I think Burnham is off to a good start šŸ™‚

I hadn’t quite woken up yet and didn’t include that but, yes, I agree. That’s the logical next step which, if I recall correctly, has already started but is progressing far too slowly.

Ah, headline grabbing smoke and mirrors then. Not such a good start in reality.

Yes, to be honest I agree - but the RW press always seem to want to gloss over blatant corruption on the Right while subjecting the Left to microscopic examination and public humiliation for even the most minor gaff.

The new cabinet is clearly Burnham wanting to appear to be the new broom and to be sweeping the old order away - time will tell whether he has a team that can deliver. I don’t think any of the appointments are necessarily bad. Ideally you’d want Starmer in there but i’s hardly surprising that he isn’t (on both sides of the equation). I’m glad Streeting is out of Health even if it is a demotion for Yvette Cooper - but she’s a heavyweight and there are significant problems with social care. Not too surprised that Reeves and Lammy have gone and am having difficulty shedding a tear for either. Although I never felt the ā€œRachel from Accountsā€ description was fair i did think that she was too conventional an economist to see outside the box.

I think that these jobs are much, much harder than people realise - honestly would not want to try to do any of them in the present political climate.

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Agree with that 100% - the press especially need to cut them some slack, they are trying to balance increasing expenditure needs with a buggered-up economy (thank you Brexit) while also not alienating voters.

They won’t though.

I worked in the USA and chatting to a work colleague I said that it seemed to me that there was so many different flavours of religion there that you could choose one to suit your lifestyle. ā€œIsn’t that the right thing to doā€ they replied. Must admit, it shut me up. I’d not considered it like that before, being brought up influenced in dour presbyterian ways.

Yes, I agree too. Including the prime minister’s job. I know Burham has held cabinet positions but I do wonder, for all his enthusiasm and big ideas (tba), whether he’s fully aware of the compromises, negotiations, balancing acts… indeed obstructions and brick walls he’ll have to negotiate to get his vision rolling. People have become impatient and he will not be given much time before the criticisms come his way. I’m not optimistic tbh (I think he’ll get ground down) though I do want for him to make progress.

Not to mention run a bus service in Manchester :slight_smile:

Yes, magnitudes of difference. Some say Mussolini got the trains running on time so who knows.

A myth, apparently.

I think he’s been in and around politics long enough to know the challenges he’ll face as PM. Personally I think being both in and out of the Westminster bubble has allowed him to see just what real life is like. Not walking in and making grandiose promises on day one gets my respect.

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While Starmer has contacts he’s not effective and his fawning Trump strategy was a disaster. He also turned a blind eye on the Gaza genocide and the ethnic cleaning and land grabs in the West Bank. Burnham has already said that the Governments response to Gaza was inadequate. Milband is much more critical of Israel and given his heritage possibly better protected from criticism for same. I also think he will get on well and be liked by EU leaders, which is where the UK should be focussing. It could be a very smart move.

Poor Lamy is just an idiot. Dead Ringers, while they are very cruel, have him down pat.

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Never liked him on his radio program, anyone putting forward an different point of view or disagreeing with him was just cut off. Rude

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If you think Friends of Israel members are going to actually ā€œstand upā€ to Israel, I have a bridge for sale that you might be interested in.

In not unrelated news, here’s the Fabian Society emblem:

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Smart Friends of Israel know at current course and speed it’s on the road to disaster. That being said, is Miliband a member?

Cut and paste from Fabian’s.org.uk:

ā€œAfter 2010

The fall of the Labour government and the election of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government in 2010 marked a new era for the society. During the 2010-2015 parliament Labour was led by Ed Miliband, a prominent member of the society, and the Fabians played their traditional role of feeding new ideas into the party, completing major policy commissions on public spending and food poverty.ā€

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And the meddling former PM Tony B liar feathering his own nest.

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Then they would do well to burn their membership cards on live TV and send quite the message.

Ed Miliband is an intelligent man, he’s given a job and he does it. He knew little about energy, but did a great job with that. I expect he’ll do the same with his new job.

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I give it six months before we have a ā€˜In hindsight, Burnham was a terrible choice’ thread on here :thinking: :laughing:

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The red top papers will attack at the usual 100 days in office.

I saw Farage was calling for a general election, well tough mate you resigned as an MP so have no seat and no voice :joy:

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