Incidentally, Burnham's kids school has five wiki alumni. A Corrie actress, a Gladiator and three rugby league players. Not sure that beats a PM
In terms of inspiring current pupils for their future prospects, I suspect a Corrie actress, a Gladiator and three rugby league players do indeed beat a Prime Minister.
He is basically saying no money should be sent on defence at all, which would be a huge sign of weakness to Putin and provide no protection to ourselves or our overseas territories
Deputy PM tenures since Prescott lasted 10 years (which just seems crazy to me, was he genuinely regarded as a theoretical successor at the time, or was it just a recognition of being a pitbull for Blair?):
Clegg - 5 years Raab - about a year Coffey - 50 days Raab again - half a year Rayner - just over a year Lammy - just under a year
First secretaries since Prescott:
Mandelson - just under a year Hague - 5 years Osborn - just over a year Green - half a year Raab - 2 years
So apart from the coalition, not really worth holding either role, you won't have it long.
: Nearly 100 US service members have been injured in Iranian attacks on multiple bases in the Middle East this month, US officials told me. Some suffered traumatic brain injuries. Most have already returned to duty, two of the officials said. Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the numbers in a statement to CBS. "While nearly 100 service members were deemed to have some degree of injury since July 7, 2026, 96% have returned duty. They are determined to get back in the fight. The vast majority of injuries experienced were minor concussions. Further updates will be posted on the Defense Casualty Analysis System. God is good!" Parnell said.
He is basically saying no money should be sent on defence at all, which would be a huge sign of weakness to Putin and provide no protection to ourselves or our overseas territories
He thinks "defence" (his emphasis) is just warmongering. He also thinks defending yourself is warmongering in the case of Ukraine, and would have had them surrender immediately, putting many liberated territories in Russian hands today.
He can fuck off with his phony 'peace' (my emphasis) image.
He is basically saying no money should be sent on defence at all, which would be a huge sign of weakness to Putin and provide no protection to ourselves or our overseas territories
Putin is not threatening our overseas territories. He does pose a threat to the former Soviet republics and Warsaw pact countries.
There is a fair chunk of PB who want us to stop buying tanks or ships in the age of drone warfare, though as a trading nation you'd have thought a strong and large navy would be a good starting point.
Will she be doing PMQs (when Burnham is otherwise engaged)? I guess Osborne didn’t because there was also a DPM in Clegg.
Hague was First Secretary when Clegg was DPM. Osborne didn't get it until after the coalition.
And crazy to think he might have been the appointed successor had Cameron won the Brexit referendum. He would have missed out on so many 'jobs' he's had since.
Off topic: The primary election here in Washington state is on August 4th. So, I was not surprised when I received the official King County local voters' pamphlet.
As usual, there were some humorous bits, including this one: Candidates can declare a party preference. And, along with the usual Democratic, Republican, and independent preferences there is one for "The Fifth Republic Party".
No, I don't know why he chose that -- and I am not going to name the candidate, since I disagree, strongly, with his views.
My favourite situation was when Dominic Raab was First Secretary of State (not Deputy PM) and Foreign Secretary, and had deputised for Boris, but only later became Deputy PM and Justice Secretary instead - so kind of a sideways but slightly downwards move.
Quite a few people thought no change when he became Deputy PM, but technically there had been.
Raab - completely forgotten about that useless waste of space
Off topic: The primary election here in Washington state is on August 4th. So, I was not surprised when I received the official King County local voters' pamphlet.
As usual, there were some humorous bits, including this one: Candidates can declare a party preference. And, along with the usual Democratic, Republican, and independent preferences there is one for "The Fifth Republic Party".
No, I don't know why he chose that -- and I am not going to name the candidate, since I disagree, strongly, with his views.
What were the other four republics?
Are they an American equivalent of the Fifth Monarchists, reinterpreting the Book of Daniel?
I’ve already discussed with the Goddesses representative on PB, Big G, Kemi needs a period of going in studs down for a while as a change in tone, towards working together. It’s all bollocks and pretend, but she has to do it.
Where WOTN muscles in on turf that was becoming profitable to her, no reaction is not an option. For example, Is two old licenses stuck in legal limbo make the opening up the North Sea and differences to peoples bills Kemi was promising? Labour will sell it as the “perfect balanced approach for UK”. If it’s not, Kemi needs to spell out a proper working policy and make clear difference again between the parties.
