Shabana Mahmood set to be chancellor

[Binnyforthewin]

It is being reported that Shabana Mahmood is set to be Chancellor. It looks like Burnham is appointing key roles to the centrist side of the party.

Maybe we are getting the Blairite version of Burnham!

She seems to be the only competent minister in government, so I’d support this. I don’t think she’s Blairite. I think she’s hard-nosed and hard working.

From the commentary I’ve heard she’s been being asked to switch jobs for months and saying no. Lots of people think she’s doing a good job in the HO and being decisive. She’s never said anything about the economy I can think of. So if Burnham’s worn her down he’d better replace her as Home Secretary with someone similarly inclined, and I hope he knows something no one else does about her plans for the treasury. But the £ was up on the speculation though I don’t know why.

The £ was up because the markets were anticipation the worst case scenario of Ed Miliband being Chancellor. They could announce Mickey Mouse was getting the job rather than Miliband and the markets would rejoice and the pound would rise.

Ah, thank you, that makes a lot of sense!

Better choice than Ed Miliband but not sure what exactly in her background qualifies her to run the economy.

Reeves had nothing in her background either. Nor did many of the other Chancellors of the past few decades. I think what makes a good Chancellor is them actually wanting to understand the choices given to them by their civil servants, after all, the Chancellors themselves aren't the ones thinking up new policy - they're choices given to them by the civil servants who have done the number crunching, evaluations, etc.

She seems capable and thank god it’s not red ed .

I wish she'd stay on as home secretary. I have a lot of time for her.

I want her to stay as HS , she's my big boss!, and seems to be the only person actually trying to get stuff done. Doesn't help that there are still MPs pushing back against the changes she's trying to implement.... but I don't hold out much hope.

We need someone to push through changes in the Treasury too! Shame there seems to be very little talent available for the top ministerial posts.

Very true! I can't name one person who I'd want to be Chancellor.

Well that would be preferable to the Corbynite version.

Darren Jones is good. Hope there’s a decent job for him. Prob not though, too big a threat!

The Financial Times is reporting it as a “certainty” that Mahmood will be moving into number 11 as Chancellor. Although the BBC refer to other reports saying that Mahmood herself is keen to remain as Home Secretary, and see through changes she has brought into the asylum system.

Ed Milliband is seen as a less likely choice now than previously thought. Some see him as an inflation risk due to his drive for net zero.

Yvette Cooper could be a “surprise compromise pick” according to the BBC.

Wes Streeting is a possibility and may be rewarded with a top job for backing Burnham.

Pat McFadden is another possibility though less likely than Streeting or Miliband.

Rachel Reeves - please God No. Will probably be demoted.

OOh well the FT were wrong! She is staying where she is in the reshuffle, as Home Secretary.

The new Chancellor is John Healey, the former Defence Secretary who resigned recently over insufficient funding on Defence.