POLITICS CORNER

[Stanley]

See THIS......
Labour MP Catherine West has said if a cabinet minister does not challenge Sir Keir Starmer as party leader by Monday, she will attempt to trigger a leadership contest herself. In an exclusive interview with the BBC, she said her preferred option would be for the cabinet to "reorganise themselves" and put forward their "best communicator" to replace Sir Keir, avoiding a leadership election. But speaking after devastating election results for Labour, West said she was putting the cabinet "on notice" and if she did not hear from a leadership hopeful by Monday she would ask Labour MPs to back her to trigger a contest. For this to happen, 20% of Labour MPs – 81 people – would have to back her. West, a former junior Foreign Office minister, said she currently had 10 MPs prepared to back her in a leadership bid but she was "confident" enough people would come forward to trigger a contest. "My preferred option is for the cabinet to do a reshuffle within itself, where there's plenty of talent, and for Keir to be given a different role, which he might enjoy, perhaps an international role," the MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet told Radio 4's PM programme. "Then for others to come to the fore who can communicate the message, who are very able, so we can have minimum fuss."

[Stanley]

See THIS account of Starmer's desperate attemts to regain authority and control of the Party....
3 hours ago
Sir Keir Starmer is to promise bolder action to tackle "big challenges" facing the country, as he battles to persuade his MPs not to ditch him as Labour leader. The prime minister will seek to reset his premiership in a speech on Monday, after heavy election losses left him facing renewed calls to quit. Growing numbers of Labour MPs went public with calls for him to go over the weekend, with potential challenger Angela Rayner saying the party needed to do more to appeal to voters whose living standards had been squeezed. It comes as backbencher Catherine West said she could try to trigger a leadership contest in the wake of his speech.
Angela Rayner has warned that Labour faces its "last chance" after heavy election losses this week, as she backed Andy Burnham to return to Westminster. In a statement following Labour's disastrous performance at the polls, the former deputy prime minister said the party had been wrong to block the Greater Manchester mayor from standing as an MP earlier this year. Rayner, seen as a potential contender to replace Sir Keir, called on him to "meet the moment" with bolder action to make people feel better off. She did not launch a leadership challenge herself, but her intervention will add to pressure on the embattled prime minister, who will try to shore up his premiership in a speech on Monday. In her first public comments since Thursday's elections, Rayner called for Sir Keir to take more action to tackle inequality and "squeezed living standards". In her 1,000 word statement, she called for Labour to offer regional mayors more economic powers, raise the minimum wage, and be "unafraid to promote new forms of public, community and cooperative ownership across the board". "We are in danger of becoming a party of the well-off, not working people," she added. "What we are doing isn't working, and it needs to change. This may be our last chance."

[Whyperion]

Baroness Harriet Harman was appointed as the UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls on 8 March 2025.

So far , to me , nothing noticable about things like womens rights and equality reported as improving in places like Afganistan or Iraq / Iran.

[Whyperion]

Kings Speech etc.
Nationalisation of British Steel - should have been done years ago with supply and tariff problems.
Tourist Tax authorisation for urban mayors - we really do not need complexity and more (inflation increasing) taxes, hotels etc pay business rates as it is.
Removal of Planning Permission for on street electric vehicle charge points - probably not a good idea, but a simplification of planning and zoning for them when installed by private companies or local authorities is needed.
Bill to restrict some benefits, including banning under 22s from claiming incapacity benefits. Great lets kick the seriously unwell - have Labour really got the message that fairness in society is needed ?
Water regulation - bringing Ofwat , Environment Agency and others together into one body in England. Seems sensible but the number of rejigs we have had over the years on rivers, canals , foul water management , flood management and drinking water supply is bewildering and seems intent on yet another reshuffle of management , perhaps this one might actually work.
Expecting reporting from businesses over 250 employees of pay to disabled and ethnic groups , this seems intrusive and while a noble aim , totally unnecessary.

[Tripps]

The pressure is growing on the prime Minister. Sky say there will be another MP joining the list of those calling for his departure every 15 minutes all evening. It's at 56 now. I don't think he wants to go - to put it mildly - he may have to go nuclear and say he will call a general election.
That will concentrate minds. If he does quit - it may get worse for them. The succession will messy, and there is no one of sufficient stature to cope .

Did you see the late result from Hartlepool Council Election Result #LE2026:

RFM: 12 (+12)
LAB: 0 (-7)
CON: 0 (-4)
IND: 0 (-1)
Council Now: RFM 15, LAB 15, IND 6.

No wonder they tried to get the whole election cancelled.

I'm rarely rght, but I think he will survive.

[Stanley]

I have to differ David.... I think there are too many senior figures who have made up their minds. It looks to me as though we are going to get Andy Burnham shoe horned in and that will take some time, I'd guess at three or four months.
Listening to Starmer telling us that he was not going to damage the Party by resigning reminded me of IDS and the infamous 'quiet man' speech.