With Thames Water it’s the other way around. The Tory front bench has the right policy, if Burnham does not do exactly what Kemi tells him with Thames Water, Burnham’s in trouble.
Yes, it was supposed to be over hours ago. There must be a lot of horse trading. Rayner's been in for some time (and Lisa Nandy but I doubt she has much bargaining power) and nothing has been said about Wes Streeting.
Yes, it was supposed to be over hours ago. There must be a lot of horse trading. Rayner's been in for some time (and Lisa Nandy but I doubt she has much bargaining power) and nothing has been said about Wes Streeting.
You would have presumed this had all been agreed ages ago. The reports were Haigh had been overseeing it and had I think they kicked an MP out of an office that they were using as a sort of interview / house trading room and all the names had been in and out of there over the past few weeks.
He is basically saying no money should be sent on defence at all, which would be a huge sign of weakness to Putin and provide no protection to ourselves or our overseas territories
Putin is not threatening our overseas territories. He does pose a threat to the former Soviet republics and Warsaw pact countries.
There is a fair chunk of PB who want us to stop buying tanks or ships in the age of drone warfare, though as a trading nation you'd have thought a strong and large navy would be a good starting point.
Yes but a strong navy is also part of defence spending
Deputy PM tenures since Prescott lasted 10 years (which just seems crazy to me, was he genuinely regarded as a theoretical successor at the time, or was it just a recognition of being a pitbull for Blair?):
Clegg - 5 years Raab - about a year Coffey - 50 days Raab again - half a year Rayner - just over a year Lammy - just under a year
First secretaries since Prescott:
Mandelson - just under a year Hague - 5 years Osborn - just over a year Green - half a year Raab - 2 years
So apart from the coalition, not really worth holding either role, you won't have it long.
Two Jags was resolutely Old Labour, and Call Me Tony needed him for that.
Hmmm, voluntary aided and catholic doesn’t sound very open to the riff raff.
You obviously don't know the North West.
He is the only alumni listed on his school’s wiki page. That’s actually quite sad. In all seriousness, it’s better that Labour has a genuinely northern leader than one of the mediocre women they could have had (Cooper not an option apparently).
If you have to have only one then a PM isn't a bad one.
My comp has a Dr Who, an Archbishop of Canterbury and an architect of New Labour.
My grammar school had two Richard Hills who BOTH played rugby for England.
One assumes Ed has been placed there to appease the left. He probably wasn't Burnham's top choice for the job.
He's been appointed foreign secretary so he's got no say over domestic policy. It's also akin to N Ireland at the moment with Trump in the White House, trying to play nice while being belittled and mocked.
Do we have any suggestions for the pet moronic tax policies that the Treasury will get Healey to implement? I'm thinking pasty and caravan tax level, stuff that costs more than it could ever raise.
VED on ebikes or income tax on feed-in-tariff credits.
It’ll be a push on “fairness” based on harmonising things like income tax and CGT. He’ll balance it out with things like a basic rate cut.
Merge NIC and Income Tax and a basic rate cut would absolutely be affordable.
I'll call it for:
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension. 2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting). 3 - Something modest being done on triple lock. 4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people. 5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
Packing in this betting lark. My 85 year old Mam paid a tenner for one of 48 sealed envelopes at the pub before the World Cup. They were opened before the final. Spain was in hers. £200 quid. Kerching.
Packing in this betting lark. My 85 year old Mam paid a tenner for one of 48 sealed envelopes at the pub before the World Cup. They were opened before the final. Spain was in hers. £200 quid. Kerching.
Hopefully no FIFA-esque sheerigans have gone on ;-)
@KemiBadenoch · 9m Congratulations to John Healey on his appointment.
He can now ensure the Defence Investment Plan is properly funded. Conservatives will work with him to cut benefits so we can fund defence.
Because we can’t have higher taxes or even more borrowing.
Regular reminder that pensions are the biggest part of the benefits bill.
Naughty! That isn't what she has in mind.
Just checked and contrary to the pb / national received wisdom, pension spend is actually really low compared to other European nations !
They all have different funding models, and account for pension spend differently.
