He could please a lot of people by sticking Rosie Duffield in the Shadow Cabinet. I somehow doubt that will happen, though.
I just cannot get my head round what's happened with Angela Raynor. There's a few Labour types trying to row it back on Twitter and say it's *just* part of a reshuffle. How did it even come out? And why sack your Party Chair so horribly, so soon after and with no media polish? When she's still Deputy Leader and going nowhere? If it really is all this daft politics of 'she was mean to Jenny Chapman' I absolutely sodding give up.
Going back to transport, Newcastle Council (Labour) are pushing through a massive pedestrian/cycle initiative, with cycle lanes everywhere, and pedestrianisation - which doesn't seem to apply to bikes - all over the city centre, often pushing out disabled bays and bus routes. This is no doubt great if you live within walking distance of town (so either able to afford expensive areas or a student) and can get about on your own two legs, but is not so good for the elderly or disabled, or those who live on the affected bus routes. To make matters worse they are also introducing motorised scooters on a cheap hire basis, so again, those with the confidence and balance can scoot about the centre, whilst the old and infirm can lump it. Meanwhile, Northumberland Council has stayed Tory, and in an area with a few well-spaced towns separated by a mix of countryside and new build dormitory estates the public transport is expensive and often circuitous. There is very little by way of connections between the towns, so people have to take several buses to get about. It is relatively easy to get into Newcastle, but expensive, so buses are basically filled with commuters in rush hours, and the elderly travelling on bus passes in between, before people coming home after a night out in the evening, so it becomes a vicious circle, and that's without the impact on loneliness and isolation for those who can't afford to go anywhere. Both situations are rubbish, IMO.
I would be tempted to vote for the Devil himself if he promised to make transport decent, affordable and reliable. Actually, if he agreed to wind things back to before public transport was privatised it would do.
It is, and I think it is part of the general assumption that everyone can drive, has access to a car, and wants to take it everywhere they go. So much is designed around that assumption, and it is so short-sighted.
Bat Macdui wrote: ↑Sun May 09, 2021 1:18 pm
I just cannot get my head round what's happened with Angela Raynor. There's a few Labour types trying to row it back on Twitter and say it's *just* part of a reshuffle. How did it even come out? And why sack your Party Chair so horribly, so soon after and with no media polish? When she's still Deputy Leader and going nowhere? If it really is all this daft politics of 'she was mean to Jenny Chapman' I absolutely sodding give up.
Apparently he wanted to move her away from a party role to a shadow cabinet role. She said no and then her 'network' leaked that she'd been sacked. Leaving Starmer to contextualise it. I mean that might not be true but, even if it is, you would expect Starmer to have better control of Comms.
I always hesitate to post about people I admire because someone always pops up to point out that they were filmed drowning kittens or something or have a terrible track record of X/Y/Z, so forgive me if I've missed something here. But I really admire this woman and her family, and hope she is nominated and elected.
What is Cummings up to? He's been tweeting all morning and seems ready to throw Johnson under the bus. One of the allegations is that Johnson missed Cobra meetings as he was writing a biography of Shakespeare which was overdue and which he needed the funds from to pay for his second divorce
Christ on a bendy bus son, don't be such a fucking faff arse
I somehow doubt that will happen, though.
