There are a lot of resignations/sackings. It's like there was a GE: all the tired old ministers are out and are replaced by new blood. Like the fresh-faced ingenue Miliband
Be interesting to see how well Healey funds Defence now.
Whacking up my taxes but you know what I cannot complain if I moan about defence being underfunded and he puts up the additional rate of tax to pay for it.
Be interesting to see how well Healey funds Defence now.
Whacking up my taxes but you know what I cannot complain if I moan about defence being underfunded and he puts up the additional rate of tax to pay for it.
This may be a bit harsh on both of them - a new PM might reasonably just mean time for new blood - but I do think there is a general feeling, not entirely unearned, that politics is inherently a bad thing, and so as much as possible we should put non-politicians in charge, or divest politicians of responsibility for things. It can be a cheap, easy solution, but then makes it harder to be responsible when we want them to be responsible.
And of course, when you put non-politicians into political situation, politics happens regardless, that is life.
Both Vallance and Timpson have resigned. Think it speaks to something - always such a clamour for GOATs, from outside politics, bring real sector expertise, yet inevitably (see same under Brown), they often struggle to adapt to politics. Maybe because politics itself is a skill? https://nitter.poast.org/LukeTryl/status/2079179722198511787#m
In terms of expectation I'd agree (Ed M was dishonest in later years about what the Syria vote was at the time vs what he later pretended it was), but if it meant he had less impact on other policies? Foreign Secretary is no longer the great office it still pretends, when the PM gets to go to all the good gigs and is at the end of the phone at all times.
Be interesting to see how well Healey funds Defence now.
Whacking up my taxes but you know what I cannot complain if I moan about defence being underfunded and he puts up the additional rate of tax to pay for it.
Steve Reed's punchy response perhaps demonstrates why he put out the Local Government Reorganisation stuff end of last week, to make it harder for any new Secretary to adjust.
Keir Starmer showed loyalty to me by appointing me to his Cabinet. I make no apology for returning that loyalty. It’s what is expected of functioning teams, and I hope those who did not show loyalty to Keir will now show it to you. I’m proud I acted with integrity at every step over the turbulent past few months.
We are now up to 11 individuals who sat around the cabinet table of previous Prime Minister Keir Starmer who have been sacked or left the government now that Andy Burnham is in No 10.
John Healey’s a Cambridge gentleman, he’ll be an awesome Chancellor.
First time we have had a non Oxford educated PM and Chancellor since Brown and Darling and first time we have had a Cambridge educated PM and Chancellor since Arthur Balfour and Austen Chamberlain
Be interesting to see how well Healey funds Defence now.
Whacking up my taxes but you know what I cannot complain if I moan about defence being underfunded and he puts up the additional rate of tax to pay for it.
That will do the opposite, although I agree it'd be politically unsustainable to not increase top rate too.
The only serious revenue raisers are basic and higher rate.
So defence is a priority but so is cutting the cost of living. Guns and butter. I thought he was wanting to go back to the 1970s but it looks like he is going back a lot further.
Hardly, this looks like a Brown government with a Corbynite twinge replacing a vaguely New Labour government if anything, just with Burnham a bit more charismatic than Brown
I think British politics is finally about to stabilize.
Burnham will win en election (probably in Spring) meaning he'll be PM for longer than anyone since Cameron. Farage is imploding. He won't lead REF at the election. As a result, Reform will fall apart amid much very entertaining recrimination and in-fighting.
Conservatives are alive thanks to Kemi. When Labour eventually gets turfed out the Tories will take over...
The two-party system survives... We endure!
If we have a gilt strike in September and everything falls apart, I'm the new Ragersarmus! 😂
In terms of expectation I'd agree (Ed M was dishonest in later years about what the Syria vote was at the time vs what he later pretended it was), but if it meant he had less impact on other policies? Foreign Secretary is no longer the great office it still pretends, when the PM gets to go to all the good gigs and is at the end of the phone at all times.
