The Treasury is claiming that its civil servants are under threat. A novel excuse to withhold information that should be available to the public…
Guido’s FoI unit asked HMT how many civil servants work on its YouTube channel. It was told:
“Disclosing the size of the team may make individuals more easily identifiable and potentially subject to undue targeting or harassment online. Given the small size of the team and the heightened threat environment faced by government digital and social media teams, we believe disclosure would pose a risk to staff safety and the effective operation of public functions.”
Guido must have missed the mass witch-hunts for the operators of departmental Instagram and video accounts that are sweeping the nation. Quick, raise the budget for the social media intern’s close protection team…
Meanwhile cops are arresting members of the public for their social media content and new legislation is blocking videos posted by opposition frontbenchers. What about their protection?
Rumours are flying around Tameside Labour circles that Andy Burnham’s plan to return to Westminster may come sooner than expected. Sources on the ground say Andrew Gwynne, Labour MP for Gorton and Denton, wants to leave Parliament as soon as he has another job lined up. Triggering a by-election…
Gwynne led Burnham’s mayoral campaign in 2016, and the pair remain close. They are said to have had a meeting recently about what comes next, should Gwynne step down. If Burnham stands, he would have to resign as the Mayor of Greater Manchester, given the mayoralty holds police and crime responsibilities. So there would be a by-election for the mayoralty too…
All this would create quite the headache for Labour. There are concerns Reform could win in Gorton and Denton unless Burnham stands, and Labour is scaling up its Tameside campaign personnel operation with a hiring drive – an indication of its nervousness. The question of who could succeed Burnham as mayor isn’t easily answered either. Sacha Lord was supposedly a “shoo-in“, although his £400,000 Covid grant controversy complicates things. Current deputy mayor Kate Green is another name, but lacks the profile. Sam Tarry has been spotted with his soulmate Angela Rayner at events in Tameside recently, and even addressed the Ashton-under-Lyne CLP at their last meeting…
A majority of young women in the UK believe that the quality of NHS care has worsened, according to a poll from the Adam Smith Institute. They do use it more than men…
Polling conducted as part of the ASI’s ‘Anxious Generation’ series shows 46% of 18-30-year-olds in the UK say quality of care has worsened compared to 34% who say it has improved. Women are more pessimistic: 55% of them say the NHS has got worse compared to 43% of men. Only 26% of women think services have improved…
The ASI’s Data Manager Emma Schubart blamed “years of underfunding, staffing shortages, and the lingering effects of the pandemic.” The Tories’ new Shadow Health Secretary Stuart Andrew also adds: “Labour have scrapped targets to improve access to women’s health services, failed to get a grip on union overreach, and hit mental health charities with higher taxes, leaving women to pay the price of this Government.” As Guido revealed under the new government NHS staff time spent on union duties has shot up. The sacred cow may not be so for much longer…
Civil servants are being handed free ice cream now. Co-conspirators have spotted an ice cream van parked outside Caxton House – the headquarters of the DWP – handing out sweet treats to civil servants who sign up to the government-backed digital expo next month. They have to scan a QR code, register, and “scoop up your free ice cream”…
“Scoop Up Your Free Ice Cream and a Spot at DigiGov 2025!
✅ Work in the public sector?✅ Register for DigiGov 2025, for free by using the form below!
🍦 Show us your confirmation — and grab your free ice cream instantly!”
Pen-pushers get to mix and match four flavours and four toppings. A special DigiGov 2025-branded van is emblazoned with the words: “Free Ice Cream for Civil Service Professionals.” Does it deliver to the home workers too?
UPDATE: DSIT says the event is “organised and paid for by a private company.”
The Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England has voted to cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 4%, as expected by market watchers. After holding at 4.25% last month…
That’s the third rate cut this year. The BoE: “At its meeting ending on 6 August 2025, the MPC voted by a majority of 5–4 to reduce Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 4%, rather than maintaining it at 4.25%.” Four voted to maintain at 4.25%, one voted to cut to 3.75%…
The bank is dour on growth: “Underlying UK GDP growth has remained subdued, consistent with a continued, gradual loosening in the labour market… Downside domestic and geopolitical risks around economic activity remain, although trade policy uncertainty has diminished somewhat.” Inflation predicted to rise to 4% next month…
A councillor who defected from Tory to Reform yesterday has enjoyed some polishing up in the announcement photo which appeared in the local paper. Quite extensive work has been done…
The original photo posted on Reform’s Hartlepool Facebook page announcing the defection of ex-council leader Mike Young from the Tories:
By the time the photo got to the Hartlepool Mail it looked a little different:
Somehow in the same photograph Young is now in a suit, with no wrinkles, post-shave, post-haircut, slightly taller, and also more thin. Reformed…
Speaking at his speech on how to achieve “progressive capitalism” Wes Streeting fired a dig and Andy Burnham:
“Bond markets are not bond villains and fiscal rules matter.”
