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Some (most?) of these people with influence don't even care about the direction the country takes ( up or down) because they have no interest in the country... They likely don't even live here, it's about exploiting division and chaos to make money.
The problem is that these people now have a vehicle with which they hope to win real power through having their puppets form an actual government.
Not a response to anyone, just thinking aloud.
I'm hoping he, initially, can just provides a bit of positivity and optimism to the country. It's needed as much as the change itself.
I think the new reality is that whatever party and PM is in power now, there is a concerted effort online to undermine them. I think vested interests with access to lots of money and influence make this even more targeted if the PM happens to be a Labour one.
Some (most?) of these people with influence don't even care about the direction the country takes ( up or down) because they have no interest in the country... They likely don't even live here, it's about exploiting division and chaos to make money.
This is bang on. The Greens/Polanski (whatever happened to him?) did well as they were offering something positive and not being dragged into the cycle of negativity/fear. The LibDems also tend to the upbeat side of life. It was the politics of doom that pushed desperate voters to the right when none of the mainstream offered any hope or vision - literally any vision would do.
Burnham "seems" to represent a more positive side to Labour, and a return to more traditonal Labour values. He has a thumping majority to push through changes and needs to use it, and soon, to put policies in place that will start to improve peoples lives before the next election. If people see and feel change and hope, fewer will listen to the ex-pat press barons and their lackeys. Hopefully.
Binners, I mostly agree with you on most things, but you owe me a new Ironyometer. You're accusing everyone else of being all sorts of things which you're being too only 1 louder.
The Greens/Polanski (whatever happened to him?)
Oddly enough, he's being very (negatively) vocal over on The Socials about Andy Burnham. On the one hand I find this disappointing, I thought he'd see Burnham as an ally; on the other, I can only assume that this means Burnham is a credible presence and even Polansky is scared.
Parties stand down candidates during elections when they realise that their greatest chance of losing isn't people disagreeing with them, it's people agreeing more with someone else. Absolutely no-one is ever going to be on the fence - whatever their politics - about choosing between Polansky and Farage. Between Polansky and Burnham however, that might be a race..
Oddly enough, he's being very (negatively) vocal over on The Socials about Andy Burnham. On the one hand I find this disappointing, I thought he'd see Burnham as an ally; on the other, I can only assume that this means Burnham is a credible presence and even Polansky is scared.
And maybe they are allied on certain topics, but the purpose of an opposition is to oppose (and challenge)...
SM waffle from politicians isn't real discourse anyway, it's just messaging mostly intended to drag journo's attention a certain way and/or (try to) prompt scrutiny on certain issues.
The truest indicator of how aligned the greens and Burnham's Labour actually are will be their respective voting patterns.
"later this year I will bring forward a 10 year plan"
I mean, it's the right approach... but hasn't that been the current problem for Labour? People want to hear now what he'll do... and they want results sooner not later. Don't they?
Just listened to his speech outside number 10.
Words are cheap but finally, some positivity and passion. For day one that will do. He'll still get ripped apart by The Mail etc but I just don't care, they want him to fail, I want whatever PM we have to succeed because I really do love this little spec of land. I don't fly a flag,I don't even remember the date of St George's Day but I love this little patch of (usually) muddy dirt and I love it's people. Mostly. 😉
I suppose we're used to Andy in Manchester, but what I find a contrast to the previous occupants of the top job is that he sounds like what he is... just a normal bloke. Most politicians come across as a bit weird, to say the least. Definitely not 'one of us'. He's very very different from whats gone before in the way he speaks, but as we know in Manchester, he tends to actually get stuff done.
I think we've become used to our political class spending a lot of time gobbing off about stuff that never, ever materialises. Johnson and his 40 new hospitals spring to mind. Is it any wonder we're all so cynical? l Let's hope he can carry on with the kind of thing he did in Greater Manchester and change that. He'll obviously face a lot more opposition from a wider range of people/vested interests to prevent him from doing so, but I live in hope that he'll use labour massive majority to force things through, after the inexplicable timidity of the Starmer government
I mean, it's the right approach... but hasn't that been the current problem for Labour? People want to hear now what he'll do... and they want results sooner not later. Don't they?
Where politics has failed so dramatically (and what has allowed the rise of the far right) is that people want change, they want "better" but they don't know how that happens, they don't understand the timeframes so when grifting spivs start promising boats will be stopped and everyone will be happy, they go for it.
Reality is that A Plan has been desperately needed for 15 years but The Plan (from the Tories) was "blame immigrants, see how long we can get away with it while quietly asset stripping the nation".
A well laid out plan identifying the priorities, addressing the causes and implementing the solutions will go a long way towards killing off some of the right wing rhetoric and telling people that this isn't a short term magic wand fix, it's something that needs a collective effort over a decade.
Starmer should have had such a plan ready to go on Day 1 and then started delivering on it quickly before the opposition forces could muster but instead he dithered and prevaricated and tried to lean ever further right and whatever Plan he might have had was hijacked immediately into "what are you doing about immigration?!"
Binners I don't know why you're ranting so much you've got everything you ever wanted. Although I also remember you being supportive of Corbyn and Starmer at points in the past so lets see how long this lasts.
