There are three good reasons why government should first present new spending plans, new taxes and new laws to the Commons.
The first is the discipline of preparing a policy and thinking through how it will work makes for better and longer lasting proposals. Ministers need to draft a statement which answers the How, the Why, the How much and how it fits in with existing government actions. Policy on the hoof to please crowds and respond to opinion polls can easily fall apart, leading government to U turns and ridicule.
The second is the announcement to Parliament and the public conversation Parliament supplies serves to inform the public. It gives the government a platform to explain it to the public and to make its case of why it is a good idea and how it will affect people.A casual reply to an interview or a planted story does not have the same credibility or force . Limiting which media outlet gets the news item on a favouritism basis limits coverage elsewhere or encourages the rest of the media to be critical. Announcements to Parliament can be covered by all media.
The third is that in a democracy we welcome the ability of MPs to be critical of government to spur them on to perform better or to explain themselves better. People who disagree with government’s aims or general strategy deserve a voice to put forward an alternative for debate. More importantly for government MPs of all parties may make a constructively critical contribution leading to improvement and amendment of the government’s initial version whilst keeping the aim.
So please Mr Burnham do yourself a favour by recalling the Commons and making proper announcements, thought through that add up. Doing it with a crowd pleaser a day and a U turn on the morrow is sloppy. It damages confidence in government and in the markets. U turns before you have landed a single proposal will drain your authority.
July 23, 2026
Exactly right but he surely won’t do this. It is all about pathetic gimmicks and PR. Does he really think changing payments for daft “green” projects from gifts to loans (that will never be repaid) will fool the bond markets? They claimed yesterday to have taken the 5% VAT of energy bills but no it was 5% (actually less than 5% as 5/105) only off electricity bills not our usually larger heating bills for gas, oil, solid fuels. Plus this loss of tax will need to be made up elsewhere anyway. Just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic and trying to con people.
July 23, 2026
Electricity bills far exceed the gas bill in any household.
Reply Many of us heat our homes by gas so the gas bill is bigger than the electricity bill. Heating by gas at one quarter the energy cost of electricity still makes sense for most of us in older homes.
July 23, 2026
Mine is an all electric household. The removal of VAT from my bill is a small but welcome change. The removal of the massive subsidies paid to the renewables companies, would be a rather better change….
July 23, 2026
The standing charges are evil and far too high. People especially the poor can save energy with more jumpers, thermals and heating only one room but can do nothing about the rip off standing charges.
July 23, 2026
One very good reason Burnham will not do this is political expediency.
Playing his cards close to his chest suits. He will keep the MailyTelegraph and Express out of the loop. They are never going to write glowing reports on him anyway. He is better off leaking to The Grauniad and New Statesman when the time is right.
He will no more follow the advice in this article than he would call a general election. Opponents might ask for one but no party in such poor state in polls would do that .
July 23, 2026
LA, my gas bill is always larger than the electric bill. Everything that is possible at a high cost has been done to reduce the bills. But old structures are stuck
July 23, 2026
To reply.
Indeed and heat pumps make no sense with typical CoP factors. Though gas boilers are not 100% efficient unlike electric heating. More like 90%. But gas is about 1/4 of the price.
July 23, 2026
The people of Northern Ireland won’t enjoy the 18p per day reduction in their electricity bills because the government needs Brussels permission. Just one of many anomalies caused by the uniparty who never wanted to leave the EU.
July 23, 2026
Northern Ireland was left in an awkward mess being part stuck into crazy EU arrangements. Governments should control their own affairs and not need permission from some other bunch with opposing interests.
July 23, 2026
Owing to the US conflict with Iran the cost of domestic heating oil has increased. At current prices a typical UK home now costs about £330 more per year to heat.
As Lifelogic points out, the VAT cut on domestic energy bills applies ONLY to electricity and is ONLY 5/105ths less. The government intends to withdraw it in ONLY 6 months. Some saving!