I wrote the above before opening the BBC political feed.... HERE'S what I found....
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is among cabinet ministers calling for Starmer to set out a timetable for his resignation. It's understood there are splits in the cabinet over calls for Starmer's departure and Mahmood is in the minority. Tuesday promises to be an extraordinary day, but today has been one as well, writes the BBC's Chris Mason. It comes after six Labour MPs were replaced as they called for Starmer to resign or set out a timetable for his resignation. Earlier, he insisted he would prove "doubters" wrong, adding his government had made mistakes but "got the big political choices right". Labour backbench MP Catherine West backed down from her threat to trigger a leadership challenge against Starmer - but called on him to go by September. Pressure has been mounting on Starmer over his party's disastrous performance in elections across England, Scotland and Wales last week
I think it's possible that those opposing a swift removal might be doing do to create enough time to get Burnham out of his mayoral job and into Westminster....

[Tripps]

I'm rarely rght, but I think he will survive.

It looks to me as though we are going to get Andy Burnham shoe horned in and that will take some time, I'd guess at three or four months.

"Body bags" Burnham (see S. Staffs Health Authority) is on the move. He has just taken the train to London. I just skimmed through his wikipedia page. I didn't realise he has stood for leader twice before, and been well beaten both times - by Ed Milliband and Jeremy Corbyn.

PS The Telegraph say - "Andy Burnham is holding a secret meeting in London to woo Labour MPs amid speculation about a leadership challenge…"

Well - "secretish".



If his latest attempt takes four months - where does that leave the governance of the nation?
In a bit of plight I'd say. Starmer would be the lamest of all ducks.

If you want some entertainment and don't take it all too seriously - checkout Oldham Council. The Big Meeting is on 20th of this month. Get the popcorn ordered now - there will be a rush on it.

[Stanley]

I think you are right about delay being bad for governance David. I am just going to have a look at the latest political news.... I suspect there will have been plotting during the night....

See THIS update on Starmer published 2 hours ago....
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is to meet Health Secretary Wes Streeting, one of his potential leadership challengers, on Wednesday morning, as his government faces an attempt by Labour MPs to oust him from the top job. The meeting comes after four ministers resigned, including prominent MP Jess Phillips who quit as safeguarding minister, and Streeting ally Zubir Ahmed. More than 80 Labour MPs also urged Sir Keir to stand down, exposing deep divisions over the prime minister's future. Sir Keir vowed to get on with governing on Tuesday, while his cabinet allies and more than 100 MPs rallied behind the prime minister, warning against a leadership contest. But the prime minister's authority has been weakened by the Labour revolt, which came after a dire set of election results last week. The resignations and turmoil in Downing Street come as Sir Keir's government is due to set out its legislative agenda in the King's Speech. Streeting is due to meet Sir Keir in Number 10 Downing Street ahead of the event, which marks the start of a new parliamentary session. The BBC has been told Streeting will not be saying anything that might distract from the King's Speech following the meeting. The prime minister earlier defied calls to depart No 10, telling his cabinet the country "expects us to get on with governing" and pointing out that a formal leadership challenge had not been triggered. A leadership election can only be triggered if the leader resigns, or if Labour MPs launch a challenge when there is no vacancy. A challenger wishing to oust an incumbent leader must be supported by 20% of Labour MPs, meaning 81 would need to support a challenger to formally start the process. Streeting has previously been open about his leadership ambitions and has plenty of support from Labour MPs, particularly those on the centre and the right of the party. The BBC has been told the prime minister's allies are convinced the health secretary will not be able to produce a list of 81 supporters in his meeting on Wednesday. Some of Streeting's backers had written letters suggesting Sir Keir had lost the support of the country, and ministers seen as sympathetic to the health secretary have resigned. But Sir Keir has defied the pressure to go and some MPs on the party's right, who would have been assumed to be Streeting supporters, have signed the statement that says now is not the time for a leadership contest.
So yes, things are moving and it begins to look like an earlier transition that will rule Burnham out. I wonder if Streeting is going to be the only candidate?

[Whyperion]

20th May is everyones big meeting. Mums council Labour will be gloating having increased their number of seats (too the Libs with a pair of tories left standing). Ploughing on with an air of superority despite general popular vote share going down to just over a third of electors.
I hope Green councils can manage to get more community support , really everyone thinks councillors can work wonders and are responsible for everything ( and they do take credit for any success even when it is not them as such ), but to deliver less crime means fewer people have to be criminals for example, just being community road sweepers of all ills - literally when it is how we generate , and process, waste , and decent alternatives to constant car usage just being a few things. Mums council Labour wont engage with official opposistion - sometimes instructing officers not to cooperate , its not helpful and downright annoying that only one vision is true, (tories did the same when they had the upper hand when more councillors forming council and the swing ward of the time went tory).