Anyway, I'm quietly optimistic about Burnham. I'll say the same as I did about Corbyn, the important thing isn't really the policy or his stance on any one particular issue. He won't be perfect, and he won't win every battle with the establishment and may well have to compromise on some things. The most important thing though is that we finally have a PM who actually seems to care about normal people, rather than being aloof, superior or downright condescending. Corbyn never got there, but now Burnham has and we have a PM who appears to be from the people rather than the establishment so it will be interesting to see what difference that makes and whether he can keep that focus.
I didn't mention his first policy announcement. To get rid of rough sleeping. I've no doubt it's harder than it sounds but to use this day to announce that policy... Its politically brave, desperately needed and says a lot to me.
And a promise on building Council Homes. Everything in the speech was spot on, in my opinion. But there's so much more that needs to come... not least because of his line on setting out "how we will pay" for short term help for people. The first sketches are good. Makes me hopeful for the actual plans.
" A few minutes ago, I walked through the door of No.10 for the first time as Prime Minister.
Here's the first instruction I gave when I got inside.
We are going to end rough sleeping in this country at the first opportunity.
People have told me it would take decades. Some say it's impossible. I'm not having that. This is something a government can fix if it chooses to, and today, on day one, I'm choosing to.
Because we should be a country where everyone has the security of a roof over their head and a chance to get back on their feet.
There's much more to come. But I wanted your first email from me as Prime Minister to be about this, because it shows you exactly what kind of government I intend to lead. "
not least because of his line on setting out "how we will pay" for short term help for people.
At a guess...
Tax on warehouses (or Amazon)
Windfall tax on oil revenues from addiditonal North Sea oil and Iran war price spikes.
Higher CGT
Higher IHT on wealthiest estates
And maybe they are allied on certain topics, but the purpose of an opposition is to oppose (and challenge)...
We-ell, yes but,
Is there perhaps a differentiation between "an opposition" and "The Opposition"? Should a given party be opposing all of the others because, what, they have different rosettes?
Starmer should have had such a plan ready to go on Day 1 and then started delivering on it quickly before the opposition forces could muster but instead he dithered and prevaricated
Definitely this - just wasted two years and a huge majority when they had the perfect chance to try and get ahead of the Press and push their own narrative for once.
Burnham at least seems to understand the game. How well he plays it we shall see.
I think the pledge to end rough sleeping is excellent. I've not slept much in this heatwave.
Imaging coming to power this quickly and coming up with a cost of living plan and wanting to eradicate rough sleeping more or less from day one.
Just that intention; instead of coming to power with no plan and telling everyone it's going to be tough and making garbage up about finances etc.
Burnham is confident where Starmer was lacklustre in his presentation. It's very noticeable.
I'm sure there is will unfold with criticism and awful choices - but I much much prefer this start.
I'm off to some right wing corners of the Internet to see them trying to spin ending rough sleeping as a bad thing somehow
I think the pledge to end rough sleeping is excellent. I've not slept much in this heatwave.
My wife will be pleased too - hope we can get funding for an annexe so she doesn't have to suffer my snoring.
Not sure Reeves or Lammy will be missed any more than Starmer will be.
I want him to succeed, I really do. However, the number of tents and cardboard nests still around Manchester and increasing suggests to me that me may have set the bar a little high.
I'm off to some right wing corners of the Internet to see them trying to spin ending rough sleeping as a bad thing somehow
It's ok, I'm here.
He's making the right noises at the moment, let's see if he delivers
I'm off to some right wing corners of the Internet to see them trying to spin ending rough sleeping as a bad thing somehow
https://www.reddit.com/r/uklandlords/comments/1v1oj28/andy_burnham_rent_controls_to_be_announced/
Rough sleeping seems like a mega complex thing to pick. It's not just opening loads of hostels the mental health, safeguarding and substance issues you're diving into are massive. Great thing to go after but would be a huge undertaking with a significant risk of failure. Hope im proved wrong though, eh.
It's a great initiative... but it is just a small top up to an existing plan...
The money, said to be from within uncommitted Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government budgets, will be on top of the previously announced £3.6bn funding under the National Plan to End Homelessness – which came under Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership – bringing the total to over £3.9bn.
Expect more announcements like this... building on, and bringing attention to, what the Labour government is already doing. This is not a complaint... it's what's needed if Labour are to be given the time needed to make changes to all our lives.
interested to see what happens at DSIT and in Science and Tech. Liz Kendall has gone and Patrick Vallance has resigned. He was overseeing (some would say) much needed reform in how research and innovation is funded in the UK, bringing capability to bear on the problems irrespective of how your organisation is badged, and the new approach for UKRI was just starting to get going. I hope that isn't dropped or stalled by new leadership.
Yeah keeping Mahmood as home sec isn't a hood sign,
The beeb has done a piece on Burnham's intention to help people with the cost of living.
Great stuff right? To be applauded, right?
Below is a pic of the highest rated comment on their website in relation to the article.
