Am I just being impatient and mean? New PM

I don't think the father has anything to do with it but I really hadn't picked up on the rest yet butterandjam.

Thanks. Will take a look.

I do have all the wheeler dealing.

Hmmm.

While people are looking at Burnham's 'wheeler dealing' I hope they won't forget what got Starmer into position...It was murky, to say the least.

Though the fact that Josh Simons (who gave up the Makerfield seat for Burnham) was a leading player in the Starmer leadership bid does make it all a bit weird. What is going on?

MaizieD

Hmmm.

While people are looking at Burnham's 'wheeler dealing' I hope they won't forget what got Starmer into position...It was murky, to say the least.

Though the fact that Josh Simons (who gave up the Makerfield seat for Burnham) was a leading player in the Starmer leadership bid does make it all a bit weird. What is going on?

At least Starmer ousted a party leader who had lost two elections when most would have stood down after losing the first one. And then won the election for them.

I’ve just read that Burnham used a government jet to fly to Manchester yesterday…( happy to be corrected on this)

MayBee70

I’ve just read that Burnham used a government jet to fly to Manchester yesterday…( happy to be corrected on this)

Yes Burham did use the government airbus on Thursday afternoon and then Friday morning. It wasn't possible for Burnham to meet his packed diary commitments on Thursday and Friday unless he used the government airbus.

AB flew on the government VIP airbus which departed from a private section of Stansted airport so secure, no queues, no check in delays and no airport security to get through. The airbus also has a highly secure wifi connection so government minsters can continue to work securely on line and make secure phone calls.

Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss, Sunak, Starmer all used the VIP airbus, though Sunak was criticised for more often using private jets. The Ministerial Code has clear long standing rules for the appropriate use of the VIP airbus for government domestic and international travel to permit use for operational, security and schooling priorities and commitments.

The flight from Stansted to Glasgow took 55 minutes on Thursday, then Glasgow to Manchester early Friday am took 38 minutes (so around 1.5 hours total during which AB could work securely). In comparison the 2 separate train journeys, 4.5 or 5.5 hours London the Glasgow and around 3 hours 20 mins G to Manchester respectively, with actual delays a whole working day essentially that AB would not be able to meet others. Trains of course are often subject to unforeseen departure delays, possible cancellations, wifi connection not secure etc.

AB started off his day on Thursday working in London- then went on to the Hare pub in Harlow Essex to make a policy announcement. From there he went to a private section of Stansted airport to board government VIP Airbus for a 55 minute journey to Glasgow on which he could securely work.

On arrival in Glasgow AB then met with the Welsh First Minster (who also no doubt has a packed diary) and others. AB then went on to the Commonwealth Games where he sat beside King Charles and Camilla for the Opening ceremony that began at 20.00 that carried on late into the evening. So a long day.

AB then had an early start Friday morning and a 38 minute flight to Manchester to open No 10 North. All of these commitments reported in the press and he would have had to leave London early am for a 5.5 hour or 4.5 hour train to get to Glasgow in time to meet the Welsh First Minster- so all other Thursday. commitments would have to have been cancelled.

Just looked on line- the last train from Glasgow to Manchester leaves at 20.06 so he wouldn't have been able to be at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games with King Charles that began at 20.00

The Commonwealth Games won’t be opening every Thursday so I doubt AB will take a flight every week from London to Glasgow and then Glasgow to Manchester every Thursday. Time will tell and AB's use of the government airbus compares to his predecessors.

The press and others parities will complain about PM jet travel- twas always thus. As long as AB uses the government airbus in line with the Ministerial code he is no worse than all recent PMs.

Comparing all the PMs Sunak was the biggest user of jets by far.

Totally agree with your post butterandjam.

The duplicity of the Burnham’s coup is staggering. It stinks!

Word is that Josh Simons is to be rewarded for standing down in Makerfield by being given the Head of No 10 Policy job. Not sure which No 10 … as we now appear to have 2!

