There have been better weeks for Laura Trott. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury yesterday ploughed on in an interview with Evan Davis in which the pair argued whether debt as a percentage of GDP would be falling in five years. In that same interview Trott called Labour’s £28 billion U-turn a mess, “the likes of which we haven’t seen in many years“. Davis listed off a few recent government U-turns in response…
- Betrayal of pledge to not raise National Insurance.
- Health and social care levy scrapped.
- Social care reform scrapped.
- HS2 scrapped.
- Electric car mandate shifted back by five years.
- Immigration reform was reformed. “A U-turn on a U-turn”…
- Railway station ticket halls now staying.
- Fines for missing GP appointments
- A bonfire of EU laws and regulations. Still with us today…
Guido also noticed Trott claiming on Politics Live this week that inflation is an indication of better quality of products and services in an economy. Inflation is a monetary phenomenon, something which Guido would hope the minister responsible for public expenditure would know. Laura is one of the government’s more capable ministers on media – this does not bode well for the rest of them come the campaign…
After yesterday’s kerfuffle it is interesting to see who punters think will be the next PM, after all they are putting their money on it. Jezza has now turned favourite in line with falling Tory poll ratings. On Guido’s chalkboard these are the latest odds available. Corbyn is now favourite ahead of previous favourites Sajid Javid and Jacob Rees-Mogg. The latter is now level pegging with Boris and Gove. Guido would prefer to bet against some of these names. In particular Mogg says he doesn’t want the job and in any event he would never be one of the two candidates chosen by Tory MPs to go before the membership…
Radio 4’s closest thing to drive time, PM, is without a presenter with stalwart Eddie Mair departing for the bright lights of commercial radio at LBC, where he will displace Iain Dale in the drive time prime slot. The BBC’s bitter ongoing gender pay row is said to be a factor in Mair, who was said to be unwilling to take a gender based pay-cut, going. Additional controversy over gender balance among the top presenting slots is an additional headache for the Beeb. Guido takes a look at the names doing the rounds at Broadcasting House…
Emma Barnett – Headline maker fast becoming a household name thanks to her fearless Brillo-style grilling of politicians. There would be push back from 5Live who want to keep her. Strong contender…
Carolyn Quinn – Already Mair’s deputy at PM with lots of relief presenting experience on the show. A move could perhaps free up the Westminster Hour for one of the other political correspondents. Would be a direct and predictable step up the ladder. Safe option…
Mishal Husain – Established presenter with internal reputation for even-handedness. With the Today programme said to be in turmoil, it is rumored numerous presenters are open to jumping ship. Logical move…
Martha Kearney – Huge experience of Radio 4‘s daytime news output over 11 years on The World At One. Top flight political experience at Newsnight, too. The WATO production team is shared with PM. Another who might be looking for a way out of the troubled Today programme…
Laura Kuenssberg – A huge boon for Radio 4 if Laura K were to spend more time on the station; would be an opportunity to walk straight onto a big show as the main presenter if the BBC’s Political Editor wanted to move from reporting to presenting. No sign of that yet though…
Robert Peston – Famous for his on air ‘banter’ clashes with Mair, Peston was a longtime contributor to PM before he defected to ITV and is said to love the programme. His Peston on Sunday show has been bumped to Wedenesday nights after ITV News at Ten. Time for a return to Auntie?
Vicky Young – Chief Political Correspondent who could move from reporting to full time presenting. Lots of experience on the BBC News channel.
Amol Rajan – the ubiquitous media editor can never be ruled out of any BBC presenter role.
The pressure is on to make the optics right around the appointment – remember the Question Time gig is also up for grabs, which may dissuade some.