Doesn’t change the fact that UK state pension is far from generous by comparison with comparable European countries.
Most EU/EEA countries, such as France, Germany, and Italy, use comprehensive "pay-as-you-go" social insurance systems. They generate higher state-run pension payouts by linking benefits directly to lifetime earnings and contributions.
We do that instead here through workplace auto enrolment.
Packing in this betting lark. My 85 year old Mam paid a tenner for one of 48 sealed envelopes at the pub before the World Cup. They were opened before the final. Spain was in hers. £200 quid. Kerching.
One assumes Ed has been placed there to appease the left. He probably wasn't Burnham's top choice for the job.
He's been appointed foreign secretary so he's got no say over domestic policy. It's also akin to N Ireland at the moment with Trump in the White House, trying to play nice while being belittled and mocked.
Do we have any suggestions for the pet moronic tax policies that the Treasury will get Healey to implement? I'm thinking pasty and caravan tax level, stuff that costs more than it could ever raise.
VED on ebikes or income tax on feed-in-tariff credits.
It’ll be a push on “fairness” based on harmonising things like income tax and CGT. He’ll balance it out with things like a basic rate cut.
Merge NIC and Income Tax and a basic rate cut would absolutely be affordable.
I'll call it for:
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension. 2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting). 3 - Something modest being done on triple lock. 4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people. 5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to ,myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
5 is my favourite, hard-pressed renters tax to pay for northern homeowners' bin collections.
McTernan called it, if you don't appoint a strong Chancellor with a plan then you get the Treasury and policy which is austerity and pet tax policy changes. Healey went native at Defence, so he'll be run by the Treasury.
I saw the first 20 seconds of an AI slop video that was talking about Rodney whilst displaying a Japanese battleship with a pagoda mast.
Now THAT is a red flag.
I did not see torpedo boats.
Following the success of military history podcasts there is now an awful lot of AI-assisted slop in that field. Apparently well-researched (or at least having read Wikipedia or watched another video) but having a synthesised narrator over unrelated clips or AI illustrations (one I watched yesterday had a Polish resistance radio operator with three hands).
Maybe this Odyssey business will kickstart AI classics.
One assumes Ed has been placed there to appease the left. He probably wasn't Burnham's top choice for the job.
He's been appointed foreign secretary so he's got no say over domestic policy. It's also akin to N Ireland at the moment with Trump in the White House, trying to play nice while being belittled and mocked.
Do we have any suggestions for the pet moronic tax policies that the Treasury will get Healey to implement? I'm thinking pasty and caravan tax level, stuff that costs more than it could ever raise.
VED on ebikes or income tax on feed-in-tariff credits.
It’ll be a push on “fairness” based on harmonising things like income tax and CGT. He’ll balance it out with things like a basic rate cut.
Merge NIC and Income Tax and a basic rate cut would absolutely be affordable.
I'll call it for:
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension. 2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting). 3 - Something modest being done on triple lock. 4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people. 5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to ,myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
5 is my favourite, hard-pressed renters tax to pay for northern homeowners' bin collections.
McTernan called it, if you don't appoint a strong Chancellor with a plan then you get the Treasury and policy which is austerity and pet tax policy changes. Healey went native at Defence, so he'll be run by the Treasury.
My favourite would be encouraging those who live in dwellings that have had massive increases in value since 1991, on which increase they by default have not paid Council Tax, to at last pay what should be owed.
(Yes, I know how it is calculated.)
This includes me in some measure.
Were it me I'd tell them to have it place by the tax year 27-28. That would wake up the civil service.
Seems to be taking a long time to sort out what’s being offered to Charlie’s Angels . Is there some late drama !
Coup already?
Powell , Rayner and Nandy expect to be rewarded for their support for Burnham . The fact it’s taking this long isn’t a good sign for harmony !
Its a bit odd. All those getting the chop were clearly informed ahead of time and over the past 24hrs have announced they were leaving government. You would have thought all their replacement were all in place otherwise you might end up having to have a Nicola Murray type situation.
Seems to be taking a long time to sort out what’s being offered to Charlie’s Angels . Is there some late drama !
He's away to bed for the night. There's currently a game of rock, paper scissors in the Rose garden for the post of DEFRA Secretary between Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner
Seems to be taking a long time to sort out what’s being offered to Charlie’s Angels . Is there some late drama !