Starmer doesnt NEED to go, but he needs to turn left and change.
Nationalise Water ( yes its a cost ), reverse fully brexit ( there is a Labour majority and Wales/Scotland wont resist at all ) , some caveats mainly with EU economic policy that needs to free up restrictions on state control and ownership of core utilities - private ownership hasnt worked or delivered for taxpayers and consumers , choice has become a chore and a conmans paradise and the rise of the regulator sans teeth are quangos too far. Move over the bank of england , join the euro and propose a common rate of corporation tax across EU.
Reduce VAT on lower value goods and services, increase vehicle fuel duty but reverse the electric vehicle mileage charge, increase higher rate percentages of income tax, reduce employer national insurance (though this might be too late), there is no need to increase govt department spendings generally by doing this. Treat pension credit and child benefit as taxable items to all people. Increase tax threasholds ( inflation has taken away the 12k pa that seemed reasonable by the end of previous parliament as the brexit / covid costs kicked in. so £15k basic +£2k savings for everyone (no silly chopping it away for higher earners - increased rates are better ) and increase the mid band (not sure what too) with a high earnings rate and band somewhere north of £145k Properly fund "National Investment Bank" ( something that strictly is no more) and use it to fund HS2 extensions to Liverpool , Manchester (South) , Leeds. Electrify other main rail lines- Western to Exeter and Swansea , Midland to Sheffield then Leeds.

Its quite simple. be a bit more socialist.
Oh , and a little less friendly to Israel and a bit more friendly to Gaza/Palestine and proper effective overseas aid to soft power might be handy. (but I dont see that happening)
Burnham might have seen the light from some of his previous actions , words and thoughts in the past (which is why he didnt get elected)
I rather like Jess Phillips but she needs a little more education (but maybe her ways of telling it straight might appeal to the reform voting labour block of voters - others comments on that welecome)
And no , for the good of the country we dont need a general election (and we probably dont need the Daily Telegraph either - alas it is not what it used to be) (ps who is funding GB News ?)

[Stanley]

Streeting was inside Number 10 for 17 minutes on his widely advertised meeting with Starmer. Make of that what you will........

[Stanley]

See THIS report from Westminster....
Embattled Sir Keir Starmer has warned his ministers and MPs a challenge against his leadership could "plunge us into chaos", after attempting to win them over with what he called a "radical" plan to change the country. Sir Keir sought to rally his quarrelling MPs behind a package of new laws, which he said would "end the status quo that has failed working people". He promised reforms to areas including health, housing and immigration, before meeting ministers and MPs in Parliament. Sir Keir is battling to save his job after four ministers quit and dozens of Labour MPs urged him to resign, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting thought to be plotting a leadership challenge. Supporters of Streeting told the BBC they expected the health secretary to challenge Sir Keir for the Labour leadership as soon as Thursday. Streeting would need the support of 81 MPs to trigger a leadership contest under the Labour Party's rules. Streeting met the prime minister in No 10 Downing Street for less than 20 minutes on Wednesday morning, after days of intense speculation that he is preparing a bid to replace him. The prime minister's spokesman said Sir Keir had "full confidence" in Streeting but would not comment on the details of their meeting. On Wednesday evening, Sir Keir held a series of meetings with Labour MPs and ministers in Parliament, telling colleagues: "We cannot let a leadership contest plunge us into chaos - a challenge would 100% do that."
I think Starmer has missed the fact that we are in chaos already due to the ham-fisted way he has filled the role of PM.

[Stanley]

Wes Streeting has resigned.... How can Starmer survive? We wait for the chaos to subside and for a course out of this mess to emerge....

[Tripps]

The MP for Makerfield has said he will quit to allow Andy Burnham to stand in a byelection, and get back into Parliament. Nice personal connection here. I lived in Ashton in Makerfield for a couple of years and both my lads were born here during that time. Brand new semi off plan for £9200.

2012-10-26 21.57.48.jpg

Burnham is said to have done good job with transport in Manchester. More memories.Here is the bus stop in Stevenson Square where I caught the bus home from school for years. There was a bus every ten minutes until 11.00 pm which dropped me within 200yds of where I lived. The adult fare was 7d (3P). Under 15's were half price. See Hutber's Law again. I doubt the present day service is better.

[Stanley]

HERE'S the latest update....
2 hours ago
Andy Burnham will attempt to return to the Commons as an MP, after Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary, saying he had lost confidence in Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's leadership. Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, said he would ask to run for Labour in Makerfield after Labour MP Josh Simons said he would resign to make way for him. Any candidate in a Labour leadership contest to replace Sir Keir must be an MP. Streeting called for a broad debate about what comes next but did not say he would run for leader. Speculation has been rife over Sir Keir's future as leader following a disastrous set of election results for Labour last week. No leadership challenge has been triggered.