Ben Bradshaw
@benbradshaw.bsky.social
Ex Labour Minister & ex MP for Exeter, now growing olives in Sicily. He/him
I see those MPs who did their best to undermine Keir are already at it with Andy, despite his extremely impressive first two weeks & big bounce in the polls. They never seem to learn. 🙄
Burnham risks first revolt as PM over apparent support for North Sea drilling
Labour MPs fear No 10 team lack up-to-date energy insight and don’t fully recognise voters’ climate concerns
theguardian.com
Great news for young transgender people and their families as High Court rejects attempt by anti trans campaigners to block gender affirming healthcare trial.
High court clears way for clinical trial giving puberty blockers to children
Legal challenge to King’s College London research study claimed it could harm participants but was rejected
theguardian.com
Nigel Farage, Reform UK 24% approval (6% very) 55% disapprove (42% very) (More in Common) A strong route to get elected in much of Britain is to be main opponent of Farage. A major electoral dilemma for British right, if Farage mobilises too many opponents to win, yet his base may prevent others
Reform UK are up to their neck in scandal. Serious new information has come to light, opening up yet more questions about donations made by George Cottrell and his associates. Frankly, it stinks. I've written to the Electoral Commission to draw it to their attention.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Suddenly the British right feels a political chill. It’s getting cold in Andy Burnham’s shadow | Rafael Behr
The Tories and Reform had it easy when Keir Starmer was self-destructing – but a new PM with ideas exposes how vacant the opposition has become, says Guardian columnist Rafael Behr
theguardian.com
Panorama interview with Andy Burnham - worth watching in full. His folksy blokesy style on a wide range of subjects really works. Laura’s repeated “gotcha” attempts to generate headline fail. He’s relaxed, calm, persuasive. Tough decisions ahead but excellent start, reflected already in the polls.
Panorama - Andy Burnham: The Laura Kuenssberg Interview
What kind of prime minister will Andy Burnham be? Laura Kuenssberg has been behind the scenes with him during his first week in power.
bbc.co.uk
Ah, I had thought that the Tories were jumping on poor journalism from the Times re immigration - in fact the party was the *original source* of the false claims, which the paper neglected to check or clearly attribute. Incompetent, unprofessional, dubious, and xenophobic behaviour all round.
Gareth Davies@garethtbij.bsky.social · last wk.False reports about migrant care workers came from Conservative party 'research' The Times was forced to issue a correction after claiming 12 workers from Cameroon brought 180 dependants to UK
A fundamental change in our education system: giving equal weight to academic routes and technical education, work experience and a focus on local opportunities.
Plug-in solar panels are coming to the UK from August 27th! It's been in the pipeline for a while & it's already common in Germany. But it's BRILLIANT because it opens up these technologies to renters & ppl w/o their own roof. Plugs into a normal socket & supplies ~ 10-20% of household needs. ☀️🎉
UK households free to install plug-in balcony solar panels from end of August
Law change means renters and flat owners may be able to cut bills as energy costs soar amid Iran war
theguardian.com
Farage has said he thinks it’s “absolutely nuts” for CO2 to be considered a pollutant, while Badenoch says candidates aren’t welcome in the Conservative Party that support net zero. Leaders of the civilisational collapse cult.
Very sorry that @oliviabailey.bsky.social has lost her Equalities role. She was an excellent Minister. Her presentation of the Government’s draft Bill to ban conversion practices was one of the best despatch performances of any junior Minister I’ve seen. ☹️
You wouldn't know from these Tweets by a BBC reporter that small boat crossings are down by almost a half compared to the same period last year
No arrivals by small boats for the last 10 days now. As of yesterday, 12,469 people had arrived so far this year across the Channel, down over 11,000 (47%) on the same time last year. More than 10% down on 2023 as well, which was when crossings were, by comparison to other years, lower.
The latest Minister of State (rung below Cabinet) appointments are very reassuring.
Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social · 2w agoThe Commons minister of state appointments make a lot of sense thus far - maintaining continuity where possible and reversing some of the stranger 'okay, but why?' moves in the autumn 2025 reshuffle:
Good that @heidialexander.bsky.social @rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social & @bphillipsonmp.bsky.social are still in Cabinet, but sorry Bridget’s lost the Education brief. All strong records on delivery & good communicators. Johnny Reynolds, Angela Eagle & Chris Bryant good news too.
Wes Streeting is the first UK Secretary of State for Defence who is openly gay. Gay people have been able to serve openly in the UK Armed Forces since 2000. Like PM Andy Burnham's Catholicism, something that would have been controversial is largely now a matter of biographical colour.
Nico Williams gives his world cup gold medal to his mom, who crossed the Sahara desert in search for a better life while pregnant with his older brother...
Great appointment. One of the really commendable qualities of Burnham’s operation so far is how tight it’s been & how nothing on ministerial appointments has leaked. Journalists & pundits reduced to speculation & they all got it wrong.
Financial Times@financialtimes.com · 2w agoBreaking news: John Healey’s appointment as UK chancellor has stunned many of Andy Burnham’s allies and Labour MPs, who had expected the role to go to home secretary Shabana Mahmood. Follow live updates: ft.trib.al/j8iii5U
From the campaign trail and the media studios to the Treasury, No10 and the Cabinet Office. It’s been a privilege to be in the cabinet of a Labour government and to serve the country. Andy Burnham has called to tell me I won’t be a part of his cabinet. I wish him and his team every success.
Four highly effective moderate Ministers & good commutators out: Steve Reed, Liz Kendall, Peter Kyle & Darren Jones.
Impressive Andy Burnham speech and first (pooled) interview with @bethrigby.bsky.social. I first heard the speech on radio & found it strangely staccato, then rewatched on TV & realised why - it was delivered without notes - a positive development in communications from the Starmer era.
good to see at least one cabinet minister announcing their departure on the non-nazi social media app
Richard Hermer@richardhermer.bsky.social · 2w agoIt has been the privilege of my life to serve my country as Attorney General over the last two years. I’ve been so lucky to be a part of Keir’s team, as he delivered for the public at home while rebuilding the UK’s reputation abroad, in particular on the rule of law.
interesting post from Beth Rigby in the other place saying that Keir Starmer wrote handwritten notes for every single member of No 10 staff - in the hundreds - thanking them for their public service
Very sorry about the departure of Peter Kyle & Steve Read. Peter has turned a Tory seat in southern England into a rock solid Labour one, is a good commutator with a strong record of delivery, as has Steve been on housing & local government.
I know it's not the biggest news of the day, but I just spotted this... One of Keir Starmer's last acts in Govt is this: Laying legislation that will legalise 'plug-in solar' (aka balcony solar) panels in Britain It means plug-in solar panels do not (legally) have to be wired in by an electrician.
Timeline - SI 2026/848 - Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 and Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2026 - Statutory Instruments - UK Parl...
Timeline for Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 and Electricity Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 (Amendment) Regulations 2026
statutoryinstruments.parliament.uk
The Blair & Brown governments reduced rough sleeping by two thirds, so it can be done.
Hard to argue with Timpson's record. He came in to a system in total crisis which has been stabilised remarkably successfully. There are still major, major problems in prisons & probation, but things genuinely have got a lot better in two years. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...
Fixing public services: The criminal justice system | Institute for Government
Police, criminal courts, prisons and probation are all struggling to cope, with major performance problems and demand set to keep growing.
instituteforgovernment.org.uk
This is a real shame. I hope it doesn’t signify a major change in prisons policy.
Prisons minister Lord Timpson quits government
The businessman said it was an "honour" to serve in the post, but the BBC understands he feels he has achieved all he can in the role.
bbc.co.uk