Coup already?
Powell , Rayner and Nandy expect to be rewarded for their support for Burnham . The fact it’s taking this long isn’t a good sign for harmony !
Its a bit odd. All those getting the chop were clearly informed ahead of time and over the past 24hrs have announced they were leaving government. You would have thought all their replacement were all in place otherwise you might end up having to have a Nicola Murray type situation.
I suspect someone’s refused what they were offered and things have got complicated.
Packing in this betting lark. My 85 year old Mam paid a tenner for one of 48 sealed envelopes at the pub before the World Cup. They were opened before the final. Spain was in hers. £200 quid. Kerching.
£280 commission, I assume?
Nah. £100 for runner up. £20 for semis. Tenner back for quarters. £100 to Warm Space charity.
Russia's Finance Ministry has announced it will stop issuing government bonds "to facilitate market stabilization". Russian financial markets have been crashing in recent months, with 10year bond rates now close to 17%.
Russia's Finance Ministry has announced it will stop issuing government bonds "to facilitate market stabilization". Russian financial markets have been crashing in recent months, with 10year bond rates now close to 17%.
One assumes Ed has been placed there to appease the left. He probably wasn't Burnham's top choice for the job.
He's been appointed foreign secretary so he's got no say over domestic policy. It's also akin to N Ireland at the moment with Trump in the White House, trying to play nice while being belittled and mocked.
Do we have any suggestions for the pet moronic tax policies that the Treasury will get Healey to implement? I'm thinking pasty and caravan tax level, stuff that costs more than it could ever raise.
VED on ebikes or income tax on feed-in-tariff credits.
It’ll be a push on “fairness” based on harmonising things like income tax and CGT. He’ll balance it out with things like a basic rate cut.
Merge NIC and Income Tax and a basic rate cut would absolutely be affordable.
I'll call it for:
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension. 2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting). 3 - Something modest being done on triple lock. 4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people. 5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to ,myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
5 is my favourite, hard-pressed renters tax to pay for northern homeowners' bin collections.
McTernan called it, if you don't appoint a strong Chancellor with a plan then you get the Treasury and policy which is austerity and pet tax policy changes. Healey went native at Defence, so he'll be run by the Treasury.
My favourite would be encouraging those who live in dwellings that have had massive increases in value since 1991, on which increase they by default have not paid Council Tax, to at last pay what should be owed.
(Yes, I know how it is calculated.)
This includes me in some measure.
Were it me I'd tell them to have it place by the tax year 27-28. That would wake up the civil service.
What should be owed. So people who paid mortgages, maintenance costs, council taxes on an asset that is in physical real terms is no different from what they bought should be penalised. Anyway how would you distinguish between those that bought 20 years ago and those that bought last year?
One assumes Ed has been placed there to appease the left. He probably wasn't Burnham's top choice for the job.
He's been appointed foreign secretary so he's got no say over domestic policy. It's also akin to N Ireland at the moment with Trump in the White House, trying to play nice while being belittled and mocked.
Do we have any suggestions for the pet moronic tax policies that the Treasury will get Healey to implement? I'm thinking pasty and caravan tax level, stuff that costs more than it could ever raise.
VED on ebikes or income tax on feed-in-tariff credits.
It’ll be a push on “fairness” based on harmonising things like income tax and CGT. He’ll balance it out with things like a basic rate cut.
Merge NIC and Income Tax and a basic rate cut would absolutely be affordable.
I'll call it for:
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension. 2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting). 3 - Something modest being done on triple lock. 4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people. 5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to ,myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
5 is my favourite, hard-pressed renters tax to pay for northern homeowners' bin collections.
McTernan called it, if you don't appoint a strong Chancellor with a plan then you get the Treasury and policy which is austerity and pet tax policy changes. Healey went native at Defence, so he'll be run by the Treasury.
My favourite would be encouraging those who live in dwellings that have had massive increases in value since 1991, on which increase they by default have not paid Council Tax, to at last pay what should be owed.
(Yes, I know how it is calculated.)
This includes me in some measure.
Were it me I'd tell them to have it place by the tax year 27-28. That would wake up the civil service.
