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Original poster

Andy Burnham's new cabinet - who's in, who's out.

357 replies

Twiglets1 · 20/07/2026 17:46

John Healey, who quit as Keir Starmer's defence secretary last month, has been pictured walking up Downing Street - is he about to be reinstated as Defence Secretary, I wonder.

Ed Miliband and Shabana Mahmood also photographed walking up Downing Street together - but we still don't which positions they will be given in Cabinet.

OP posts:
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BIossomtoes · 21/07/2026 11:40

BeardySchnauzer · 21/07/2026 11:37

The way our system works it’s his majority now. If he strays too far from the manifesto people will of course be angry but if the Labour MPs support his plans we are stuck with them. But the manifesto has enough vagueness to it he can probably work his way through

Exactly. It’s astonishing how many people think our political system is presidential.

PinkFruitbat · 21/07/2026 11:39

Glad to see Bridget ‘Breakfast Club’ Phillipson removed from Education.

The harm she has done to Private Schools is immense.

Most notably the addition of VAT on SEN additional learning support is vile. A direct tax on disabled kids is shameful and indefensible. Let’s see what the Supreme Court has to say about it in December.

BeardySchnauzer · 21/07/2026 11:37

The way our system works it’s his majority now. If he strays too far from the manifesto people will of course be angry but if the Labour MPs support his plans we are stuck with them. But the manifesto has enough vagueness to it he can probably work his way through

SummerPeonies2026 · 21/07/2026 11:27

BeardySchnauzer · 21/07/2026 11:09

He would be daft to call an election - he has a big majority and would probably end up with a hung parliament.

Burnham doesn’t have a majority at all, what he has done is annihilated someone that did have a majority and a party manifesto to see through. No one in this country voted for Burnham or his manifesto. This is very shady. It’s unlikely Burnham will have the authority or creditability to carry on without an election.

The Labour Party is so heavily divided now, it will be an inside job - if the corruption doesn’t catch up with him before.

Dragonscaledaisy · 21/07/2026 11:15

BeardySchnauzer · 21/07/2026 11:09

He would be daft to call an election - he has a big majority and would probably end up with a hung parliament.

At best - I completely agree.

BeardySchnauzer · 21/07/2026 11:09

He would be daft to call an election - he has a big majority and would probably end up with a hung parliament.

Dragonscaledaisy · 21/07/2026 11:06

BrandiedAromatics · 21/07/2026 11:04

BBC opinion polls for UK:

Polls conducted in the two weeks up to last Friday put Labour on an average of 21%, roughly level with the Conservatives.

Reform UK is averaging 25%, down from a peak of 32% last October.
The party still leads in most opinion polls, although a Survation poll published last week put Labour level with it, while an Opinium poll gave Reform a lead of just one percentage point.

The Greens are averaging about 13%, down from 17% in April, while the Liberal Democrats are on about 12%.

So absolutely dire polling for Labour with Reform still ahead. Level with the Conservatives. 😂

BrandiedAromatics · 21/07/2026 11:04

BBC opinion polls for UK:

Polls conducted in the two weeks up to last Friday put Labour on an average of 21%, roughly level with the Conservatives.

Reform UK is averaging 25%, down from a peak of 32% last October.
The party still leads in most opinion polls, although a Survation poll published last week put Labour level with it, while an Opinium poll gave Reform a lead of just one percentage point.

The Greens are averaging about 13%, down from 17% in April, while the Liberal Democrats are on about 12%.

Dragonscaledaisy · 21/07/2026 11:03

Imdunfer · 21/07/2026 10:55

Is Google not your strength? Labour support had been rising since it was obvious Burnham was taking over.

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Google is indeed my strength and the last poll most certainly suggested nothing like a 'popularity bounce' for Burnham himself. Once the delight at getting rid of Starmer has died down over the next few days, Labour will be back to where they were previously.

ThisDandyWriter · 21/07/2026 11:01

Luingcow · 21/07/2026 08:28

I also listened to a podcast interview with her a couple of years ago - can’t remember whose - but it was really interesting and covered the expectation she places on herself to do her preparation and research to an incredibly high level.

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Shame she didn’t use those skills when ‘researching’ the tax she’d have to pay when she bought her Hive house.

or the optics of being photographed on one of the busiest beaches with a vape and a glass of wine in hand (glass of wine more acceptable , although drinking wine on open water?)

Imdunfer · 21/07/2026 10:57

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 09:08

He could but then so did May and after campaigning she lost her majority. He’s better off sticking with the majority who want to back his plans anyway.

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The trouble is that I don't think his plans can be achieved with the 24 manifesto and if he departs too far from that he really needs to call an election.

