Holmes_and_Watson

It's Josh Simons stepping aside. Director of Labour Together. That was Morgan McSweeney's (with mentoring by Epstein best pal Mandelson's) vehicle to get shot of Corbyn by any means, and get Starmer in as Labour leader. Labour together, funded by the traditional left of venture capitalism, and hedge fund managers, that they got in trouble for not declaring. And the organisation that looked to dig dirt on journalists that found them out/ revealed their inner workings. I remember interviews with those involved pleading that investigators had gone beyond their brief. Only for places like Private Eye to be reporting that they couldn't keep their mouths shut about all the things they'd found out, and knew all about what was going on. I think they pretended they were looking for leaks. For that, they could have just asked Josh Simons. Before he was McSweeney's pal, he was a policy advisor for Corbyn, before getting fired for leaking information. Simons seems to have been happy moving from one part of the party to the other when it suited. He's clearly not bothered about little things like free speech or being front and centre of now tarnished organisations. Went to McSweeney because Corbyn dumped him. Went to Burnham because McSweeney got dumped. Somehow, his "best for the party and country" reasons for stepping down aren't very believable. I wonder what deal he's struck, and where he'll reappear next. Unless voters look at that record, look at Burnham making a deal with it, and decide to vote elsewhere.

Picking up on your worries about the economy: It took a flexible centrist to get them into office. Once there, due to the size of the majority, there were still large blocks of interest in areas on the left too. This is just a takeover of the electable part by the unelectable part (although there are even more unelectable parts still in there) As you say, Burnham may attract a core support. And certainly the unions and left. If he gets to implement them all, it's going to cost. They didn't say much before getting into office. But one thing they repeated was that everything had been costed. Throwing that out the window is going to leave them back in the wilderness again. For balance, a reform person praised Burnham for reaching out to hear different views. He was complimentary about him having values that made the contest with reform good for politics.

He has. But having played in a Scottish post-season split, he's play-off tied. 🙂

Jam

Oh, the lols if their champion of the left doesn't get the seat. Presumably, that would leave it between Rayner, in his place. Streeting and Starmer. It's no surprise to listen to those on the left wanting to spend loads of money, to embrace a section of the population. While again no surprise, I find it annoying when the unions come out to say they are let down by their sock puppet. They are setting up policies for the sock puppet they will support. They are, unsurprisingly, wanting lots of money for themselves and their members. No doubt the markets, which Starmer seems to be aware of compared to that lot, has to find a way of balancing the wish list against reality.

Certainly not the crime of the century.

Surely Q kitted out 007 with superb spy equipment designed to look just like a phone. 🙂

Celtic will be at home, with a history of dealing with massive games. As disjointed as their side can be their resources outstrip Hearts by some margin. 40 years waiting for just one lower budget side to work together as a unit. Hopefully Hearts can get over the line. But I'd favour Celtic.

Last kick of the game to win it.

Oh dear... It was a handball. With seconds to go. What a waste.

Late VAR call...Celtic lifeline?

Motherwell equalise! After a bit of pressure. They've had some excellent passing moves.

I know when I've been there, I've been desperate to leave. Grim place.

Meh. Well stood off for a shot. Celtic in front. Motherwell had being doing fine. But it doesn't take much for them to get a chance.

Switched over to Celtic (who are sadly favourites to win it in my mind), and noticed Callum Slattery playing tonight.