Josh Simons on BBC Radio Manchester, asked if Andy Burnham made him any promises in exchange for giving up his seat:
“There’s some mad chat going around that I’m running for mayor of Manchester now, but I can tell you live right now, I’m not doing that. The first thing I’m going to do is spend some time with my three-week-old son. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind since he was born, and now this. I’m going to spend some time with my wife and my three kids and my newborn son. And most importantly, I’m going to be helping to win this by-election.”
Which is not quite the same thing as saying ‘no’, even if the BBC’s own write-up of the story wrongly claims it is. The Burnham camp first approached Simons earlier this week. He initially turned them down. That changed…
Wes Streeting says it explicitly:
“We need our best players on the pitch. There is no doubt that Andy Burnham is one of them.
The Makerfield by-election will be tough. Votes will need to be earned.
Andy is the best chance of winning and that should override factional advantage or propping up one person.”
It’s the dealmaking period…
There are growing demands for Angela Rayner to publish the documentary evidence from HMRC that details how she did not act “carelessly” and had no penalty to pay. Because it doesn’t make sense…
Tax experts led by Labour’s Dan Neidle yesterday challenged the supposed ‘exoneration.’ If it really exists…
Neidle subsequently spoke to tax barrister Graham Aaronson KC, who said Rayner could challenge the extra tax bill in court – a proposition she refused. He put forward her side but Neidle concluded: “The position remains: we can’t assess whether HMRC acted correctly. If Ms Rayner wants people to accept that she acted properly, and HMRC’s decision was correct, then she should release the evidence that led HMRC to conclude she was not careless.”
Eyebrows have also been raised after Aaronson sent a two-page legal letter requesting that HMRC close the matter “as soon as possible,” after which she supposedly received a decision within 24 hours. Barking orders to the taxman doesn’t usually work for punters…
Guido hears that when Rayner was previously “exonerated” – about which concerns were also raised – just as the general election was called in 2024, the journalists with whom she did media did not see any proof. It was all based on trust…
The phantom ‘tax advice’ she received earlier in that scandal was never and has never subsequently revealed either. Even Starmer did not see it. Now once again no evidence has been published, and the media gave Rayner gasping interviews for her grand return to the fray on Thursday…
Basically what people must conclude from this HMRC decision, if it indeed is an HMRC decision, is that if you’re confused about how much tax to pay, you shouldn’t seek professional advice. You should just pay the lowest amount and hope that it all works out OK, knowing that if it doesn’t then you won’t have to pay any penalty. Unless Rayner publishes evidence to the contrary…
British markets have been pricing in Burnham’s return for some time. The reality this morning is causing further ructions, though…
The bond markets:
Yields are set for their biggest weekly jump in two months. The UK is underperforming compared to European neighbours. The pound is also approaching its worst week against the dollar since Trump’s election in November 2024…
The silhouette of Andy Burnham looms above the corridors of Westminster. As Burnhamite MP Paula Barker said: “the markets will have to fall in line”…
Starmer loyalist Steve Reed’s take on the Rickety Coup:
“I saw the Prime Minister yesterday, yeah. He’s fine. He’s focused on getting on with the job. So am I… I mean it’s not an ideal- It’s not a good week that we’ve just had. Let me put that on the table straight away. It reminds me of what went on under the Conservatives, and I think we need to draw that to a close as quickly as possible…”
Reed learned of Josh Simons’ resignation live on a stage with Michael Gove last night and almost swallowed his own teeth. “It’s not a good week”…
Speaking to ITV LibDem MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough Tom Gordon was excoriating about Ed Davey after the party lost votes in the North:
“It’s really frustrating when we hear the party leadership and Ed Davey talking about the LibDems has been the antidote to Reform. Well, in places like Wakefield where Reform had beaten us. I think we need a better message. And quite frankly, when we’re seeing stunts about drinking, you know, Labour and the Tories need to wake up and smell the coffee. Quite frankly, so do Liberal Democrats too because all’s not rosy with us up here in North.”
Talk has gone around for months that the LibDem MPs are growing increasingly unhappy with Davey. Everyone wants their own slice of leadership drama today…
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.”