Purple Electric

Some reflections on the new Cabinet. It started well, with some deserved sackings - Reed, Lammy, Reeves, Kyle, Kendall. Politically, Healey as Chancellor, swerving both Miliband and Mahmood, was smart. But we now have a CX who wants to cut benefits to spend more on defence.

I will acknowledge I like the pledge to end rough sleeping, and the promise to provide immediate help with the cost of living. Taking VAT off electricity bills, though, will do no more than slow down how quickly things are getting worse. A lot more is needed quickly.

Some reflections on the new Cabinet. It started well, with some deserved sackings - Reed, Lammy, Reeves, Kyle, Kendall. Politically, Healey as Chancellor, swerving both Miliband and Mahmood, was smart. But we now have a CX who wants to cut benefits to spend more on defence.

On a personal/professional level, I am appalled at the new Lord Chancellor. The system is in multiple crises, and we get a newbie with no legal background or understanding who has zero credibility.

Some reflections on the new Cabinet. It started well, with some deserved sackings - Reed, Lammy, Reeves, Kyle, Kendall. Politically, Healey as Chancellor, swerving both Miliband and Mahmood, was smart. But we now have a CX who wants to cut benefits to spend more on defence.

The justice system is in major crisis. Backlogs in the Crown Court, legal aid collapsing, Court infrastructure crumbling, prisons at bursting point, and who do we get as Justice Secretary? A complete nonentity newbie with no legal background whatsoever. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_No...

Dodgy rules delaying matches Random start times Ridiculous distances between venues Hydration breaks Banning a Somali ref The treatment of the Iran team Players and officials harassed by border guards and police And now the corrupt rescinding of Balogun’s ban The most farcical and corrupt WC ever?

It gets worse. Belgium’s appeal against the ban being suspended has been thrown out because they are not an interested party, as they were not one of the teams involved in the match.

So what's this bold new agenda in the King's Speech? Some high(?)lights. Anyone think this is what will revive Starmer's premiership? A Regulating for Growth Bill will allow for pilot schemes to boost innovation in areas like defence technology and AI-controlled ships

A new National Security Bill will criminalise sharing material that "glorifies, trivialises, or normalises" serious violence A Tackling State Threats Bill contains new powers to ban state-linked groups such as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)

So what's this bold new agenda in the King's Speech? Some high(?)lights. Anyone think this is what will revive Starmer's premiership? A Regulating for Growth Bill will allow for pilot schemes to boost innovation in areas like defence technology and AI-controlled ships

The financing model used to fund nuclear projects will be extended to new road projects in England through the Highways (Financing) Bill A Civil Aviation Bill will create new powers over take-off and landing slots at airports, in a bid to support airport expansion

I thought it might be worth looking back at Dylan Difford's assessment of what would be a good/bad/indifferent night for the parties in the English council elections as a way of viewing the results with some of the post hoc spin taken out of them. dylandifford.substack.com/p/how-to-ass...

For the Greens, DD said that +393 seats, their highest % gain, should be in reach, with a higher end target of +572. A flurry of good results in the last 7 councils to declare left them on +441. More significant is that they came second in the National Equivalent Vote. As for Reform, good but...

I thought it might be worth looking back at Dylan Difford's assessment of what would be a good/bad/indifferent night for the parties in the English council elections as a way of viewing the results with some of the post hoc spin taken out of them. dylandifford.substack.com/p/how-to-ass...

For the Tories -342 would be the worst defence rate for the main Opposition. -500 would take them below a fifth of all Councillors. They managed -563. It was always going to be bad, but this was at the worse end of expectations.

I thought it might be worth looking back at Dylan Difford's assessment of what would be a good/bad/indifferent night for the parties in the English council elections as a way of viewing the results with some of the post hoc spin taken out of them. dylandifford.substack.com/p/how-to-ass...