Burnham

[briantrumpet]

Perhaps the reforms could look into the costs. It does strike me the ones who whinge most about paying are the ones more likely to oppose a more 'socialist' model.

Perhaps you forget that the only reason that they are wealthier is that they work harder and are more careful with how they spend their money, so shouldn't have to pay for state 'handouts' to lazy socialists

 

[Pross]

I am wondering if all these minor announcements that actually impact very few people are "flooding the zone" to prevent press speculation about the budget. Given how in the past, press speculation has fed significant negative economic impacts from "might happen" (and then don't), maybe keeping the press full of minor stuff is distracting them from "budget might increase ...".

I'm still hoping Burnham will get to start sorting the real challenges facing the country. I accept in his remaining term not all will be fully resolved and that new ones will appear but as per the example Social Care issue it doesn't need to be a "big bang" but can we can take incremental steps in the right direction to improve things.

Why do you think he hasn't started? He probably has but by their nature there'll be no obvious progress for a significant amount of time. Do you want daily updates on what they've been doing on everything? These are just other minor announcements around the big issues but covering things that bother people in day to day life. It feels like decent politics to show they're listening to people's concerns and trying to resolve some of them whilst the big stuff plods along in the background.

 

[briantrumpet]

Why do you think he hasn't started? He probably has but by their nature there'll be no obvious progress for a significant amount of time. Do you want daily updates on what they've been doing on everything? These are just other minor announcements around the big issues but covering things that bother people in day to day life. It feels like decent politics to show they're listening to people's concerns and trying to resolve some of them whilst the big stuff plods along in the background.

Not least as the right wing press will aim to derail anything and everything en route that Burnham does. Chuck 'em some fun stuff that people can nod along to and keeps the press occupied, and get on with the serious stuff behind the scenes. It's what a solicitor friend of mine calls a 'bucket item' on an agenda: "What colour/shape buckets should we get for the cleaners?", for which everyone will have an opinion, and the debate goes round and round in circles, and straight after that put in the contentious big item you want to slip through with little discussion.

 

[First Aspect]

I saw a Mail headline today about Brunham's "£20 bombshell". Something to do with drivers I think, because all Mail readers are drivers. I didnt click on it.

How many people are appalled enough to read this stuff?

 

[Pblakeney]

I saw a Mail headline today about Brunham's "£20 bombshell". Something to do with drivers I think, because all Mail readers are drivers. I didnt click on it.

How many people are appalled enough to read this stuff?

Seems like a bargain to me 😉. For comparison...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/193369660769?_skw=artillery+shell&itmmeta=01M5F0Y2GH5QXJ2A8KQFMBQVVZ&hash=item2d05badd61:g:ixIAAeSw1clqdiPa&itmprp=enc:AQALAAAA8Cq3AKrCmW3ADytK56Q7MFhWWbi/b5ZUAcw9JkP/guCXS0TYfGaKP/KXOkdf0PdpaAHTVTQYoWD3X0b53e4cdFe43iM3/apdHDg2rM3mk8tCvr/Wwb1OAdiFMRTlTVWdVP8yxkdv6dAnkDk7IyyqxKmoQJptblh+N6FXO/BJP7wb/wAxOO8cgZbYfTXE4PHfVAactWdbwkC8pOzTN7RrXLNhAxAFqwu3FqbXJY+MCChEv4aDl+izRIIi/vlb38uhThbrNutfSkEU3M1HKWl4EzyZoIxZ975rx3JcEaw22Q9G2bpRihbt4tfXgAvjVD0Ezg==|tkp:Bk9SR7Ko-OCraA

 

[icowden]

I saw a Mail headline today about Brunham's "£20 bombshell". Something to do with drivers I think, because all Mail readers are drivers. I didnt click on it.
How many people are appalled enough to read this stuff?

FWIW:

Under the new rules, drivers who make mistakes such as forgetting parking permits, entering a vehicle registration wrong or forgetting to confirm it in a parking machine will face a maximum charge of £20 on appeal. Mr Burnham, the Prime Minister, hailed the change, saying: “Being a few minutes late back to your car or typing one digit of your numberplate wrong shouldn’t end with a hefty fine landing on your doormat.

 

[First Aspect]

Ah so its not the same as the driveway bombshell or the speeding camera bombshell.

 

[bobzmyunkle]

Ah so its not the same as the driveway bombshell or the speeding camera bombshell.

Wouldn't he gain more votes by putting a stop to this? Wonder what the gammons/patriots will make of the reggae bit. (Come to think of it, the Bible was written by forriners, wasn't it?)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/21/cliff-richard-bible-psalm-into-reggae-christmas-song/

 

[bobzmyunkle]

Wouldn't he gain more votes by putting a stop to this? Wonder what the gammons/patriots will make of the reggae bit. (Come to think of it, the Bible was written by forriners, wasn't it?)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/21/cliff-richard-bible-psalm-into-reggae-christmas-song/

And Sir Cliff was NOT born in Britain.

 

[AuroraSaab]

Wouldn't he gain more votes by putting a stop to this? Wonder what the gammons/patriots will make of the reggae bit. (Come to think of it, the Bible was written by forriners, wasn't it?)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/21/cliff-richard-bible-psalm-into-reggae-christmas-song/

Bit late to the party, Cliff. Boney M's version of Psalm 137 based on The Melodians tune was nearly 50 years ago. If it replaces Mistletoe and Wine on the radio at Christmas that has to be a good thing though.

 

[briantrumpet]

The Times is obviously getting nervous that Burnham is preparing the ground (you know, that thing that Starmer never did) to tame Mahmood's Reformy proposals for settled status. Murdoch isn't happy, I'd guess, and wants to tell Burnham what he's allowed to do. Clipping Mahmood's wings would strengthen Burnham's hand, I think, at least in the short term.

 

[bobzmyunkle]

Survivalism - I always thought it was the domain on a few crazies in the remote USA.
Wes Streeting wants to make it mainstream - is this new toughness a side effect of his weight loss drugs?

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...tructure-attacks-hostile-states-wes-streeting

 

[Ian H]

Survivalism - I always thought it was the domain on a few crazies in the remote USA.
Wes Streeting wants to make it mainstream - is this new toughness a side effect of his weight loss drugs?

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...tructure-attacks-hostile-states-wes-streeting

I have started digging a reservoir in the back garden.

 

[Pblakeney]

Survivalism - I always thought it was the domain on a few crazies in the remote USA.
Wes Streeting wants to make it mainstream - is this new toughness a side effect of his weight loss drugs?

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...tructure-attacks-hostile-states-wes-streeting

We have gone soft and complacent in this country.
The potential for war is never far away, and has never been far away. Long may it continue but prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.

 

[secretsqirrel]

We have gone soft and complacent in this country.
The potential for war is never far away, and has never been far away. Long may it continue but prepare for the worst while hoping for the best.

This.

Its a way of life in places like Finland.

If only it makes people stop and think about what life would be like without the things we take for granted, hot and cold water on tap, heating, hot meals, telly, internet etc. It would go some way to prepare most of us for the shock

A freezer full of food de-frosting, a cold shower with a cold damp towel to dry yourself, and the novelty would wear off pretty quickly.

There are not many war babies left to reassure us that it was worse during the blitz.