MaizieD

^Scotland hasn't forgotten the stench surrounding the career of Anas Sarwar's politician father Chaudhury Sarwar; (who was himself blocked from a life peerage by the House of Lords Appointments Commission on the advice of HM Revenue and Customs).^

Oh. The sins of the father are visited on his children?

The son's political career was funded and launched by the father.

Musical chairs at the 2010 General Election; when the music stopped, dentist Anas Sarwar was the new MP in the Glasgow seat his father had just vacated.

Funny that butterandjam. Funny in that thousands of people voted for him to make him the MP. Hey Ho.

Once Parliament resumes, he will have to accept that much of the day-to-day work is cross party and carried out in committees in Westminster. MPs need to be in Parliament to take part in debates and divisions.

Is there any way he can get around that I wonder?

Perhaps they will modernise like most businesses have done, and conduct business meetings from different locations online?

First week in the job so I will cut AB some slack 😄 When Parliament goes back and then later the Autumn Budget we will get a clearer picture.

Oreo

First week in the job so I will cut AB some slack 😄 When Parliament goes back and then later the Autumn Budget we will get a clearer picture.

Hear hear!

Casdon

Perhaps they will modernise like most businesses have done, and conduct business meetings from different locations online?

That would be amazing. Think of the saving in travel expense claims.

What a hypocrite Anas Sarwar is. He explicitly ruled out ever accepting a seat in the House of Lords on numerous occasions and called for its abolition stating “it has no place in 21st politics” and that it is “unacceptable to have unelected representatives wielding such power”.

Mollygo

Casdon

Perhaps they will modernise like most businesses have done, and conduct business meetings from different locations online?

That would be amazing. Think of the saving in travel expense claims.

It would be a good idea, and save a lot of time as well as money. I don't think all meetings can be done effectively online though - sometimes the face to face approach is necessary.

Some things have to be done face to face.
Absolutely. PM questions, especially when it’s televised is one such event.
Also, in the same way that children are being prevented from bringing phones into school, MPs are already limited in what they’re supposed to use their devices for and that would be harder to monitor on Zoom meetings.
Although for some MPs, even being in face to face meetings is no guarantee of proper usage.
Remember Conservative MP Nigel Mills, the politician caught playing Candy Crush Saga on his taxpayer-funded iPad.
He was photographed and filmed during a multi-hour meeting of the Work and Pensions Committee, which was discussing important pension reforms.

I don't remember that, but do remember the 'tractor porn' chap. I've never worked out what tractor porn might be (and am not sure I need to know).

"MPs are already limited in what they’re supposed to use their devices for and that would be harder to monitor on Zoom meetings"

Absolutely, Mollygo you can pretend to be at the meeting and be looking up all kinds of things or chatting in whatsApp!
(which is OK if you are looking up meeting related stuff thats needed - but Zoom Workplace is very secure)
You can't beat face to face, although a combination is good - maybe it's used already?

It’s not just bad manners on Zoom that makes face to face meetings important. It is more difficult to build a sense of trust online, and relationships between politicians are very important. If they get on well and ‘connect’ it makes things easier.

It depends what type of meeting it is. If it is a small, participative meeting, when the camera is switched on for everybody, people will make good use of their time, there must be plenty of parliamentary meetings of that kind. It’s also possible to have people in two locations, each with a chair, and zoom them into one meeting, that would also work. The key is choosing the best option for all kinds of meeting - we did this years ago where I worked.

Just read on Facebook that the Starmer government in December 2025 committed £3.5 billion to end homelessness and rough sleeping. So is Burnham planning to take the credit for that?

MayBee70

Just read on Facebook that the Starmer government in December 2025 committed £3.5 billion to end homelessness and rough sleeping. So is Burnham planning to take the credit for that?

Why not?

Firstly, is the information rock solid - I find it hard to believe I have not heard of in one single LP meeting in all this time.

If the information is correct it seems as if its good that Burnham has prioritised acting one it as part funding already set aside, since it's an area he has experience in so much the better and most understandable.

Maybee is right, it was called something like the national plan to end homelessness.