Does Burnham count as educated at a comprehensive?
Yes, he went to a Roman Catholic comp/high school with a technology specialism. Burnham will be the second PM fully educated at a comprehensive for their secondary education after Truss
I think British politics is finally about to stabilize.
Burnham will win en election (probably in Spring) meaning he'll be PM for longer than anyone since Cameron. Farage is imploding. He won't lead REF at the election. As a result, Reform will fall apart amid much very entertaining recrimination and in-fighting.
Conservatives are alive thanks to Kemi. When Labour eventually gets turfed out the Tories will take over...
The two-party system survives... We endure!
If we have a gilt strike in September, I'm the new Ragersarmus! 😂
Quite a few people across the divide have suggested Farage won’t lead Reform.
Conversely I think that may help them. On a micro level I know people, like my in-laws, who should be certs for Reform but won’t touch it because of him.
Of course he will attract others. Would they stay ?
In terms of expectation I'd agree (Ed M was dishonest in later years about what the Syria vote was at the time vs what he later pretended it was), but if it meant he had less impact on other policies? Foreign Secretary is no longer the great office it still pretends, when the PM gets to go to all the good gigs and is at the end of the phone at all times.
We are now up to 11 individuals who sat around the cabinet table of previous Prime Minister Keir Starmer who have been sacked or left the government now that Andy Burnham is in No 10.
Indeed. Departures so far
Darren Jones is out as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster David Lammy is out as Justice Secretary and Deputy PM Hilary Benn is out as Northern Ireland Secretary Jenny Chapman is out as international development minister Jo Stevens is out as Wales Secretary Liz Kendall is out as Technology Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds is out as paymaster general and Cabinet Office minister Peter Kyle is out as Business Secretary Rachel Reeves is out as Chancellor Richard Hermer is out as Attorney General Steve Reed is out as Housing Secretary
In terms of expectation I'd agree (Ed M was dishonest in later years about what the Syria vote was at the time vs what he later pretended it was), but if it meant he had less impact on other policies? Foreign Secretary is no longer the great office it still pretends, when the PM gets to go to all the good gigs and is at the end of the phone at all times.
I think British politics is finally about to stabilize.
Burnham will win en election (probably in Spring) meaning he'll be PM for longer than anyone since Cameron. Farage is imploding. He won't lead REF at the election. As a result, Reform will fall apart amid much very entertaining recrimination and in-fighting.
Conservatives are alive thanks to Kemi. When Labour eventually gets turfed out the Tories will take over...
The two-party system survives... We endure!
If we have a gilt strike in September, I'm the new Ragersarmus! 😂
Quite a few people across the divide have suggested Farage won’t lead Reform.
Conversely I think that may help them. On a micro level I know people, like my in-laws, who should be certs for Reform but won’t touch it because of him.
Of course he will attract others. Would they stay ?
2 years ago him going would have been fatal. Now? They have made a bit play about how they are basically the Tories, but done right this time. So as long as the Faragian elements don't decamp en masse (and where would they go? Restore hates Farage and presumably Farageists), it could be useful.
But I don't think he's going anywhere yet - all the big people in Reform are still utterly servile in defending him, showing he still has the whip hand over them.
From where exactly? There’s no magic money trees. 🙂
Healey is a hopeless out of touch politician with zero communication skills. What Labour is doing to itself today is delicious.
Casino's happy to make a contribution, I hear.
I've argued consistently for a 2p increase in basic and top rate to fully fund defence, as you know.
So less of that lip.
Taxing our way to growth. Marvellous.
I would far rather cut welfare, pensions and move healthcare to a mixed funding system, and free up the cash that way, but that's never going to happen.
So if tax rises are the only way the nation stays safe and is protected then, as the lesser of two evils, then that's what we must do. They are the fairest, broadest and most reliable revenue raisers as well, and give some scope to iron out some of the ludicrous incentives elsewhere.
