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

[Twiglets1]

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.

I think it’s a bit of optics and it’s a couple of small things to show why Burnham is not Starmer. And people might feel good about the announcements.

Economically the bigger stuff will be later in the year. Idk if it will all work, we’ll see.

Looks like he’s upset half the hospitality industry!

Did he ask them to tidy up some glasses?

#modernslavery

Regarding online business, The EU (I know, I know) has slapped a €3 import charge on every item, yes every item delivered from outside the EU, and that includes the UK of course, but it's mainly aimed at Chinese online like Shein and Temu. There is no de minimis like there was, i.e. customs duty didn't apply under €150, now it's on everything.

UK could do the same and place a tariff on EU and Chinese goods being imported to UK under the current de minimis of £135. Sauce for the goose....

Any reason this can't or won't be done, since it would limit Chinese tat imports wouldn't it and give a chance to indigenous retailers.

I think we should definitely do this. It would also give us a negotiating position with the EU for mutual exemptions from it as, as you say, it's mostly aimed at places like Shein and Temu who are also environmentally disastrous.

and as for the high streets - you need to change people’s attitudes to them as they wouldn’t be failing if people used them

We often have social media posts from new businesses asking ‘if I were to open a business, what does (your small city) need. Business owner is inundated with ideas. Business opens and lasts max 6 months, as nobody wants to pay more than Amazon/SHEIN/TEMU.

We definitely need to start appreciating quality - product, fabrics, make and service, including being able to try on clothing, easy, free, returns etc.

A vibrant high street brings people together and provides local jobs.

Ed Miliband as Foreign Secretary. FFS. Sooo awful.

Whilst I’m v relieved he’s not Chancellor (shudder), the man is an embarrassment on every level.

• He enthusiastically betrayed both his brother and his party leader/the PM
• he has ploughed on with environmentally catastrophic and financially ruinous policies in his existing role (the irony)
• he is a joke, he is Gromit, he can’t ride a bike or eat a sandwich without looking like an arsehole. I am so embarrassed he’ll be representing the UK on a world stage. It’s cringeworthy.

i very much wish the brother he betrayed - David M - had been appointed as a much more charismatic, well connected, not blinded by dogma, doesn’t always come over like a twat Foreign Secretary…. still that was never going to happen because no-one could backstab KS nor stick his tongue so far up Burnham’s backside as our friend Ed, so he must be rewarded with a cabinet position. FFS.

PS Whatever happened to the “Ed-stone”. Is that monument to arrogance propped up in a garden in Islington somewhere??