What should be owed. So people who paid mortgages, maintenance costs, council taxes on an asset that is in physical real terms is no different from what they bought should be penalised. Anyway how would you distinguish between those that bought 20 years ago and those that bought last year?
One assumes Ed has been placed there to appease the left. He probably wasn't Burnham's top choice for the job.
He's been appointed foreign secretary so he's got no say over domestic policy. It's also akin to N Ireland at the moment with Trump in the White House, trying to play nice while being belittled and mocked.
Do we have any suggestions for the pet moronic tax policies that the Treasury will get Healey to implement? I'm thinking pasty and caravan tax level, stuff that costs more than it could ever raise.
VED on ebikes or income tax on feed-in-tariff credits.
It’ll be a push on “fairness” based on harmonising things like income tax and CGT. He’ll balance it out with things like a basic rate cut.
Merge NIC and Income Tax and a basic rate cut would absolutely be affordable.
I'll call it for:
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension. 2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting). 3 - Something modest being done on triple lock. 4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people. 5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
2- could be sold as part of a package restoring the Personal allowance to all and a 50% higher additional rate.
One assumes Ed has been placed there to appease the left. He probably wasn't Burnham's top choice for the job.
He's been appointed foreign secretary so he's got no say over domestic policy. It's also akin to N Ireland at the moment with Trump in the White House, trying to play nice while being belittled and mocked.
Do we have any suggestions for the pet moronic tax policies that the Treasury will get Healey to implement? I'm thinking pasty and caravan tax level, stuff that costs more than it could ever raise.
VED on ebikes or income tax on feed-in-tariff credits.
It’ll be a push on “fairness” based on harmonising things like income tax and CGT. He’ll balance it out with things like a basic rate cut.
Merge NIC and Income Tax and a basic rate cut would absolutely be affordable.
I'll call it for:
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension. 2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting). 3 - Something modest being done on triple lock. 4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people. 5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to ,myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
5 is my favourite, hard-pressed renters tax to pay for northern homeowners' bin collections.
McTernan called it, if you don't appoint a strong Chancellor with a plan then you get the Treasury and policy which is austerity and pet tax policy changes. Healey went native at Defence, so he'll be run by the Treasury.
My favourite would be encouraging those who live in dwellings that have had massive increases in value since 1991, on which increase they by default have not paid Council Tax, to at last pay what should be owed.
(Yes, I know how it is calculated.)
This includes me in some measure.
Were it me I'd tell them to have it place by the tax year 27-28. That would wake up the civil service.
What should be owed. So people who paid mortgages, maintenance costs, council taxes on an asset that is in physical real terms is no different from what they bought should be penalised. Anyway how would you distinguish between those that bought 20 years ago and those that bought last year?
I'm referring to future payments not historic. Historic losses are a sunk cost. We cannot easily correct the past in this case, only ebnsure that the future is better.
Even in the flawed CT system, I would wish that a revaluation had been done every decade since 1991, but recognise that that is now a sunk cost. Not to have done regular revaluations was absurd.
It might even have helped in some minor way to stabilise our crazy house price fluctuations.
One assumes Ed has been placed there to appease the left. He probably wasn't Burnham's top choice for the job.
He's been appointed foreign secretary so he's got no say over domestic policy. It's also akin to N Ireland at the moment with Trump in the White House, trying to play nice while being belittled and mocked.
Do we have any suggestions for the pet moronic tax policies that the Treasury will get Healey to implement? I'm thinking pasty and caravan tax level, stuff that costs more than it could ever raise.
VED on ebikes or income tax on feed-in-tariff credits.
It’ll be a push on “fairness” based on harmonising things like income tax and CGT. He’ll balance it out with things like a basic rate cut.
Merge NIC and Income Tax and a basic rate cut would absolutely be affordable.
I'll call it for:
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension. 2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting). 3 - Something modest being done on triple lock. 4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people. 5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
2- could be sold as part of a package restoring the Personal allowance to all and a 50% higher additional rate.
zero chance of a revaluation of council tax - it would take years
Angela Rayner returns as secretary of state for housing, communities and local government. It's less than 10 months after she left govt over her unpaid stamp duty bill
A big role in the new government given council housebuilding programme and devolution agenda
Lucy Powell is the new education secretary
Bridget Phillipson is left with minister for women and equalities. She remains a full member of cabinet
Johnny Reynolds is now the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade - sounds like suggestion DSIT is dead is true
One assumes Ed has been placed there to appease the left. He probably wasn't Burnham's top choice for the job.