As a Thatcherite aside, I'm increasingly coming to the view that privatising the roads is a good idea - just so they bloody well get maintained properly.
So defence is a priority but so is cutting the cost of living. Guns and butter. I thought he was wanting to go back to the 1970s but it looks like he is going back a lot further.
We'll go back to the 970s if we can't defend our country.
From where exactly? There’s no magic money trees. 🙂
Healey is a hopeless out of touch politician with zero communication skills. What Labour is doing to itself today is delicious.
Casino's happy to make a contribution, I hear.
I've argued consistently for a 2p increase in basic and top rate to fully fund defence, as you know.
So less of that lip.
Taxing our way to growth. Marvellous.
I would far rather cut welfare, pensions and move healthcare to a mixed funding system, and free up the cash that way, but that's never going to happen.
So if tax rises are the only way the nation stays safe and is protected then, as the lesser of two evils, then that's what we must do. They are the fairest, broadest and most reliable revenue raisers as well, and give some scope to iron out some of the ludicrous incentives elsewhere.
As a Thatcherite aside, I'm increasingly coming to the view that privatising the roads is a good idea - just so they bloody well get maintained properly.
Starmer will probably be furious in a year as Burnham has to ask Labour MPs to do things they don't like because the facts are bad, which Starmer also told them, and they swallow it.
We are now up to 11 individuals who sat around the cabinet table of previous Prime Minister Keir Starmer who have been sacked or left the government now that Andy Burnham is in No 10.
Indeed. Departures so far
Darren Jones is out as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster David Lammy is out as Justice Secretary and Deputy PM Hilary Benn is out as Northern Ireland Secretary Jenny Chapman is out as international development minister Jo Stevens is out as Wales Secretary Liz Kendall is out as Technology Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds is out as paymaster general and Cabinet Office minister Peter Kyle is out as Business Secretary Rachel Reeves is out as Chancellor Richard Hermer is out as Attorney General Steve Reed is out as Housing Secretary
Richard Hermer's departure is surely a great relief and the end of the ridiculous Chagos deal. Good riddence.
Starmer will probably be furious in a year as Burnham has to ask Labour MPs to do things they don't like because the facts are bad, which Starmer also told them, and they swallow it.
I suspect he will have left the Commons for a big job elsewhere by then
I think British politics is finally about to stabilize.
Burnham will win en election (probably in Spring) meaning he'll be PM for longer than anyone since Cameron. Farage is imploding. He won't lead REF at the election. As a result, Reform will fall apart amid much very entertaining recrimination and in-fighting.
Conservatives are alive thanks to Kemi. When Labour eventually gets turfed out the Tories will take over...
The two-party system survives... We endure!
If we have a gilt strike in September, I'm the new Ragersarmus! 😂
Quite a few people across the divide have suggested Farage won’t lead Reform.
Conversely I think that may help them. On a micro level I know people, like my in-laws, who should be certs for Reform but won’t touch it because of him.
Of course he will attract others. Would they stay ?
Farage leaving would help Reform, seriously?
You must be seeing something in Bob, Suella, Richard or Zia that I'm not seeing.
'Louise Haigh, who has emerged as a key ally of Andy Burnham, has now been confirmed as first secretary of state and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.'
From where exactly? There’s no magic money trees. 🙂
Healey is a hopeless out of touch politician with zero communication skills. What Labour is doing to itself today is delicious.
Casino's happy to make a contribution, I hear.
I've argued consistently for a 2p increase in basic and top rate to fully fund defence, as you know.
So less of that lip.
Taxing our way to growth. Marvellous.
I would far rather cut welfare, pensions and move healthcare to a mixed funding system, and free up the cash that way, but that's never going to happen.
So if tax rises are the only way the nation stays safe and is protected then, as the lesser of two evils, then that's what we must do. They are the fairest, broadest and most reliable revenue raisers as well, and give some scope to iron out some of the ludicrous incentives elsewhere.
