. So look on this as Mandelson’s & Morgan’s revenge.
This is why he cant win
Can we get John McDonnell to stand?
I like and rate JM but that's completely ludicrous smearball that Streeting is a puppet of Mandelson.
US Secretaty of State Marco Rubio is officially sanctioned by China, for his outspoken support of the Hong Kong protestors five years ago.
But he’s now the American foreign minister, so of course he’s going to China with the President and a massive trade delegation.
So the Chinese made a subtle change to the translation of his name, and all of a sudden they have no record of him ever having being sanctioned, and they don’t lose face by overturning the old decision.
It’s a great insight into how different parts of the world work diplomatically.
A pedant writes. Unlikely to be a translation. More a transliteration.
Ha yes, but the interviewee, an HK lady in the US, said translation.
Don’t you actually speak Chinese?
Used to but it's rusty now. Names are very weird though. It's utterly baffling what can and can't be a name. The most usual way is to approximate the sound though. Which is why I said transliterate. It's also why so many Chinese girls adopt Lynn, Amy or Lily as their "English" names.
Yes, I used to work for an hotel company in the sandpit, and the Chinese would often take a ‘Western’ name.
Which was a nightmare as an IT admin. We’d see names like “Han Win Chee (Sophie)” in the database, with email address sophie.han@… IT and HR had so many crazy discussions about it!
Certainly in Hong Kong, Western names are given as part of school English lessons; often old fashioned ones such as Grace. The other confusion of course is the Chinese write forenames and surnames the other way round, which is fair enough, except that Wikipedia insists on reordering names to the Western convention.
US Secretaty of State Marco Rubio is officially sanctioned by China, for his outspoken support of the Hong Kong protestors five years ago.
But he’s now the American foreign minister, so of course he’s going to China with the President and a massive trade delegation.
So the Chinese made a subtle change to the translation of his name, and all of a sudden they have no record of him ever having being sanctioned, and they don’t lose face by overturning the old decision.
It’s a great insight into how different parts of the world work diplomatically.
A pedant writes. Unlikely to be a translation. More a transliteration.
Ha yes, but the interviewee, an HK lady in the US, said translation.
Don’t you actually speak Chinese?
Used to but it's rusty now. Names are very weird though. It's utterly baffling what can and can't be a name. The most usual way is to approximate the sound though. Which is why I said transliterate. It's also why so many Chinese girls adopt Lynn, Amy or Lily as their "English" names.
I remember the Chinese/HK Chinese chaps at school all had Western first names. They always seemed to choose more uncommon names such as Eugene, Adrian, Brian, Dennis, Calvin to name a few.
Comments
Just the weird folk who pay subs to the Labour Party.
Streeting gets it by default, then Burnham comes back and challenges successfully but the Labour right quite the party a la Chuka Umunna in a huff.
He has close to Zero chance of beating anyone else in a contest.
So confident am I about this I will offer you £20 at 12/1 (double the best odds you can get elsewhere) if you want to back him.
Only applies at 12/1 if there is a contest with another Labour figure.
You win £240 plus your stake goes to a charity of your choice.
You lose and £20 goes to a charity of my choice.
I’ve worked on assignment with a lot of influencers now
They work really hard. They are often really smart. You have to be imaginative and resourceful. I just had a long chat with one of the girls on this Northumberland foodie road trip, she’s making £10k a month out of Instagram vids, TikTok shop, and stuff I’ve never heard of. And she’s travelling around the world for free. And she’s 23
Impressive
Labour throwing away that golden legacy, again...
I realise that the right wing press will try to make it a big deal and ignore Farage's tax and gifting affairs.
She was recommended to ask for specialist advice by her solicitor but it looked to me like a typical arse covering provision by the solicitor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsQ74A8UOvM
Former Tory whip Brandreth compares today to when Thatcher and Major were challenged, compares Starmer and Streeting who have both been on his podcast, and then meanders off into reminiscences about previous Prime Ministers.
