Economists reject Unite leader Sharon Graham's claim about Ed Miliband

LaticsExile33

Agreed. As long as they backfill his current post with someone as smart and as enthusiastic about dealing with climate change. I’m unrepentant about voting for him as Labour leader back in the day.

Chris Winwood15

I think Andy and Ed would make a good pair. Keir for Foreign Sec, if he would take it.

Julz11

It's OK as long as whoever replaces him as the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, is at least equally committed and knowledgeable.

Howard Jones8

Yes, why not? He’s been the stand-out minister in this government IMO. Vision and passion, with treasury experience too.

David Irwin6

"There's only one reliable Chancellor left in Westminster. Ed Miliband. He beat his brother. He's in his prime. He's a tried and tested Labour leader. And he doesn't just talk about cutting carbon emissions, he does it."

PhysicsChris6

If the people that thought Brexit was a good idea don't like him, there is a chance he is the right person.

Matthew Frye5

Miliband also has more experience than many of working in a functioning government, definitely a quality I'd want in a chancellor. He's not the only one that brings that of course, but it's a big plus over someone like Streeting imho

Grumps 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 YNWA 🇬🇧🇵🇸🇪🇺5

I like Ed Milliband - always have I think I just said that out loud

Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺3

Yes. What is WRONG with people?!

shrimpero3.bsky.social3

So we get rid of the best Chancellor we've had since Gordon Brown Who's Lowered inflation Lowered borrowing raised growth through the turbulent insanity of that idiot Trum Utter stupidity

Tom Grunshaw 🏏🔶🧪3

What do you think of the idea of making Starmer Foreign Secretary? I'm not sure he'd want to but it has been the one part of being PM he's done well at

BoroMike3

Just seen the Red Ed 💩 in my local paper shop in the Mail. Fck off Rothermere.

Simon Edmonds2

TBH he seems the best choice from current cabinet.

Hews(t)on there's always a problem2

but he is an even better choice for Environmental Protection - he's put in the leg work

helen bowman2

For much of the press, he'll always be Red Ed wherever he goes in govt, always trying to ferment sneaky Marxist revolutions. Ed now seems pretty at ease about the media's depiction of him & much more confident when explaining policy. This may be quite helpful in a Chancellor...

Artful Dodger2

And so is Rachel Reeves, she understands finance and has done a good job,I can see no reason for her to be replaced.Milliband will not backtrack on inheritance tax and other policies.

Offa’s Tyke2

I dunno… he’s fantastic where he is in Energy. If he leaves that job then he’ll need another person like him to take it over.

Stephen Carey26

No fucking compromises! Just go for it. Live or die by what you believe, Andy Burnham. Do.Not.Give.A.Shit.What.The.Right.Wing.Press.Write. (They'll slaughter you no matter what you do because you are not one of them).

Paul Russell14

Would be a good indicator to the bond markets that, no, they don’t actually get to appoint the cabinet.

Claire S (UK not USA)8

Worth nowt at the moment as Burnham isn't the PM.

Sixes All The Way8

It'll be interesting to note how Milliband might seek to pursue green policies should he be installed as chancellor. I doubt he'll adopt anything like a radical approach but he did admit that during his stint as leader to being far too willing to go along with LP right-wing's neoliberal orthodoxy.

MKC7

Ed HAS to stay as energy secretary.

Foss Mann7

Not forgetting he might need to get through a leadership election first.

Pete Marchetto6

Streeting is British politics' Walter Mitty. 81 fantasy nominations. Loud claims to participation in conversations that take place in his absence and in which he's not mentioned. When the only evidence for the things Streeting says is the fact that he's saying them, perhaps he's best ignored.

John Baldy6

Could be a game-changer for our environment

David Irwin4

I don't think "soft-left leader probably needs soft-left Chancellor" is a mad position. Streeting probably needs a decent role to honour Burnham's talk of pluralism, but Foreign Office makes more sense than outsourcing economic policy to a bloke who has spent a decade disagreeing with you.

R1ch1e54

I bloody well hope so.

Suzy Brewster3

So is AB definitely the next PM?

Labour Led By Burnham For Me 🌹3

Burnham is keeping Mahmood, he is going to be hated just like Starmer... He won't change anything. 🥀

sandrablan.bsky.social3

I hope you're right. You can't beg for the green vote and put someone like Streeting in No 11.

SusanDonovan53

So we're moving back to government by a load of blokes from Labour Party past. Great

Sarah MacDonnell2

Ooh hope so. Dream team combining the relative strengths of each; ideas, policy nous, implementation and communication, and ideologically aligned.

Mario2

Does Reeves deserve the chop though? Feels very partisan. I would want to see a clear gap between her and Miliband to make it worthwhile

mattP#BRETURN2

I think reeves needs to go if we can break from the disastrous no change to tax promise

Age Garton2

Who’s he going to appoint to get us back in the EU? Oh.

ÓLiatháin ☘️💚2

Still hoping he fucks over Wes and slings him to back-bench obscurity

Sam Wilson37

I am a member of union almost entirely out of self-interest and I am surprised more people can’t admit that to themselves

johnandrewmullen.bsky.social25

It also shows a profound lack of historical sense. The unions have frequently blocked progressive changes over the decades!

Robin Wilde4

It's a sort of Nice Things club you join if you're a Good Person like everyone here believes themselves to be.

Altreik4

Yeah 100%- they have to earn their membership fees and I think most progressive people just assume everyone would be a member out of ideological reasons! I’ve never used my union but effectively treat it like an insurance scheme

Lyndon Rosser3

Yeah, I can’t believe the Boilermaker’s Union is against phasing out boilers

Edward Barrow2

this is correct but I also think the unions have been spectacularly shit about recruiting in sectors that really need unionisation particularly the gig economy where pay is really marginal

chrisptato.bsky.social2

As a non union person but who is sympathetic- i find their language is often alienating. Choice of words can sound very "1970s" and narrowly self-interested, RMT in particular

Sean2

my first job I had to pay money to the SDA, the union (Joe de Bruyn) that happily allowed John Howard (John Howard!!!) wedge Labor on LGBT rights

johnandrewmullen.bsky.social2

I think it’s a miners’ strike nostalgia thing in the UK - the left (which I am!) have an unhealthy love of a romantic defeat.

Stephen Drennan2

Ah, Unite the ‘pervasive fraud environment’* Union. *BDO audit report www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Andrew Howard2

People forget they evolved out of guilds - which were designed to exclude people from practicing a craft in order to protect incomes.

fizz56.bsky.social2

Sharon is barking at the wrong tree- there are many jobs in renewables too.

Rootless Cosmopolitan2

Some of these old leftists are dinosaurs.

Bender11

D) Net Zero is the closest thing Labour has to a defence policy. E) Net Zero is the closest thing Labour has to an industrial strategy

Joel4

... run that first bit by me again?

RupertDandy2

They really are flat earthers who should be locked up like the terrorists they really are “Reform leader, Nigel Farage, will address the conference on Wednesday” and deny climate catastrophe on the day temperatures in London will break records. Chuck away the key

Paul M 🇮🇪🇨🇦🇫🇷🚲🍉2

And you don’t have to squeeze sunshine or wind through a shooting gallery like the Strait of Hormuz. This is Father Ted/Father Dougal level shit.