As a Thatcherite aside, I'm increasingly coming to the view that privatising the roads is a good idea - just so they bloody well get maintained properly.
Like our water system you mean?
You may laugh, but water infrastructure is far better maintained today than it was under state control, and water quality is better.
Maintenance spending is always the first thing to be cut and can-kicked in any nationalised asset because politicians and HMT always want it reallocated elsewhere.
We are now up to 11 individuals who sat around the cabinet table of previous Prime Minister Keir Starmer who have been sacked or left the government now that Andy Burnham is in No 10.
Indeed. Departures so far
Darren Jones is out as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster David Lammy is out as Justice Secretary and Deputy PM Hilary Benn is out as Northern Ireland Secretary Jenny Chapman is out as international development minister Jo Stevens is out as Wales Secretary Liz Kendall is out as Technology Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds is out as paymaster general and Cabinet Office minister Peter Kyle is out as Business Secretary Rachel Reeves is out as Chancellor Richard Hermer is out as Attorney General Steve Reed is out as Housing Secretary
Richard Hermer's departure is surely a great relief and the end of the ridiculous Chagos deal. Good riddence.
'Louise Haigh, who has emerged as a key ally of Andy Burnham, has now been confirmed as first secretary of state and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.'
Odd that Cooper wasn't flagged as a sacking earlier...
Did Burnham not know where they were going to go when he invited them in? It feels like they negotiated instead of Burnham simply appointing them. It would explain Mahmood staying in post.
'Louise Haigh, who has emerged as a key ally of Andy Burnham, has now been confirmed as first secretary of state and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.'
I think British politics is finally about to stabilize.
Burnham will win en election (probably in Spring) meaning he'll be PM for longer than anyone since Cameron. Farage is imploding. He won't lead REF at the election. As a result, Reform will fall apart amid much very entertaining recrimination and in-fighting.
Conservatives are alive thanks to Kemi. When Labour eventually gets turfed out the Tories will take over...
The two-party system survives... We endure!
If we have a gilt strike in September, I'm the new Ragersarmus! 😂
Quite a few people across the divide have suggested Farage won’t lead Reform.
Conversely I think that may help them. On a micro level I know people, like my in-laws, who should be certs for Reform but won’t touch it because of him.
Of course he will attract others. Would they stay ?
Farage leaving would help Reform, seriously?
You must be seeing something in Bob, Suella, Richard or Zia that I'm not seeing.
From where exactly? There’s no magic money trees. 🙂
Healey is a hopeless out of touch politician with zero communication skills. What Labour is doing to itself today is delicious.
Casino's happy to make a contribution, I hear.
I've argued consistently for a 2p increase in basic and top rate to fully fund defence, as you know.
So less of that lip.
Taxing our way to growth. Marvellous.
I would far rather cut welfare, pensions and move healthcare to a mixed funding system, and free up the cash that way, but that's never going to happen.
So if tax rises are the only way the nation stays safe and is protected then, as the lesser of two evils, then that's what we must do. They are the fairest, broadest and most reliable revenue raisers as well, and give some scope to iron out some of the ludicrous incentives elsewhere.
As a Thatcherite aside, I'm increasingly coming to the view that privatising the roads is a good idea - just so they bloody well get maintained properly.
Like our water system you mean?
You may laugh, but water infrastructure is far better maintained today than it was under state control, and water quality is better.
Maintenance spending is always the first thing to be cut and can-kicked in any nationalised asset because politicians and HMT always want it reallocated elsewhere.
Absolutely!
Nobody wants to go back to pre-privatisation waterways.
So defence is a priority but so is cutting the cost of living. Guns and butter. I thought he was wanting to go back to the 1970s but it looks like he is going back a lot further.
We'll go back to the 970s if we can't defend our country.
Comments
And of course, when you put non-politicians into political situation, politics happens regardless, that is life.
