Rachel Reeves and David Lammy have been sacked by Andy Burnham as the Prime Minister begins appointing his Cabinet.

Oreo

LH would hardly have been unemployed for life, even if she left politics.
Some, including moi, think AR isn’t up to the job from what I have seen and heard from her, and nothing to do with academic trophies or class.

Well I’ll take a punt hete and suggest you didn’t read what various housing charities said when she resigned and are now glad to have her back. I’ll take another punt and suggest most of us don’t have a real idea of what goes on in ministries and how well or otherwise ministers are performing .

I think what the answer to that Tuliptree is not to care what those people think. They aren’t supporters of Labour, and are looking to rake over the ashes of ministers’ past misdemeanours, which had already been raked over so assiduously that they are cold, in an attempt to rubbish Burnham’s government before it starts work.

So what has she done so badly that makes you think that? I think she got a lot done in the time she was last in the cabinet. She got the Workers' Rights Bill and the Renters Rights Act through, which will make a huge difference to 'ordinary people'.

LH would hardly have been unemployed for life, even if she left politics.
Some, including moi, think AR isn’t up to the job from what I have seen and heard from her, and nothing to do with academic trophies or class.

Why does it hurt some posters so much that AR is back in the Cabinet, having paid her stamp duty and not been prosecuted, found guilty or thrown in prison? And that LH has been given a second chance rather than remaining unemployed for the rest of her life? Never mind, onward and upward

pen50

I think she is at the least a serial non-complier with what most people would regard as tax liabilities. She seems to have avoided some penalties (to many professionals' surprise) and she seems to have managed to get some of her property dealings treated very favourably. Would that I were so lucky.

I presume you mean you wouldn’t be as lucky as AR seems to have been with regard to tax liabilities.
You’ll never know, unless you follow her example, and if you did, you probably wouldn’t be that lucky.
Equally you wouldn’t have others excusing either.

I remember being rebuked for saying, quite genuinely, that I thought the SAT data had been uploaded by someone else (whose job it actually was). I was told it was my job, if not to do the upload, but to check that it had been done.

Sorry - 'van' heel. Autocarrot is at it again.

JaneJudge

Does Andy Burnham’s wife have a name?

I wanted to congratulate her for wearing what the fuck she wanted (or what she was told to wear) and telling him NO in front of the whole world ❤️

Yes, her name is Marie-France von Heel. Known as Frankie, apparently.

pen50

I think she is at the least a serial non-complier with what most people would regard as tax liabilities. She seems to have avoided some penalties (to many professionals' surprise) and she seems to have managed to get some of her property dealings treated very favourably. Would that I were so lucky.

It’s probably not the best idea to tell us you were unlucky to be caught by the taxman for attempting to avoid tax pen?

Does Andy Burnham’s wife have a name?

I wanted to congratulate her for wearing what the fuck she wanted (or what she was told to wear) and telling him NO in front of the whole world ❤️

pen50

I think she is at the least a serial non-complier with what most people would regard as tax liabilities. She seems to have avoided some penalties (to many professionals' surprise) and she seems to have managed to get some of her property dealings treated very favourably. Would that I were so lucky.

Which ‘she’ ?

Grandmabatty

"It’s nothing to do with running the country but the PM’s wife is always in the public glare and people will therefore comment.
Victoria Starmer had an advantage of being an attractive woman with a good figure and a stylish sense of what to wear.
Andy Burnham’s wife will hopefully soon realise what looks good and what doesn’t.I found the pale blue dress strangely baggy on the top half and far too tight on the bottom half."

That would be because the poor woman has had a double mastectomy which was relatively easy to discover.
I think comments about her dress etc are tasteless in the extreme.

Oh no! It's not going to be another Trouser Suit thread, is it?

For newbies, the day after the election win, a thread was started to batter the LP with, and chose Raynor's Turquoise Trouser Suit.

What followed was one of the most memorable and ludicrous threads ever, so much so, it was featured in the Guardian newspaper as well...a comedy item on who were are here in GN.

But to chose something where the person has had a double mastectomy...

I think she is at the least a serial non-complier with what most people would regard as tax liabilities. She seems to have avoided some penalties (to many professionals' surprise) and she seems to have managed to get some of her property dealings treated very favourably. Would that I were so lucky.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

MartavTaurus

Clothing??
Useless information alert ......
Did you know that the new PM's wife wore a Victoria Beckham designer dress?
Unusual pastel colour.

As you were.

Good choice.
However at £900 for a dress … mind you would’ve looked better with Spanx underneath it. Just a thought.

However she did wear M&S on Saturday and sandals by Boden so ✔️

Why should she wear Spanx, just to look slimmer and conform to how some others think she should look?
This lady has had a double mastectomy so perhaps not having an ironing board stomach doesn't come very high on her to do list.
Kindness costs nothing.

But she’s not been in the public eye in the same way and this might have come as quite the shock? Or maybe not. But that doesn’t mean it’s OK even if you’re expecting it. And it’s not just about Mrs Burnham is if? It’s about the pressure put on our young girls so far as appearance ( including clothes) is concerned and the bullying and misery many endure especially in the social media sphere. And boys suffer too. It’s so sad. As women/parents/grandparents we should really care about this issue and the message we send to the young people in our lives. How many of you on here would have sat next to your teenage grandchildren watching the Burnhams on TV and happily criticised her appearance?

Calendargirl

I had my opinion on Mrs Burnham’s outfit, but only mentioned it to DH when watching the news.

I really, really hope she doesn’t read the comments in the press, Facebook, GN etc, as it would be soul destroying.

And hardly a good start for her husband, if his wife’s clothes attract such harsh comments.

If he’s read them, he must feel furious on her behalf.

Well, he makes little humorous videos about his own clothing ( eg it’s navy blue actually) and posts them on instagram and Facebook so he must be aware of the importance of one’s clothing when in the public eye?

I had my opinion on Mrs Burnham’s outfit, but only mentioned it to DH when watching the news.

I really, really hope she doesn’t read the comments in the press, Facebook, GN etc, as it would be soul destroying.

And hardly a good start for her husband, if his wife’s clothes attract such harsh comments.

If he’s read them, he must feel furious on her behalf.

Calendargirl

I wonder which job Rachel Reeves was offered, but turned down?

I think it was Defence. Her in Defence and John Healey as Chancellor. Would have been great to see this. 😄 🤣 😂

Silvershadow

On one of the comments it said Emily Thornberry might be replacing Lord Hermer, I d9nt know how true that might be.

I think she would maje a good replacement.

Rayner's back in charge of housing! So nobody needs to pay Stamp Duty.

Limelight of her husband’s position? If it’s not what they’re wearing it’s basking in reflected glory of their husband. Women eh?

Casdon

Cherie Blair was a barrister, she had her own career too.

I watched the Tony Blair Story a few months ago and it underlined the fact that CB was a very political animal herself, seeking a parliamentary seat. He just happened to be selected before her. She remained very involved in politics throughout however it seems in a way that subsequent PM spouses have not.

Casdon

Cherie Blair was a barrister, she had her own career too.

Yes she did, but always seemed very happy to be in the limelight of her husband’s position.

Cherie Blair was a barrister, she had her own career too.

Casdon

I don’t think she was putting a brave face on it, as I don’t think anybody who loves their partner would want them to be PM, the strain on them both must be immense, and it’s not a role the PMs partner chooses, they are thrust into it regardless. The last three PMs wives have all kept their own careers, much to their credit, and probably important for the sake of their sanity.

Good post.
I'm guessing there must have been divided loyalties along the way, but Mrs. Starmer, Mrs. Sunak, Mrs. Johnson, all juggled them well.