He's been appointed foreign secretary so he's got no say over domestic policy. It's also akin to N Ireland at the moment with Trump in the White House, trying to play nice while being belittled and mocked.
Do we have any suggestions for the pet moronic tax policies that the Treasury will get Healey to implement? I'm thinking pasty and caravan tax level, stuff that costs more than it could ever raise.
VED on ebikes or income tax on feed-in-tariff credits.
It’ll be a push on “fairness” based on harmonising things like income tax and CGT. He’ll balance it out with things like a basic rate cut.
Merge NIC and Income Tax and a basic rate cut would absolutely be affordable.
I'll call it for:
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension. 2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting). 3 - Something modest being done on triple lock. 4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people. 5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
2- could be sold as part of a package restoring the Personal allowance to all and a 50% higher additional rate.
zero chance of a revaluation of council tax - it would take years
Angela Rayner returns as secretary of state for housing, communities and local government. It's less than 10 months after she left govt over her unpaid stamp duty bill
A big role in the new government given council housebuilding programme and devolution agenda
Lucy Powell is the new education secretary
Bridget Phillipson is left with minister for women and equalities. She remains a full member of cabinet
Johnny Reynolds is now the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade - sounds like suggestion DSIT is dead is true
Anneliese Midgeley is chief whip
Oh god. He failed last time and now he gets an even bigger brief. Absolute madness to get rid of DSIT.
"Britain’s Brexit Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds axed in reshuffle The close ally of Keir Starmer was delivering the prime minister’s reset with the European Union."
Angela Rayner returns as secretary of state for housing, communities and local government. It's less than 10 months after she left govt over her unpaid stamp duty bill
A big role in the new government given council housebuilding programme and devolution agenda
Lucy Powell is the new education secretary
Bridget Phillipson is left with minister for women and equalities. She remains a full member of cabinet
Johnny Reynolds is now the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade - sounds like suggestion DSIT is dead is true
"Britain’s Brexit Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds axed in reshuffle The close ally of Keir Starmer was delivering the prime minister’s reset with the European Union."
In an ideal world we'd have no bombs. But we live in a world where Putin is completely nuts, and may even be on the cusp of staging an attack on a NATO member, perhaps as an attempt to force a deal with Ukraine that he can live with, or to fold and excuse his failure by saying Russia was fighting all of NATO. So maybe we actually do need some bombs.
One assumes Ed has been placed there to appease the left. He probably wasn't Burnham's top choice for the job.
He's been appointed foreign secretary so he's got no say over domestic policy. It's also akin to N Ireland at the moment with Trump in the White House, trying to play nice while being belittled and mocked.
Do we have any suggestions for the pet moronic tax policies that the Treasury will get Healey to implement? I'm thinking pasty and caravan tax level, stuff that costs more than it could ever raise.
VED on ebikes or income tax on feed-in-tariff credits.
It’ll be a push on “fairness” based on harmonising things like income tax and CGT. He’ll balance it out with things like a basic rate cut.
Merge NIC and Income Tax and a basic rate cut would absolutely be affordable.
I'll call it for:
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension. 2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting). 3 - Something modest being done on triple lock. 4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people. 5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
2- could be sold as part of a package restoring the Personal allowance to all and a 50% higher additional rate.
One assumes Ed has been placed there to appease the left. He probably wasn't Burnham's top choice for the job.
He's been appointed foreign secretary so he's got no say over domestic policy. It's also akin to N Ireland at the moment with Trump in the White House, trying to play nice while being belittled and mocked.
Do we have any suggestions for the pet moronic tax policies that the Treasury will get Healey to implement? I'm thinking pasty and caravan tax level, stuff that costs more than it could ever raise.
VED on ebikes or income tax on feed-in-tariff credits.
It’ll be a push on “fairness” based on harmonising things like income tax and CGT. He’ll balance it out with things like a basic rate cut.
Merge NIC and Income Tax and a basic rate cut would absolutely be affordable.
