Labour NEC officers have voted by a majority to let Andy Burnham stand as a candidate in the upcoming Makerfield by-election. It’s on…
Andy Burnham is a surprise fan of cryptocurrency and Web3. Every cloud…
The Manchester mayor gave a gushing nine-minute speech at an event held by Stand With Crypto and the Manchester Blockchain Alliance last year in which he said: “If this is about economic progress and social progress — I’m in.” He also gave a gushing interview the next day about how great crypto is…
He said: “Web3 could be the democratisation of it all.” At another point he said: “Manchester was the home of the Industrial Revolution. Let’s make it the home of the web3 revolution” and pledged to “work with you to make this the web3 powerhouse that we want it to be.” The Manchester Mayor told a room of 100 crypto founders: “I’m in. I’m bought in. What you’re doing is what Manchester is all about.” Starmer’s Labour has, meanwhile, taken steps to shut down crypto in the UK…
Labour MPs are usually rabidly opposed to decentralised finance, because they want to exercise control over Brits’ bank accounts. They’ll have to change tack under Crypto Andy’s regime…
Someone tell Sam Tarry…
If Burnham wins in Makerfield, will he go to the polls early? He called for an early election when the Tories churned through their own leaders…
Guido’s Adam Cherry explains more…
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The Intelligence and Security Committee published a statement earlier today accusing the government of covering up the latest tranche of Mandelson Files:
“Criteria applied too broadly
In addition, having seen how Government is applying redactions on those grounds, the Committee has made clear that, in its view, they are being applied far too broadly – particularly in the case of personal information. We note that no body has been commissioned to review those redactions and assure Parliament that they are within the spirit of the Humble Address.
Documents being withheld
The Committee has been told that certain documents are being withheld from the process. The prime example is a vetting file held by UK Security Vetting. The Committee has made clear that it does not consider that the terms of the Humble Address allow for any documents to be withheld from Parliament: while Government may believe that there is good reason to withhold certain documents, it does not currently have the authority to so do. The Committee has therefore advised Government that we believe it must return to Parliament to seek Parliament’s agreement to withhold any documents.
The Committee has also noted a number of overarching matters, which gravely concerned the Committee and which it considers it must therefore bring to Parliament’s attention:
Use of unofficial communication systems
The Committee found it extraordinary to see how much Government business appears to be being conducted over unofficial systems. Lengthy Whatsapp conversations between senior officials and ministers appear now to be the format by which Government policy is formulated. Government systems exist for a reason and should be the proper forum for the conduct of Government business. The Committee has raised this issue before – with the last Government – and it is disappointing to see not only that it continues, but the extent to which it has spread.”
The statement was since withdrawn. After an internal row no doubt…
The Tories said: “Starmer promised transparency in government. He must come clean with the full facts about Mandelson’s vetting. Nothing short of that will suffice.” The second tranche was meant to come right after the Easter recess – now government sources say it is likely next week..
At Labour Conference last year:
“I want to rejoin the EU. I hope it happens in my lifetime… I believe in the unions of all kinds. The union of the UK. The European Union, and the benefits it brought this country. Trade unions… People prosper more when they’re part of unions. That’s my belief, and I’ll say it clearly.”
“Look at the last decade – shouldn’t we start calling out the disaster that Brexit has been more directly? I think we should. We’ve been stuck now with sluggish growth, and all of our aspirations now are harder to achieve as a country. We are in a bad position, the growth isn’t there.”
In his leadership pitch with the New Statesman Burnham said Labour should be making “a stronger argument about Brexit having been a mistake.” Tell us how you really feel…
Makerfield voted 65% Leave in 2016 and was 75th most Leave-heavy voting seat. Labour’s majority in Makerfield in 2024 was 5,399 with Reform coming second at 12,000 to Simons’ 18,000. Another strongly held position Andy will have to pop back in the drawer for this by-election…
Paula Barker, Liverpool Wavertree MP backing Andy Burnham, told Times Radio there wouldn’t be trouble from the markets under Burnham:
“The markets will have to fall in line.”