I do wonder if the country might just be ungovernable now? 
my parents have been echoing the stuff about people on benefits getting loads for free (completely lost on them that as pensioners they do very nicely from free bus travel to winter fuel to a battery of meds which are largely lifestyle related- lack of exercise & too much booze)
I think they're getting it from gbnews etc
Below is a pic of the highest rated comment on their website in relation to the article.
There’s a reasonable chance the statement is true! The commenter doesn’t actually say it’s the end of the world - although we can probably infer if they were happy at the prospect they would have said so.
However, the number of tents and cardboard nests still around Manchester and increasing suggests to me that me may have set the bar a little high.
Don’t think it’s that hard. A simple case of matching people on the street with empty accommodation/hotels/hostels. It just needs money and political courage to face down the rightwing reactionaries. The 97 labour govt did a very good job of eradicating rough sleeping so I expect Burnham will follow a similar playbook.
The beeb has done a piece on Burnham's intention to help people with the cost of living.
Great stuff right? To be applauded, right?
Below is a pic of the highest rated comment on their website in relation to the article.
I do wonder if the country might just be ungovernable now?
'Every meeting I have is "who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others"'.
(Pat McFadden)
I think you'll find that it's quite some time since Labour have actually represented the labour vote, hence the rise of Reform.
Rough sleeping seems like a mega complex thing to pick. It's not just opening loads of hostels the mental health, safeguarding and substance issues you're diving into are massive.
Finland has been doing a reasonable job.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness_in_Finland
The most important thing though is that we finally have a PM who actually seems to care about normal people, rather than being aloof, superior or downright condescending. Corbyn never got there, but now Burnham has and we have a PM who appears to be from the people rather than the establishment
He's a genuinely personable guy - I've met him a number of times through work and while we'd never refer to him as anything other than Mayor Burnham in a formal meeting setting, he was just "Andy" outside of that. No airs and graces at all, he'd happily talk football or normal subjects, he could travel around Manchester on public transport and stay reasonably below the radar. He'd also do that impressive thing that good top level people have of recognising and remembering everyone. He knew me by name FFS and I'm just a lowly minion; watching him with the people he met more regularly, he'd be asking about their families, their kids, he knew who supported what football team (he's an Everton fan) and he'd rip the piss accordingly depending on who'd won/lost etc the previous weekend.
Farage might pretend to be a man of the people with his "pint and a fag" routine, he'd fall flat on his arse the second he tried to match Burnham.
The rough sleeping thing is something he's been passionate about for years, he donates a sizeable portion of his pay to homeless charities every month. The problem is that people want to see how THEIR lives are going to improve. They don't want to know about the life of some scrounger scally* living on the streets and they certainly don't want taxpayer money being used to improve THOSE lives because it could be usefully spent on improving THEIR lives. So that's a tricky battle to pick to start the job.
*I'm paraphrasing, the language of GB News et al...
A simple case of matching people on the street with empty accommodation/hotels/hostels
It really isn't. While that'll work for a lot of people who've fallen on hard times and runaway there's a very significant proportion of rough sleepers with highly complex needs and many of whom who pose a risk to others and themselves. If these people are going to make it off the streets for more than a night or two they need comprehensive wrap around care and support. Which I guess is where the 3.6bn comes in (didn't know about that but I guess that's where Burnham is better at cutting through - possibly)
I've witnessed this first hand during my time at the homeless offenders unit on Minshull Street, before you ask
Yeah keeping Mahmood as home sec isn't a hood sign
Feels like Blunkett is advising here.
Was expecting Wes Streeting to get a bigger job in a deal for not standing. Best he can hope for is his old job back now...
Finland has been doing a reasonable job.
Finland's homeless population at the end of 2021 was just a little under 4500, the UK's homeless is about 350,000
Well this VAT cut helps everyone - personal allowances next please as pay rises at the bottom are a rarity with the min wage being the benchmark...
Good news that Heidi Alexander stays on as Transport Secretary, she's been pretty good.
The VAT cut is a political con... the price cap is rising much the same amount as the VAT cut, so prices will remain much the same, but the energy companies get their increased revenue. He could have been good to his word and put energy under "public control" by just refusing the rise in the price cap, keeping the revenue to the government, and stopping the energy companies taking the extra money off households. But this way he makes it tricky for those wanting us back in the EU (this wouldn't be allowed while a member) in other parties, and possible future opponents in his own party, while also signalling he'll not rock the boat with the private sector, especially the energy sector.
personal allowances next please
Yep, a really effective way of helping those in need. As long as it is balanced out with increased capital gains tax, higher VAT on high cost items etc,. then nothing to lose as the extra money someone on £30K a year gets will be spent in the economy somewhere (i.e they won't be buying assets). I would set personal allowance at £25k as people on £25k or less should not be paying tax.
Further increases in CGT rates paired with raising thresholds for Income Tax seem a no brainer to me, if you really want to rebalance towards workers. Politically they probably need to raise all thresholds, not just the tax free allowance.
The VAT cut is a political con... the price cap is rising much the same amount as the VAT cut, so prices will remain much the same,
Is it? Seems that if VAT stayed the same prices would go up.
Now I'd argue that power companies making huge profits in times of need is immoral but then that's a different discussion.