I'll call it for:
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension. 2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting). 3 - Something modest being done on triple lock. 4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people. 5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
2- could be sold as part of a package restoring the Personal allowance to all and a 50% higher additional rate.
zero chance of a revaluation of council tax - it would take years
Heard of Zoopla?
Yep and I've argued for that approach in the past, but people on here found multiple flaws..
One assumes Ed has been placed there to appease the left. He probably wasn't Burnham's top choice for the job.
He's been appointed foreign secretary so he's got no say over domestic policy. It's also akin to N Ireland at the moment with Trump in the White House, trying to play nice while being belittled and mocked.
Do we have any suggestions for the pet moronic tax policies that the Treasury will get Healey to implement? I'm thinking pasty and caravan tax level, stuff that costs more than it could ever raise.
VED on ebikes or income tax on feed-in-tariff credits.
It’ll be a push on “fairness” based on harmonising things like income tax and CGT. He’ll balance it out with things like a basic rate cut.
Merge NIC and Income Tax and a basic rate cut would absolutely be affordable.
I'll call it for:
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension. 2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting). 3 - Something modest being done on triple lock. 4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people. 5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
2- could be sold as part of a package restoring the Personal allowance to all and a 50% higher additional rate.
Tax free allowance increased to £15,000 and BSP linked to it. Triple lock replaced by CPI increase thereafter, or average earnings. £1,000 tax free interest allowance for everyone. Income Tax and NI merged, and everyone pays the combined rate, initially set at a basic rate of 26%. This equalises employed and self-employed rates. The 2% reduction for employed people is paid for by pensioners effectively paying NI.
Comments
Clegg - 5 years
Raab - about a year
Coffey - 50 days
Raab again - half a year
Rayner - just over a year
Lammy - just under a year
First secretaries since Prescott:
Mandelson - just under a year
Hague - 5 years
Osborn - just over a year
Green - half a year
Raab - 2 years
So apart from the coalition, not really worth holding either role, you won't have it long.
'Ed Miliband as Foreign Secretary is potentially a significant upgrade.
His instincts are better on questions of war - and on Israel.
But he was the one Cabinet minister with an interest in transformative domestic policies, and suggests a retreat on climate policy.'
https://x.com/owenjonesjourno/status/2079262653847937149
: Nearly 100 US service members have been injured in Iranian attacks on multiple bases in the Middle East this month, US officials told me. Some suffered traumatic brain injuries. Most have already returned to duty, two of the officials said.
Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the numbers in a statement to CBS. "While nearly 100 service members were deemed to have some degree of injury since July 7, 2026, 96% have returned duty. They are determined to get back in the fight. The vast majority of injuries experienced were minor concussions. Further updates will be posted on the Defense Casualty Analysis System. God is good!" Parnell said.
https://x.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/2079288761540591874?s=20
And we couldn't have done Brexit without him....
He's probably completely mad (just like his brother) but still... Credit where its due... He's more "authentic" than miserable Kier, any way.
Who is the one holding things up?
He can fuck off with his phony 'peace' (my emphasis) image.
There is a fair chunk of PB who want us to stop buying tanks or ships in the age of drone warfare, though as a trading nation you'd have thought a strong and large navy would be a good starting point.
And crazy to think he might have been the appointed successor had Cameron won the Brexit referendum. He would have missed out on so many 'jobs' he's had since.
As usual, there were some humorous bits, including this one: Candidates can declare a party preference. And, along with the usual Democratic, Republican, and independent preferences there is one for "The Fifth Republic Party".
No, I don't know why he chose that -- and I am not going to name the candidate, since I disagree, strongly, with his views.
Are they an American equivalent of the Fifth Monarchists, reinterpreting the Book of Daniel?
I’ve already discussed with the Goddesses representative on PB, Big G, Kemi needs a period of going in studs down for a while as a change in tone, towards working together. It’s all bollocks and pretend, but she has to do it.
Where WOTN muscles in on turf that was becoming profitable to her, no reaction is not an option. For example, Is two old licenses stuck in legal limbo make the opening up the North Sea and differences to peoples bills Kemi was promising? Labour will sell it as the “perfect balanced approach for UK”. If it’s not, Kemi needs to spell out a proper working policy and make clear difference again between the parties.
