Tag: andy-burnham

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Jackie Baillie’s hypocrisy as Keir Starmer spends £60 130 of taxpayer money on a private jet trip to watch the Leopardesses 

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Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 By Liz S Jackie Baillie posted this on X on 20 August (based on a BBC article that had a headline “John Swinney defends £45,000 business-class flights to World Cup”). “Such luxury in a cost-of-living crisis is not the lived experience of most Scots. Perhaps the FM should have considered the expectations of taxpayers before spending our money. It’s not the first time the SNP have been cavalier with the company card”. Meanwhile I am sure that the same Jackie Baillie was not so ‘concerned’ at these stories: “Sir … Continue reading Jackie Baillie’s hypocrisy as Keir Starmer spends £60 130 of taxpayer money on a private jet trip to watch the Leopardesses 

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Newly created Mayors and far less powers for the Scottish government – That’s where you might live

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Help Talking-up Scotland keep going Crowdfunder at: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/help-talking-up-scotland-keep-going Or by direct bank transfer to: JOHN WATSON ROBERTSON Sort Code – 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 By Liz S “Far more probation officers and far less re-offending – that’s where you live, really” Also potentially “far more” newly created Mayors and “far less” powers for the Scottish government – “that’s where you live” , as in perhaps coming soon within Scotland under a Andy Burnham UK Premiership. BBC website politics section article dated 23 August 2026: (English) “Mayors to get powers to overrule local councils on planning decisions”. “Mayors across England will be given new powers to overrule local councils … Continue reading Newly created Mayors and far less powers for the Scottish government – That’s where you might live

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No UK Government homelessness reduction initiative for England has ever stayed within budget so Scots taxpayers will pay for Burnham’s plan

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We’ve already shown here that Scots taxpayers will end up funding steel nationalisation in England, illegal dump clear-ups and HS2 stopping well before the border, with no benefits and no Barnett compensation likely. Today, prompted by Kath Barr, we’re looking at whether Andy Burnham’s latest mission to end rough-sleeping by Christmas in England will cost us too. The official line is that it won’t because it will be funded from uncommitted budgets within the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), with allocations based on English rough sleeping pressures. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-pm-says-government-can-bring-back-hope-to-britain-and-launches-drive-to-end-rough-sleeping-at-the-earliest-opportunity Uncommitted budgets are a real thing but what is … Continue reading No UK Government homelessness reduction initiative for England has ever stayed within budget so Scots taxpayers will pay for Burnham’s plan

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Burnham seems ‘Mad for it’

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By Liz S “The Pennsylvania Department of Health will be distributing free potassium iodide (KI) tablets to those York County residents that live, learn or work within 10 miles of the Peach Bottom power plant“ “Has the UK Government, responsible for nuclear power regulation in Scotland ever shown such concern for Scots living near nuclear facilities in Scotland ?” Nope. Indeed as far as UK governments are concerned, both the Tories & also the Labour party , all they seek to do is to impose more Nuclear power Stations within Scotland. Potential various dire consequences and fallout (pun intended) be damned. However it seems that they, UK … Continue reading Burnham seems ‘Mad for it’

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Let’s hope that Andy Pandering’s visit to Scotland is a tiny and so-very-fleeting part of his UK whistle–stop tour

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By Liz S From James Foster on X regarding the announcement of Andy Burnham doing a UK cost of living Tour this week: “Why does @AndyBurnham need to tour the country to discover that the cost of living is too high, people are keeping less and less of their own money, high streets have been decimated, rents are through the roof, social housing is in desperately short supply, and inequality continues to grow?” “None of this is a revelation. These problems have been documented relentlessly for years by official statistics, councils, charities, economists, researchers and, most importantly, the people living through … Continue reading Let’s hope that Andy Pandering’s visit to Scotland is a tiny and so-very-fleeting part of his UK whistle–stop tour

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Nearly 20 years since ending Thatcher’s right-to-buy, Scotland has built nearly three times as many really affordable houses as Andy Burnham might promise for 2030

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Thanks to Derek Scott for alerting us to this. Lewis is, of course, correct in outlining an emerging housing crisis across the UK but way out on the last near 20 years. In February 2026, aspiring Labour PM, Andy Burnham had this ambition for the UK: Significantly, it is social rent, rather than affordable homes, that Burnham appears keen on building. In February of this year, speaking at the Resolution Foundation conference, he said he would like to see the government commit to building 500,000 such homes by the end of the decade (2030). https://www.bdonline.co.uk/briefing/what-would-prime-minister-burnham-look-like-for-housing-and-construction/5142820.article Blissfully unaware, the Daily Mail in April … Continue reading Nearly 20 years since ending Thatcher’s right-to-buy, Scotland has built nearly three times as many really affordable houses as Andy Burnham might promise for 2030

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Does Michael Marra still think Andy Burnham should ‘shut up?’

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By Liz S Daily Record 28 September 2025. “A senior Labour MSP has told wannabe party leader Andy Burnham to “shut up” amid speculation he plans to launch a bid to topple Keir Starmer” Guess who the ‘senior’ Labour MSP was? None other than one of the contenders for the Labour Branch office manager’s post i.e. Michael Marra. Embarrassing now is it not . That is , it would be embarrassing for any decent politician . However for a Labour politician , who now stands in the (supposed) ‘leadership’ contest for Labour in Scotland, it will be be no more than yet another self … Continue reading Does Michael Marra still think Andy Burnham should ‘shut up?’

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Rupert Lowe and the NHS in a badly ‘Restored Britain’

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By Liz S Talking of healthcare I saw this online from Rupert Lowe in a post on ‘X’ dated 5 August: “Under a Restore Britain Government, private healthcare costs will become tax-deductible. Care will be come far more affordable for millions of Brits. Our plans will hugely ease pressure on the NHS, and save you thousands of pounds. Private healthcare is not our enemy”. “Care will be come far more affordable” ? More affordable than now , via the NHS , which is FREE AT THE POINT OF DELIVERY ? “For millions of Brits” ? How many million ? What level of service will those “millions” get via private healthcare, that … Continue reading Rupert Lowe and the NHS in a badly ‘Restored Britain’

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Meet The New Boss

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By Mark E. Saunders of “The Scottish Minuteman” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php/?id=61575625542197 Standing on the steps of Downing Street after becoming Prime Minister, Andy Burnham presented himself as the leader of a fresh start and a different kind of politics. But how many times have we heard those same promises made on the same steps of Number 10, only to see them quietly abandoned almost as soon as the new Prime Minister walks through that shiny black door? I’m old enough to remember Margaret Thatcher declaring: “Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth” — words borrowed from the … Continue reading Meet The New Boss