[Tubby Isaacs]

I see Raphael Behr has become the latest to bemoan "red lines" on Europe. Yet the only one that matters seems to be on Freedom of Movement. How can the response to the local elections (with a higher turnout than normal) be Freedom of Movement? It won't be, whoever takes over from Starmer. There are more specific arguments on student fees, visa numbers that are holding back agreement on the reset, but these don't strike me as anything bigger than you normally get in these discussions. They'll get resolved, probably a month or two later than they could have done, but does that matter that much?

The Kings Speech will apparently have a bill on dynamic alignment. This is a huge principle to concede. Behr can read his own paper as well as I can. Why do none of these commentators mention that, but keep coming up with the same stuff about how Kipper Starmer is insisting on unreasonably red lines?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Legislation will be introduced to unlock the benefits of airport expansion enable roads to be built at pace including the Lower Thames Crossing; and deliver a fair deal for the North of England through Northern Powerhouse Rail.

I'm skeptical the Heathrow Expansion will ever happen (it's privately funded) but the argument for it in principle is solid. Not exactly going to get voters back from the Greens though, you'd think.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Oh joy.

Allies of Wes Streeting have said he is preparing to quit as health secretary and could mount a formal challenge for the leadership as early as tomorrow, Pippa Crerar, Alexandra Topping and Jessica Elgot report.

Downing Street insiders had suggested Streeting did not yet have the required support from the 81 MPs needed to formally launch a leadership bid after Keir Starmer issued a “put up or shut up” ultimatum to his cabinet.

But a source close to Streeting told the Guardian that he was planning to resign on Thursday and launch a leadership bid. The idea that Starmer had seen off a putsch was “laughable”, they added.

The last source there is effectively Streeting himself, isn't that the convention? If so, more dreadful behavior.

On the plus side, leaking this while the King's Speech is going on may not help him get 81 MPs. And I suppose Resident Doctors might stop arsing about if there's a new Health Secretary, because I think the BMA leadership have a personal axe to grind.

[Tubby Isaacs]

In fairness, this is excellent.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Digital ID is coming in, though not compulsory for UK citizens as I understand it. I will be happily registering for it.

[Boiler]

I may as well too, now that the USAF has my details...

[Crabcakes]

I think Streeting’s ego may have just written a cheque his actual popularity can’t cash.

[Boiler]

The best thing AFAIAC is that he resigns and then fails in his challenge.

I'm going to buy some Tena Men at lunchtime in readiness for the inevitable loss of bladder control from excessive laughter.

[Tubby Isaacs]

There's been lots of political assassination of Streeting from very dishonest left-wingers, like Jolyon Maugham this week claiming that making the NHS and doctors share data properly is a plot to help Palantir, not an essential way to save lives. I've almost warmed to Streeting because of that. Except that I haven't. One thing that particularly put me off him was his comment that taxes are too high, incredibly disloyal to his own government. The structure of taxes is sub-optimal, but there are political constraints to changing that. He could have said something about reforming tax structures over time, but he didn't. He wants to hand out tax cuts. In the current climate that's a ridiculous idea.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I think Streeting’s ego may have just written a cheque his actual popularity can’t cash.

Yep. I actually wouldn't be too surprised if he didn't actually resign tmrw. Like David Miliband, back in the day.

[Abernathy]

The DIY email straw poll organised by Catherine West is similar to the vote of confidence in Jeremy Corbyn within the Parliamentary Labour Party organised by Angela Eagle and others in 2016 to try to persuade Corbyn to resign. Corbyn lost the vote heavily, by 172-40, but completely ignored it (legitimately, as it had no constitutional force or validity), and just carried on regardless.

Not that Corbyn is any kind of a role model, but arguably, a precedent was set there that Keir Starmer, by rejecting the calls from some of the PLP for him to stand down, is simply following.

I think he is totally right to point out that there is a proper, defined process for challenging the leadership of the Labour Party - and it has not, as yet, been invoked, and so, he is getting on with his mandate.

That said, the word on the street (well, the word from that weasel Chris Mason) is that Streeting will formally challenge Starmer either later today or tomorrow. Which is fine by me (well, other than it being absolutely the wrong time to consider switching Prime Ministers and a form of madness in itself) , because it'll be following the defined process in the party rule book. The utter crap that has been taking place so far, however, is emphatically not fine, is disgraceful in fact, and has made me somewhat angry.

My preferred outcome? Streeting challenges Starmer, who stands against Streeting to defend his position, and in effect pisses on Andy Burnham's chips. Rayner will also "throw her hat into the ring", and possibly one or two others if they can muster the PLP support. Starmer sees off the challenges and is re-elected.

[Tubby Isaacs]

That's not my preferred scenario. I'd like Streeting not to get the nominations needed. I would guess that Burnham is a lot more popular than Rayner, so the numbers who'll go along with a Streeting challenge will not be too big. Having said that, never underestimate the number of MPs who think the public want to see the Government "having a proper debate"- ie firing out unworkable rubbish.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Digital ID is coming in, though not compulsory for UK citizens as I understand it. I will be happily registering for it.

I already have, but in error, it's for Portugal.

Don't ask...

[mattomac]

I think they’d all fail anyhow, not sure they even have a chance if Starmer stood down as it’s caused a lot of anger.