Imdunfer · 21/07/2026 10:55

Dragonscaledaisy · 21/07/2026 09:12

Can you show me the data for this so called 'popularity bounce'? I think he would lose a huge number of seats at a GE.

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Is Google not your strength? Labour support had been rising since it was obvious Burnham was taking over.

upinaballoon · 21/07/2026 10:18

Araminta1003 · 20/07/2026 19:36

Nobody in education likes Bridget P. Yvette Cooper would be much better.

Why don't they like her?

mumumental · 21/07/2026 09:54

Im glad it’s completed. To see them all jostling publicly for a role was an unedifying spectacle.

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 09:50

BrandiedAromatics · 21/07/2026 09:34

Burnham has rewarded everyone - some of these people were obviously miffed when they didn't get another ministerial appointment and the previous administration found out what they could then do with their time. That is what a lot of these appointments are. All of the people with a big job at least told the previous PM he had to go.

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Yes I think they all did do that.

BrandiedAromatics · 21/07/2026 09:34

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 21/07/2026 09:29

Can't beleive Rayner is back ... poor decision IMO.

Burnham has rewarded everyone - some of these people were obviously miffed when they didn't get another ministerial appointment and the previous administration found out what they could then do with their time. That is what a lot of these appointments are. All of the people with a big job at least told the previous PM he had to go.

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 09:32

WhatAMarvelousTune · 21/07/2026 09:23

Equally, it’s seen as a mistake that Brown didn’t call one, and obviously Johnson benefitted massively from having one (although I appreciate Johnson didn’t really have as much to lose since he didn’t inherit a majority).

Basically I don’t think previous early elections called by a new PM are that useful as a guide, as the situations are so unique.

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True about Brown. It could go either way.

However I hope he believes what he said in the speech re people are fed up with upheaval and he just sticks to his plan for the years left.

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 21/07/2026 09:29

Can't beleive Rayner is back ... poor decision IMO.

NorthXNorthWest · 21/07/2026 09:23

Pieceofpurplesky · 21/07/2026 01:25

I would imagine Rachel Reeves has quit because of the vitriol she has suffered from the press (as also shown on here - vile woman/banned from pubs etc). She has had such awful things said and written about her just because she is a woman - no man would ever have headlines like 'John from accounts' and have their previous roles belittled.
Same goes for Angela Rayner, Lisa Nandy etc and how they dress - X and the media have already started on Burnham's wife.

Being a woman in politics appears to mean that you should accept inequality and sexism!

Not sure how you can write Angela Rayner with a straight face.

WhatAMarvelousTune · 21/07/2026 09:23

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 09:08

He could but then so did May and after campaigning she lost her majority. He’s better off sticking with the majority who want to back his plans anyway.

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Equally, it’s seen as a mistake that Brown didn’t call one, and obviously Johnson benefitted massively from having one (although I appreciate Johnson didn’t really have as much to lose since he didn’t inherit a majority).

Basically I don’t think previous early elections called by a new PM are that useful as a guide, as the situations are so unique.

Dragonscaledaisy · 21/07/2026 09:12

Imdunfer · 21/07/2026 09:05

Why? The Tories aren't recovered, Reform is failing, the Greens have exposed how silly they are, boat arrivals are 40% down, he has a popularity bounce and he can't do much outside the manifesto which wasn't his unless he does.

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Can you show me the data for this so called 'popularity bounce'? I think he would lose a huge number of seats at a GE.

Dragonscaledaisy · 21/07/2026 09:11

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 09:09

Ik whatever happens now I’m so pleased he’s out.

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So am I. I've always said Burnham can't be worse than Starmer and I still believe that.

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 09:09

Dragonscaledaisy · 21/07/2026 08:51

Completely agree. He was a terrible PM. Thank goodness he didn't even make two years in the job.

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Ik whatever happens now I’m so pleased he’s out.

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 09:08

Imdunfer · 21/07/2026 09:05

Why? The Tories aren't recovered, Reform is failing, the Greens have exposed how silly they are, boat arrivals are 40% down, he has a popularity bounce and he can't do much outside the manifesto which wasn't his unless he does.

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He could but then so did May and after campaigning she lost her majority. He’s better off sticking with the majority who want to back his plans anyway.

Imdunfer · 21/07/2026 09:05

Dragonscaledaisy · 21/07/2026 08:40

He would be very stupid to call an Autumn election.

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Why? The Tories aren't recovered, Reform is failing, the Greens have exposed how silly they are, boat arrivals are 40% down, he has a popularity bounce and he can't do much outside the manifesto which wasn't his unless he does.