Mailwatch(ed) Forum

Even then Germany hasn't spent decades removing all possible skills and infrascture in those areas either.

Anyhow it seems we are getting all silly over someone using no notes... it's back to the level of "oh they can carry a sword for five minutes".

Also is Lucy Powell resigning as deputy leader when she gets a cabinet post that was her whole campaign.

Darren Jones has shown ability. He's been sacked anyway. This is much more extensive than I was expecting. Why does the Attorney General need to be changed? He's gone too.

Yeah I understand why some have gone, don't see the need for the change in AG and Darren Jones should have been promoted not fired.

Darren Jones may be perceived as too much of threat.

John Healey is Chancellor

Is he really better qualified than Rachel Reeves? Miliband would have been qualified, though markets may not have rated him and perhaps he'd have had to be harder than Reeves.

So did Healey resign over a relatively small amount of Defence spending, or because he was on a promise from Andy? Maybe a bit of both. If so, we'll likely get some extra Defence spending from PIP cuts (there's not really much else with money there that can be taken, whatever you think about this). Which might make the Left (who ushered Starmer out and Burnham in) think a bit.

I like the rough sleeping pledge, though it'll be hard to eradicate it. No reason why most people sleeping on the streets couldn't be in a hostel. And there aren't really all that many of them, so it's easier to do this than, say, end bed and breakfast accommodation.

Lou Haigh has got Darren Jones' job at the Cabinet Office. While I think she was stitched up by somebody when she had ro resign before, I haven't seen much evidence of any great skill. This is a big job, though it's under the radar somewhat.

This is all looking a bit like a bunch of mates having got together to kick out the Prime Minister together. What's Lucy Powell going to get? Foreign Secretary?

This what it feels like.

I think Healey is a man so that will make him instantly better in some people's eyes.

Yeah, that's true.

One person not being kicked out is Shabana Mahmood. Again, I'm trying very hard not to laugh at Burnham's Left backers.

If someone is to replace Nick Thomas-Symonds, as they surely must, they'll need to be pretty damned good to fill his boots.

Ed Miliband is Foreign Secretary. Really don't see any point in that. Though do I recall Miliband being one of the ministers who tried to push Starmer out, with Mahmood? Funny they've both done OK. I think Cooper was too, wasn't she? She's apparently in there now, will get another big job, you'd think.

Tubby Isaacs wrote: ↑Mon Jul 20, 2026 6:56 pm Ed Miliband is Foreign Secretary.

Damn. I'd have preferred him to stay where he was: how's Ed going to deal with the Madman Across The Water?

Sod this - I'm going back outside to play with toys.

A chancellor named Healey, you say. We really are going back to the 70s.

Suggested that Healey will change the rules to allow more borrowing for Defence. But who exactly does this fool? It's extra borrowing, and we're paying quite enough already.

Actually, I'm almost warming to Healey now. "Bombs". Like there's nothing happening in Europe where "bombs" might be relevant. The noise you don't hear is Owen saying that Starmer deserves credit for resisting this extra spending on "bombs". And when did Healey say that there should be less money for the NHS?

He's also gotten rid of Hilary Benn.

Or perhaps Burnham knows very well that this won't "appease the rightwing press" and wants them because he agrees with them? But this sets up the next "clever" tweet, to be produced tmrw morning when the "rightwing press" says Burnham is shit- "As I told you, being very clever, Burnham tried to appease the right wing press, but he's failed!"

If Owen's against him he must be a good appointment.

Glad Liz Kendall's gone. Always saw her as a bit of a waste of space.

Phillipson's been pushed out and replaced by Lucy Powell,