Both Vallance and Timpson have resigned. Think it speaks to something - always such a clamour for GOATs, from outside politics, bring real sector expertise, yet inevitably (see same under Brown), they often struggle to adapt to politics. Maybe because politics itself is a skill?
https://nitter.poast.org/LukeTryl/status/2079179722198511787#m
(Silly Billy)
Well know shortly.
Putting Ed Miliband in as foreign secretary after his appalling Syria vote in 2013 is a disgrace.
https://nitter.poast.org/OzKaterji/status/2079174481268916336#m
Keir Starmer showed loyalty to me by appointing me to his Cabinet. I make no apology for returning that loyalty. It’s what is expected of functioning teams, and I hope those who did not show loyalty to Keir will now show it to you. I’m proud I acted with integrity at every step over the turbulent past few months.
So less of that lip.
The only serious revenue raisers are basic and higher rate.
But I forgive you - you (and others on here) save me from the echo chamber of my progressive friends.
Burnham will win en election (probably in Spring) meaning he'll be PM for longer than anyone since Cameron. Farage is imploding. He won't lead REF at the election. As a result, Reform will fall apart amid much very entertaining recrimination and in-fighting.
Conservatives are alive thanks to Kemi. When Labour eventually gets turfed out the Tories will take over...
The two-party system survives... We endure!
If we have a gilt strike in September and everything falls apart, I'm the new Ragersarmus! 😂
Of course some come back, like Archibald (Archie).
Grr.
Conversely I think that may help them. On a micro level I know people, like my in-laws, who should be certs for Reform but won’t touch it because of him.
Of course he will attract others. Would they stay ?
Which makes him dangerous.
Seems he's giving a job to everyone left from the Blair/Brown era.
I like and respect Labour posters on here like @Mexicanpete and @Jonathan
It doesn't have to be like this. But you like to make things personal, and then I respond in kind.
Darren Jones is out as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
David Lammy is out as Justice Secretary and Deputy PM
Hilary Benn is out as Northern Ireland Secretary
Jenny Chapman is out as international development minister
Jo Stevens is out as Wales Secretary
Liz Kendall is out as Technology Secretary
Nick Thomas-Symonds is out as paymaster general and Cabinet Office minister
Peter Kyle is out as Business Secretary
Rachel Reeves is out as Chancellor
Richard Hermer is out as Attorney General
Steve Reed is out as Housing Secretary
2 years ago him going would have been fatal. Now? They have made a bit play about how they are basically the Tories, but done right this time. So as long as the Faragian elements don't decamp en masse (and where would they go? Restore hates Farage and presumably Farageists), it could be useful.
But I don't think he's going anywhere yet - all the big people in Reform are still utterly servile in defending him, showing he still has the whip hand over them.
So if tax rises are the only way the nation stays safe and is protected then, as the lesser of two evils, then that's what we must do. They are the fairest, broadest and most reliable revenue raisers as well, and give some scope to iron out some of the ludicrous incentives elsewhere.
As a Thatcherite aside, I'm increasingly coming to the view that privatising the roads is a good idea - just so they bloody well get maintained properly.
Rest of the world is already fucked anyway, so what harm can he do?
Must have been desperate to get him away from the oil....
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jul/20/andy-burnham-new-prime-minister-pm-keir-starmer-labour-no-10-downing-street-speech-cabinet-uk-politics-latest-news-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with:block-6a5e5e9d8f08ed007109e4ec#block-6a5e5e9d8f08ed007109e4ec
Everyone on BlueSky is fuming about it, so that confirms it is the correct decision.
You must be seeing something in Bob, Suella, Richard or Zia that I'm not seeing.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cgrkv8e8l9qt
Maintenance spending is always the first thing to be cut and can-kicked in any nationalised asset because politicians and HMT always want it reallocated elsewhere.
He’s very marmite.
Nobody wants to go back to pre-privatisation waterways.
Who is Ed Miliband?
What are the chances of anyone who ins interested enough to follow that feed not know who Ed is?