With Thames Water it’s the other way around. The Tory front bench has the right policy, if Burnham does not do exactly what Kemi tells him with Thames Water, Burnham’s in trouble.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jK-LA-jPE4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehJj3FsFh_g
We don't have a Justice Secretary either
So technically he is still doing the job but he hasn't been reconfirmed
1 - The zero tax income band being synchronised with basic pension.
2 - The 100k cliff edge being sorted (this may be me hopecasting).
3 - Something modest being done on triple lock.
4 - Some tweaks around savings or income for wealthy people.
5 - Something on Council Tax. I'm speculating to myself about a rapid full revaluation, followed by a Proportional Property Tax to build on it by 2030.
Success for me will be 2/5 correct. Very success will be 3/5 right.
My 85 year old Mam paid a tenner for one of 48 sealed envelopes at the pub before the World Cup. They were opened before the final.
Spain was in hers.
£200 quid. Kerching.
Now THAT is a red flag.
I did not see torpedo boats.
Are they an American equivalent of the Fifth Monarchists, reinterpreting the Book of Daniel?"
Not that I know of. Historians often say the US has had three party systems:
Federalists vs. Democratic-Republicans
Democrats vs. Whigs.
Democrats vs. Republicans
But what the man meant by "The Fifth Republic" I do not know.
(Incidentally, my favorite perennial candidates is Goodspaceguy</>)
We do that instead here through workplace auto enrolment.
McTernan called it, if you don't appoint a strong Chancellor with a plan then you get the Treasury and policy which is austerity and pet tax policy changes. Healey went native at Defence, so he'll be run by the Treasury.
Maybe this Odyssey business will kickstart AI classics.
We have to go all the way back to Churchill to have a properly bald PM, although Alec Douglas-Home wasnt known for his hairline
(Yes, I know how it is calculated.)
This includes me in some measure.
Were it me I'd tell them to have it place by the tax year 27-28. That would wake up the civil service.
£100 to Warm Space charity.
Hopefully their views will be coherent, at least.
Russia's Finance Ministry has announced it will stop issuing government bonds "to facilitate market stabilization". Russian financial markets have been crashing in recent months, with 10year bond rates now close to 17%.
https://x.com/jakluge/status/2079244871164916126?s=20
- Ed Miliband is in as Foreign Secretary
- Yvette Cooper is in as Health Secretary
- Louise Haigh is in as First Secretary of State
Departed- Darren Jones is out as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
- David Lammy is out as Justice Secretary and Deputy PM
- Ed Miliband is out as Energy Secretary
- 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
- Yvette Cooper is out as Foreign Secretary
- ? is out as Health Secretary
- ? is out as First Secretary Of State
Remains- Pat McFadden remains as Work and Pensions Secretary
- Shabhana Mahmood remains as Home Secretary
As yet unassigned- Angela Rayner
- Wes Streeting
- Bridget Phillipson
- Lucy Powell
- Anneliese Midgley
- Lisa Nandy
- Ellie Reeves
- Chris Bryant
Anybody I've missed?It's a smart idea to have at least one chess player in the government at any time.
Even in the flawed CT system, I would wish that a revaluation had been done every decade since 1991, but recognise that that is now a sunk cost. Not to have done regular revaluations was absurd.
It might even have helped in some minor way to stabilise our crazy house price fluctuations.
Rayner back to Housing.
SUN EXCLUSIVE
Keir Starmer resigned as PM - and went straight to the pub for some pints
Fair play.
https://x.com/JackElsom/status/2079300725872488462?s=20
BREAKING
Angela Rayner returns as secretary of state for housing, communities and local government. It's less than 10 months after she left govt over her unpaid stamp duty bill
A big role in the new government given council housebuilding programme and devolution agenda
Lucy Powell is the new education secretary
Bridget Phillipson is left with minister for women and equalities. She remains a full member of cabinet
Johnny Reynolds is now the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade - sounds like suggestion DSIT is dead is true
Anneliese Midgeley is chief whip
"Britain’s Brexit Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds axed in reshuffle
The close ally of Keir Starmer was delivering the prime minister’s reset with the European Union."
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-relations-minister-nick-thomas-symonds-reshuffle/
Powell is a very weak option.