Thread 31 Starmer - September Rain

[DuncinToffee]

Pull up a chair for some friendly chit chat about politics and beyond

Taxes optional but greatly appreciated.

Previous thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5399546-thread-30-starmer-magic-roundabouts?page=40&reply=146834602

It's also suggested that Shabana Mahmood might be a contender.

I also would like a woman MP.

I've said before how I feel about the misogyny and the bias in the media.
I was outside Downing street yesterday by chance and the mood generally was subdued , I felt, not gloating.
I hope that Angela Rayner comes back in a bit but who could blame her if she wanted no more of it? If she did carry on I would be delighted.
The men in politics who do wrong seem to get it "fixed" for them, and in AR's case I believe it was an inadvertent mistake.
Our journos are not very sophisticated or intelligent these days, in my opinion .

Not Nandy.

I think it would be good to have someone fresh and new, maybe from the 2024 intake. But carefully vetted!

Lisa Nandy??? No way. Appears to have spent much time chewing at low level media targets like the BBC. That is the low hanging fruit of cabinet ministers imo.

I have no vote in this mind but I would go with Pat McFadden. Steady, no nonsense, tough, bruising political style. Unlikely to be interested however.

The new intakes may well lose their seats though in the next election. Ed Miliband has a very slim majority.

I suspect Mahmoud wouldn’t be interested either, having just got the Home Office for which she’s eminently suited and where I think she’ll be very effective.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/sep/06/who-could-replace-angela-rayner-as-deputy-labour-leader

A good piece regarding the process and potential candidates - most crucially their ratings with the party. I like Bridget Phillipson.

I like Ed Miliband very much. I suppose it depends on who else stands. I’m not keen on Nandy or Haigh or Emily Thornberry.

Oh I didn't realise I was so psychic. Ed is just my personal fave!

MN hate Phillipson and, actually, I'm not keen.

Deputy Leader is a bit of a side show right now - Labour will be judged on housing, crime and the cost of living at the next election. Whoever hold those briefs determine the outcome of the next election.

Before you jump on me - it's perfectly possible to install high quality modular social housing in 4 months. What we lack is the political will to get it done. We need speed, ambition and an explicit commitment not to sell the lot off again (use of co-operative trusts would work here). Or - since everyone is hungering for the 1960s, why not give councils the power to build again? Why so we have to rely on private housebuilding?

I would also look at the private housing market, especially where investment portfolios are buying up properties and leaving them empty.

Edited for typos

She is one to watch. She will be delivering a refinement of human rights law which applies to immigration. That is the hardest job in government right now after being Chancellor.

Mahmood did some interesting things in justice. She did not listen to some pretty entrenched interests like the sentencing council and deal with Robert Jenrick’s attacks quite well. She will easily take on Chris Philp.

I also like Thornberry but she will forever be reminded of her own comments about flags...

I know I mention the excellent book The Prime Ministers We Never Had a lot but there is a chapter on Miliband.

Apologies Ed has a healthy majority - it's Wes Streeting whose majority is slim.

I know. I really like her. She’s so straight talking and sensible.

I was a member at the last elections for Leader and Deputy Leader and I went to one of the Hustings. Thornberry spoke really well, as did Rosena Allin-Khan.

Yes, he's v popular in his constituency and with members.

I really like RA-K but she's too left wing for Starmer.

We're going to need a new fred soon. I have voted for Ed Miliband and enjoyed the 2010 conference, despite the loss. Also voted for Rayner. Wanted Andy Burnham to win in 2015, but Corbyn got it. Voted Burnham, then Cooper.

It’s not up to Starmer, he’s going to have to suck up whoever is elected. It needs to be someone left wing with some fire in their belly to leaven his Tory lite -ness.

Before you jump on me - it's perfectly possible to install high quality modular social housing in 4 months.

Like we did in the Crimean war. Isambard Kingdom Brunel and all that.

Lots of things are possible. It's the political will that is needed.

Never, ever mistake "Can't" for "won't" whenever you listen to anyone.

"We can't exceed the speed of light" - correct.
"We can't solve the housing crisis" - absolute horseshit of the first order
"We won't solve the housing crisis" - correct

No, I meant as a complement to Starmer.

Sorry. I misunderstood.

Absolutely.

Ed Milligan’s is a good shout.

I like Lisa Nandy but I think she isn’t suited to the role.

Id like to see Yvette Cooper as deputy as her and Rayner were always my favourite female Labour MPs .