Back in February Guido pointed out that David Miliband’s bumper salary was at risk from Trump’s USAID cuts. Miliband runs humanitarian aid charity the International Rescue Committee, which had its funding frozen. Imperilling Dave’s £983,073 salary and £117,701.25 bonus…
Starmer could have come to Miliband’s aid but decided to slash the UK’s aid funding instead. Now Dave rages in the FT…
Miliband says the move “was a blow to Britain’s reputation” and “there couldn’t be a worse time to do it.” He adds that this means the international system is “at risk of falling further apart” in a “very dangerous time.” He pushes for the UK to fill the gap left by the United States: “There’s an opportunity for the UK in this, which is to be strong inside western coalitions, but also to be strong beyond them.” Don’t think Starmer agrees…
Miliband didn’t rule out a return to politics either after numerous briefings: “I always try and duck those questions.” It’s a different world, now…
Former Treasury minister and adviser to Burnham in the Makerfield campaign Lord Jim O’Neill, who has turned down a role in his government, said Burnham’s first statement Commons was:
“The last thing investors wanted to hear… gilt yields have risen by a 0.25% in one day, which is a lot. We’ve not had that since Liz Truss days… If your country is under the focus of ‘can they come up with a sensible fiscal strategy’ on a day when the markets think ‘well no, you’re not showing any sign of it’ you’re going to have a tough day…if it stays like this your mortgage rate is going up.”