Only thing I would add is that stamp duty is such a terrible tax that cutting it (as well as simplifying it) would be worth higher council tax or income tax – but you could only do that in good times
John Rentoul
@rentouljohn.bsky.social
Chief political commentator, The Independent, and visiting professor, the Strand Group, King's College London
UK to strip back procurement rules to focus on job creation – Louise Haigh to Lucy Fisher www.ft.com/content/9878...
UK to strip back procurement rules to focus on job creation – Louise Haigh to Lucy Fisher www.ft.com/content/9878...
Excellent on wealth taxes by Emma Chamberlain via @samfr.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
The right way to tax wealth
A 10 year programme for an incoming government
open.substack.com
Andy Burnham is most like David Cameron of recent PMs, says James Kirkup www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/08...
Rishi Sunak as next Tory leader at 110/1 www.politicalbetting.com/index.php/ar...
Is Sunak worth a few quid? – politicalbetting.com
politicalbetting.com
Despatch from Michael Ashcroft’s focus groups of former Labour voters and some non-Labour in Wallsend, Norwich and Lowestoft lordashcroftpolls.com/2026/08/he-m...
Finally, Andy Burnham is making the right decision on Britain’s prisons www.independent.co.uk/voices/andy-...
Finally, Andy Burnham is making the right decision on Britain’s prisons
We send too many people to prison anyway, so the new prime minister’s emergency review is another chance to start to fix that problem, writes John Rentoul
independent.co.uk
The View from Westminster newsletter comes from Athena Stavrou tonight. Free sign-up here independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Finally, Andy Burnham is making the right decision on Britain’s prisons www.independent.co.uk/voices/andy-...
Finally, Andy Burnham is making the right decision on Britain’s prisons
We send too many people to prison anyway, so the new prime minister’s emergency review is another chance to start to fix that problem, writes John Rentoul
independent.co.uk
Despatch from Michael Ashcroft’s focus groups of former Labour voters and some non-Labour in Wallsend, Norwich and Lowestoft lordashcroftpolls.com/2026/08/he-m...
Rishi Sunak as next Tory leader at 110/1 www.politicalbetting.com/index.php/ar...
Is Sunak worth a few quid? – politicalbetting.com
politicalbetting.com
Andy Burnham is most like David Cameron of recent PMs, says James Kirkup www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/08...
Excellent on wealth taxes by Emma Chamberlain via @samfr.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
The right way to tax wealth
A 10 year programme for an incoming government
open.substack.com
Unpaywalled version here (scroll down) www.aol.co.uk/articles/voi...
Voices: Burnham’s Greater Manchester gamble has paid off – but how long will his luck last? - AOL
COMMENT: Not so long ago, it seemed certain that Nigel Farage’s party would capture the city-region mayoralty – but the new prime minister’s popularity carries all before it, writes John Rentoul
aol.co.uk
Greater Manchester by-election: Andy Burnham’s great gamble pays off www.independent.co.uk/voices/manch...
Burnham’s Greater Manchester gamble has paid off – but how long will his luck last?
Not so long ago, it seemed certain that Nigel Farage’s party would capture the city-region mayoralty – but the new prime minister’s popularity carries all before it, writes John Rentoul
independent.co.uk
Greater Manchester by-election: Andy Burnham’s great gamble pays off www.independent.co.uk/voices/manch...
Burnham’s Greater Manchester gamble has paid off – but how long will his luck last?
Not so long ago, it seemed certain that Nigel Farage’s party would capture the city-region mayoralty – but the new prime minister’s popularity carries all before it, writes John Rentoul
independent.co.uk
5/10 in John Clarke's Saturday Quiz in the i paper (answers in the paper or here later)
5/10 in John Clarke's Saturday Quiz in the i paper (answers in the paper or here later)
The View from Westminster newsletter comes from Athena Stavrou tonight. Free sign-up here independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
BMG poll for the i paper 28-30 Jul Lab 28% +5 Reform 23% -4 Con 20% ±0 Lib Dem 10% -1 Green 10% -3 Change since 23-24 Jun inews.co.uk/news/politic...
Labour take five-point poll lead over Reform in new 'Burnham bounce'
If repeated at a general election, the results would make Labour comfortably the biggest party but still just shy of an overall majority
inews.co.uk
“PM hands mayors share of income tax to make lives better in every postcode”
Would love to read a well-informed translation of this into normal English www.gov.uk/government/n...
PM hands mayors share of income tax to make lives better in every postcode
The Prime Minister will today launch the biggest transfer of power from Westminster in a generation, giving communities greater control over the decisions that shape jobs, transport, housing and publi...
gov.uk
The View from Westminster newsletter comes from David Maddox tonight. Free sign-up here www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
