Kaz

Associate Professor of International Business & Strategy @HenleyBSchool.

[Times Radio @TimesRadio]

Time Radio's political editor Anna Mikhailova says Reform UK's new housing policy is a "slippery slope."

"I was born in Ukraine and came over when I was six ... Have only ever felt and been British in my mind, but obviously would not qualify for these sorts of things."

@AVMikhailova | @JPonpolitics

[Robert Peston @Peston]

Shabana Mahmood is one of the outstanding politicians of this generation. She is admired across the political spectrum.

This morning the Home Secretary is cited everywhere, including this morning’s splash in the Financial Times, as Andy Burnham’s chancellor.

Reaction in the gilt or government bond market this morning? Zilch.

Reaction among Labour MPs across all wings of the party, left, right and centre? Eek.

Why?

Because successful governments of the past forty plus year have all had at the centre powerful chancellors with a vision of how the economy works, from Howe, to Lawson, to Brown to Osborne.

Visions all different. Ability to drive important change all shared.

And although Mahmood may have such a vision and a plan, she has shown no evidence of it.

She did a brief stint more than ten years ago shadowing junior Treasury ministers, but she has never evinced any great interest in or manifested any solutions for the great challenge faced by Burnham: how to end almost twenty years of stagnation in productivity, growth and living standards?

So what on earth is going on? Why would Burnham choose her?

Here is the shorthand.

His ally-who-would-be-chancellor, Ed Miliband, is seen as too disliked by too many powerful interests, from trade union leaders, to business leaders, to investors and the right-wing media.

That he almost certainly has the best qualifications to be chancellor - deep knowledge of how the Treasury works and an economic vision - is seen as not enough.

But why rule out other candidates, such as Yvette Cooper, who does have deep experience of the Treasury, or Wes Streeting, who has articulated a programme that actually looks like a growth plan?

Or why not skip a generation, as Cameron did with Osborne, and appoint someone who knows a thing or two about economics, and has been an important Burnhamite, such as Miatta Fahnbulleh.

Well, according to those who know Burnham’s mind, he and his transition team just want someone at Number 11 who will simply execute their will. The plan is to drive the economy from 10 Downing Street.

On this model, poor Mahmood would be a cipher for Burnham and his cabal. And she would be a fabulous cipher at that, because her revealed skill at the Home Office is to brook no opposition from officials and to drive reform.

If this is Burnham’s plan, it is hugely risky, and I suspect it would end in tears.

Burnham won’t personally have the time to micromanage the Treasury. No prime minister does.

And the Treasury, like no other department, can only be led by someone - the Chancellor - with personal expert authority and a plan. In all other circumstances, the Chancellor is led by officials.

Also I very much doubt Mahmood would allow herself to be any prime minister’s puppet or cipher in any case.

By far the biggest decision Burnham will take in his first days as prime minister is his choice of chancellor.

It is possible he has an insight into Mahmood’s economic expertise that is yet to be seen and heard by the rest of the world - or even by his most intimate allies.

It is no exaggeration to say the success or failure of his government will depend on it.

[James Chapman @jameschappers]

Wise words for Labour from my old boss on how a new customs deal with the EU would screw the Tories - and Reform

[Ron Filipkowski @RonFilipkowski]

Wow. Caroline Kennedy breaks her silence on RFK Jr in a message to Senators: “We grew up together. It’s no surprise that he keeps birds of prey as pets because Bobby himself is a predator. He enjoyed showing off by putting baby chickens & mice in a blender to feed to his hawks.”

[Kaz @KazFDI]

💙💙💙💙💙💙

[EFC DAILY @EFCdaily_]

Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman will take charge of Everton tonight. 🥹

[Elizabeth Warren @SenWarren]

The Office of Government Efficiency is off to a great start with split leadership: two people to do the work of one person.

Yeah, this seems REALLY efficient.

[Kaz @KazFDI]

What an uninformed, unrealistic, and economically illiterate policy.

[Politics UK @PolitlcsUK]

🚨 NEW: Tory leadership candidate Tom Tugendhat has pledged to introduce a legally-binding annual net migration cap of 100,000 if he becomes leader

"We cannot sustain the hundreds of thousands it is today."

[@Telegraph]

[Politics UK @PolitlcsUK]

🚨 NEW: Chancellor Rachel Reeves will reveal a funding deficit for core public services next week, having instructed officials to list services that aren’t being financed adequately

[@itvpeston]

[Robert Reich @RBReich]

Having led us out of the worst public health and economic crises in most of our lives, President Biden should be remembered as one of our great leaders.

Now he's passed the torch to Kamala Harris. We must unite behind her to defeat Trump. Our freedom and democracy depend on it.

[BladeoftheSun @BladeoftheS]

Liz Truss, "I grew up in Paisley and Leeds in the 80s and 90s. I've seen boarded-up shops. I have seen people left with no hope turning to drugs. I have seen families struggling to put food on the table."

Conservatives were in charge from 1979 to 1997.

[Kaz @KazFDI]

Pathetic.

[The National @ScotNational]

Tomorrow's front page 🗞️

Our message to Spain ahead of Euro 2024 final 👀👇

[Ian Dunt @IanDunt]

Power suits Starmer, as expected. Looks comfortable, relaxed, in charge. Doesn't have that hint of frustration and anxiety he had as opposition leader.

[Kaz @KazFDI]

Liz Truss is an embarrassment and I am so happy she lost her seat.

[Kaz @KazFDI]

I adored Kevin Campbell, and used to sing so passionately super super kev when I was kid 🥺💔

[Everton @Everton]

Everyone at Everton is deeply saddened by the death of our former striker Kevin Campbell at the age of just 54.

Not just a true Goodison Park hero and icon of the English game, but an incredible person as well - as anyone who ever met him will know.

RIP, Super Kev. 💙

[Jamie Carragher @Carra23]

The PL want a 12 point deduction for Everton for one charge.
Man City are going to end up in the National League North if the PL get their way!!

Unbelievable the amount of stories that come out about Everton’s situation, but Man City’s, which has 114 more charges & has gone on for much longer, has gone very quiet🤔

[Brian Cox @ProfBrianCox]

I’m advised that I shouldn’t say what I really think about this because one has to treat politicians who behave in this manner as difficult children and allow them to grandstand. But I will say that almost everyone I speak to has run out of patience. https://t.co/7RbDAzlAgY

[Snowleopardess 💚 @snowleopardess]

Wallace says of Braverman:
“The home secretary must not be allowed to always rely on our hard-working Armed Forces to be there to mop up for Home Office incompetence. If she was so worried, she should have planned ahead.”
https://t.co/zM8P95qpki

[Phil McNulty @philmcnulty]

The fact that Everton set a self-imposed deadline to clarify the future of chairman Bill Kenwright plus interim boardroom appointments and cannot even meet it shows the complete dysfunction at the heart of the club and why there must be change at the top. Shambolic.

[Bridget Phillipson @bphillipsonMP]

If it’s “chippy” to want young people across the country to have the best start in life rather than hand tax breaks to private schools, then I suppose I must be.

[Kaz @KazFDI]

@Everton are a ridiculous club. How have we not signed Coady on a permanent contract!?!?

[Everton @Everton]

Conor Coady and Rúben Vinagre have completed their loan spells with #EFC and will now return to their respective parent clubs following the conclusion of the 2022/23 season. 🔵