The main news of the day is the defection of Tory shadow minister Danny Kruger to Reform UK. However, the bigger picture remains the question of how much longer Keir Starmer can stagger on as a zombie Prime Minister, and he may actually be happy enough if the Kruger defection distracts from his own plight for a little while. There's a lot of speculation about whether Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, may attempt to get back into parliament via a by-election and then topple Starmer. In today's YouTube commentary, I consider whether or not that possibility should be regarded as credible - and I also explore what the implications might be for the SNP.
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If Burnham leads, it could be a straight Labour vs Reform fight, even in Scotland, with the SNP getting squeezed.
ReplyDeleteEr, no. Labour's problems in Scotland are a lot more deep-seated than that. Those problems might be ameliorated by a new leader but they're not going to be solved.
DeleteI suspect anon at 3.42 does not live is Scotland. The only people squeezing the SNP are, ironically , the SNP. Reform are taking little from the SNP. Those attracted by Reform are not supporters of Indy. As for Labour, how anyone thinks they are going anywhere other than backwards at this point in time is a mystery.
ReplyDeleteHi James, I've finally caught up with your video about the More In Common poll from a couple of weeks ago. Apologies for implying you hadn't covered it, you were clearly far quicker off the mark than I was! God Save The King, Nessie, etc, etc, etc.
ReplyDeleteLabour would need to replace Sarwar as well as Starmer to have a change of fortune in Scotland.
ReplyDeleteAndy Burnham as UK prime minister? Wouldn't he be better suited presenting blokey TV shows with other matey celebs like Dermot O'Leary and/or Nick Knowles. Yeugh!
ReplyDelete...and meanwhile, in a quiet blind ally of his own choice, Mr. Swinney fiddles while Rome burns
ReplyDeleteWell done John Swinney in saving the bus company Alexander Dennis.
ReplyDeleteNow do Scotland a favour and jump on one of the buses, go home and let a new leader who actually wants Scotland to be independent lead the SNP. The UK is a shithouse and it is only getting worse.
The arrogance of the English is that they give Scotland and it's attitudes and politics no consideration other than that England owns this northerly bit of land that Scots happen to live on so will fall into line with whatever England decides
ReplyDeleteIsrael begins its ground offensive to occupy Gaza City. That means even more children being killed by the IDF. It seems there is no limit to the Israeli lust to kill Palestinian children.
ReplyDeleteAll these people who voted for the Tories and Labour have the blood of many thousands of children on their hands. Let there be no misunderstanding - Westminster has facilitated the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Starmer having tea in Downing st with the Israeli President while the IDF commit atrocities. That sums up the moral standards of Westminster. Hopefully some of them will eventually be held accountable by a court of law.
Israel have killed not only the living but the yet to be born. They blew up the only fertility clinic building in Gaza killing the 1,000 embryos held there. The case for Israel committing genocide is beyond doubt.
DeleteBurnham could be an acceptable option for the Security Services. Starmer is toast, and Farage is “radical”. In the run up to last year’s GE, Farage gently attributed the current conflict in Ukraine to NATO expansion Eastwards. The Security Services really don’t appreciate politicians interfering in “their” business.
ReplyDeleteWhat ever else you think of the Security Services, they’re not far right in the conventional sense. They are content with things as they are, and eschew revolutionary change. Also, the makeup of what constitutes the Security Services has changed. The Army was the lead agency in the coup plots against Wilson in the 70’s. I very much doubt the Army gets a look in these days.
Yes. Burnham would be reassuringly bland and unthreatening to those who own and run the UK. Should gain a peerage for services rendered. Maybe be invited to a shooting weekend with the Duke of Witherington and Ant and Dec.
DeleteThe security services do not run the UK, at least for now.
DeleteThey will do as they are told as regards who governs, as they undoubtedly should.
They may not like who comes to power, but to a great extent, they will need to lump it.
In any case, the security services usually balls-up just about everything they touch.
Anon @ 14:30.
DeleteIf you think the Security Services don’t run the UK, you may wish to read up on what Keir Starmer’s, 1st Chief of Staff, Sue Gray was up to in the 1980’s.
Not sure if Burnham could be PM but he might be pretty good at organising stag parties in places like Manchester and Liverpool for news in football strips.
DeleteYouGov, Westminster voting intention, field work 15th Sept.
ReplyDeleteUK headline; RefUK 29%, +4% on last week.
Scottish sub-sample (153).
Con 15%, Lab 17%, LibDem 6%, SNP 36%, RefUK 15%, Green 8%.
There is no such thing as a Prime Minister who will be good for Scotland. So forget this nonsense about Burnham or Corbyn being good for Scotland.
ReplyDeleteAgree both are anti Scots independence. Both Anglo unionists
DeleteA UK ambassador is representative of the values of the UK. Indeed the embodiment of the UK. A person like Lord Mandelson is a perfect fit.
ReplyDeleteGood entertainment from Flynn, Leader of the SNP, today in H of Commons. Not sure why he wants to help the UK get a better ambassador or even get a better PM than the disaster that is Starmer.
The UK has a PM who is rumoured to have avoided prosecuting Jimmy Saville and he appoints an ambassador to the US who has no problems being best mates with a convicted paedophile then you have clear evidence that the UK is a shithouse.
Your posts border on embarrassing Ifs.
Delete7.15pm A Labour supporter like you should be ashamed more than embarrassed.
DeleteKC at 7.57pm exactly what is embarrassing about my posts? The truth is KC your UK is a real shithouse run by people whose values and morals are lower than a snake's belly.
DeleteStarmer is managing to host the president (Herzog ) of the country (Israel) committing a genocide and the president (Trump) of the main country aiding and abetting the genocide all within a few days of each other. Some record for the Labour Party.
Of the two WM parliamentary seats mentioned, I live in Arbroath / B Ferry and I’d be shocked if the SNP don’t hold it comfortably in the ensuing by election. Labour and Reform are both weak up here in Arbroath etc, Tories poorly placed to challenge. No idea about the other by election.
ReplyDeleteGod is love. In Spanish. On your wall. Pleasantly wierd, but still wierd.
ReplyDeleteIs that a misspelling of "weird" or of "wired"? My parents originally met each other in Peru because they are/were both fluent Spanish speakers. My mum also speaks French and my dad also spoke German (and lived in Germany for a few years) so there are various relics kicking around in different languages.
Delete