The Downing Street operation is already mopping up after its overenthusiastic Prime Minister. On two counts…
During a ‘huddle’ with reporters on Monday, Andy Burnham told hacks he was interested in raising the personal allowance, which has been frozen. He had signalled his intention the weekend before, and claimed it came up the whole time on the doorstep in Makerfield. Last night No10 said this would not, in fact, happen. That’s one…
Burnham also suggested the 45p tax rate would be hiked to 50p in discussion with journalists. Two days later that has also been reversed, with No10 staff insisting that the manifesto stands. Guido pointed out this would be a direct breach of the manifesto. That’s two…
That’s a current rate of one U-turn per day. Lots of days to go…
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.”