Rayner's personality might take a bit of the RedWall Old Labour support back from Reform, but then Burnham's personal vote probably has some overlap with that group.
Being a retread might actually help EdM with older voters who put some value on experience, name recognition and not being a young whippersnapper, or however their mental processes work.
Streeting looks like the worst option, despite being more closely aligned on actual policy positions.
Delicately balanced.
I have two sons, I would never expect the younger to stand aside for the older if they both wanted a job. But I'd be livid if the one who missed out undermined his brother.
Rayner's flat purchase was a 2nd home only because she is a trustee for her son's trust and is therefore considered to have an interest in the property held for him in trust. She should have taken proper legal advice and she shouldn't have tried to mislead everyone about the matter, but it's fairly clear that she considers that property to be her son's not hers and she will not have a financial interest in it once he's 18.
According to Polls he is loathed less than Streeting as well.
Only Burnham would have a chance of beating Reform though
Reform has got to weed out those with dodgy track records more effectively and efficiently.
Any new party has a steep learning curve. But the quality of council candidates has been dropping for a long time. So it will be an issue for all parties for the foreseeable future.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is officially sanctioned by China, for his outspoken support of the Hong Kong protestors five years ago. Well done that man!
But he’s now the American foreign minister, so of course he’s going to China with the President and a massive trade delegation.
So the Chinese made a subtle change to the translation of his name, and all of a sudden they have no record of him ever having being sanctioned, and they don’t lose face by overturning the old decision.
https://x.com/glennbeck/status/2054603850989097348
It’s a great insight into how different parts of the world work diplomatically, and the nuanced discussions that lead up to major summits.
https://enfielddispatch.co.uk/enfield-council-under-no-overall-control-as-tories-fall-one-seat-short-of-majority/
·
1h
Just a thought. Wes Streeting owes his political status to the support he’s received over years from Peter Mandelson & Morgan McSweeney at Labour Together. He wouldn’t make a move against Keir Starmer without Mandelson’s say so. So look on this as Mandelson’s & Morgan’s revenge.
This is why he cant win
Unlikely to be a translation.
More a transliteration.
Turns out we are having to dry our eyes a lot at the moment — but only from crying with laughter.
It will just be terrible luck for the rest of us. Including Labour. I can see Miliband taking them down to around 10-13% in the polls
Don’t you actually speak Chinese?
Green belt development should be a last resort not the default
He has an Achilles heel in his ideological commitment to certain positions on energy that don’t necessarily bear scrutiny (his love of CCS for example), but on the big issue - the vital importance of addressing dangerous climate change - he is correct.
Ed has more authenticity and charisma than any others barring the HMRC-compromised Rayner.
https://x.com/RockyAtotheK/status/2054306074644070646
Names are very weird though. It's utterly baffling what can and can't be a name.
The most usual way is to approximate the sound though.
Which is why I said transliterate.
It's also why so many Chinese girls adopt Lynn, Amy or Lily as their "English" names.
However the polls suggest I’m right. He’s not liked. He won’t trouble Farage. And, worst of all, he has already been rejected by the voters. This is like serving a reheated meal that was already sent back to the kitchen
Potentially disastrous for Labour
Whether this particular one is a decent idea would depend on the circumstances to be sure, not every scheme is good, but there seems to this impression that building on green belt is the norm. In part as people act like any field is green belt even in places with no green belt.
As for last resort, developers will lie and claim it is last resort when it is not. But when it is, due to costs and complications of brownfield, would objections cease? Of course not.
That's how you tell NIMBY from legitmate objection - when issue x is addressed, does objection remain?
Time will tell on this. Unlike NIMBYs i may be predisposed to be in favour, but i'm not predetermined should info change.
Which was a nightmare as an IT admin. We’d see names like “Han Win Chee (Sophie)” in the database, with email address sophie.han@… IT and HR had so many crazy discussions about it!
It appears in culu (rude or crude) lumang (reckless) and apparently slow witted.
I don't think Western reporters have quite twigged that.