Peers have rejected the Tories’ motion for one of Burnham’s ministers to face parliamentary questioning this week, with the LibDems joining Labour in voting against Lord True’s calls for a Lords debate on the new government’s policies. 173 to 234, with a majority of 61…
Leader of the House of Lords Baroness Smith of Basildon said the Government will “welcome scrutiny”, but… “In politics, as in life, patience is a virtue. This is day two of a new Prime Minister. The Government is still being formed”. How patient does the country have to be before this government commits to virtually anything…
Tom Baldwin, author of Starmer’s hagiography, spoke to Times Radio:
Tom Baldwin: “I think he’d like to do something. He’s very dutiful and driven by service. That’s why he came into politics. I think that’s characterised his time as prime minister. He hasn’t always sought popularity or been good at being popular. But I think he has some of the necessary qualities that we actually do want in a prime minister. That resilience, that relentlessness, that ability to carry the weight and the job really does weigh very heavily on people and he carries that weight very, very well.”
Jo Coburn: “NATO Secretary-General?”
Tom Baldwin: “I think that’s something that he would be interested in. I think it probably requires Andy Burnham’s government to support him in that and these are some of the questions which Andy Burnham has to resolve quite quickly.”