July 23, 2026
Hello. Just been looking at vid that says China has far more engineers (people like you) in its political leadership compared to UK and other Western countries whose leadership compromises more of lawyers / economists / PPE graduates. And because of this, China is much better prepared for things like energy consumption, AI and so on. Do you think there is going to be an AI crash in the USA (and if so, how bad)? How powerful is China going to become because of AI and how much better prepared it is for it and energy and so on? And how prepared is UK and Europe for AI, a potential AI crash and China? Thanks.
July 23, 2026
Allister Heath today in the Telegraph.
Burnham is a financial arsonist who will torch the public purse
The Prime Minister’s Jekyll-and-Hyde personality masks a ruinous socialism that threatens to bankrupt us.
Jacob has a video on the dire new Cabinet, fairly sensible stuff as usual, but he keeps saying X or Y Minister is an intelligent man or woman. If people are intelligent surely they should be able to recognise, human nature, economics, basic science and understand reality. Why would anyone who does grasp these things join and remain in the Labour Party pushing such mad and evil policies? Unless of course they were liars just on the make perhaps?
July 23, 2026
One of the great puzzles of humanity is that its best and brightest can embrace socialism.
July 23, 2026
And indeed many other mad and irrational religions is it due to indoctrination of young immature minds should this be considered as child abuse. Or is it perhaps genetic in part a “chip on the shoulder” gene, low levels of logic and rational reasoning genes or a strong genetic envy of the rich. Is it perhaps related to birth order, poverty or even being over spoilt is it related to what they choose to study or do as a job. Perhaps some identical twin studies are needed or similar.
Interestingly – Research confirms that having older biological brothers significantly increases the odds of a man being gay—a phenomenon known as the “fraternal birth order effect”. This correlation is biological, with each older brother increasing a male child’s probability of same-sex attraction by roughly 28% to 48%.
July 23, 2026
Lifelogic.
“Human Nature”, accept the position and take the money until found out, them blame everybody else.
The hope for many (too many) is, they will never be found out !
July 23, 2026
Too late already JR.
I was prepared to applaud the ditching if Digital ID, Net Zero, the raising of tax thresholds.
All reversed.
Will we see Lammy and Reeves back on the front bench?
At this stage anything could happen.
July 23, 2026
Lynn. We have Starmer mark 2. Another Fabian who believes in open borders and government control if alk aspects of life.
He’s appointed another head banger to head DENZ and Mahmood will do nothing to reverse immigration. Gimmicks and soundbites are all we an expect from Guyliner and his third rate cabinet.
July 23, 2026
Good morning.
I am going to be controversial and say that I see no reason to recall the Pantomime our system of governance has become. Firstly, because so much, and soon to be more, powers are devolved. Either to the colonies, 😁 the EU or QUANGO’s etc. I mean, with so many doing the governments work, they can afford to take as much time as they wanted. TTK found this out. When he called for something to be done, other than locking up ‘mostly’ peaceful protestors, quell surprise, nothing was done.
So given the above, why expect anything different this time or the next ?
July 23, 2026
Mark B:
I agree. In addition to the EU and the 440 quangos there is the Civil Service, the regulators and the judiciary who are now deciding our energy policy as a result of PM May making Net Zero by 2050 the law. Plus all the 204,000 registered charities many of whom receive tax-payer money to not only lobby the government but even use this funding to take the government to court.
July 23, 2026
Burnham has been busy seeking popularity with his generous offers to cut electricity bills by £45 , build more council housing, reduce business rates, reduce income tax on low incomes etc, but his new Chancellor and the advisors will need time to work on the inevitable tax grabs. They work out where the wealth is in the same way that a bank will when asset stripping customers that it doesn’t want. Property and business will be the targets. CGT and IHT are likely to be raised to a point where it will not be worth starting a business or investing in anything honest.
July 23, 2026
We’re already at the point where it’s not worth starting a business. The return on investment is already highly suspect and is likely to get worse at each progressive tax grab.
As to investment, the best bet is short term low coupon UK gilts where there is no CGT on the profit at maturity.
Question – if the government defaults on National Debt and you hold some, can you offset the default against tax?
July 23, 2026
He won’t do it because he knows his blinkered, unimaginative measures – capping bus fares and expanding the state via unwanted devolution – are low priority for most voters. He’s said nothing about illegal immigration and is ideologically unwilling to help businesses (SMEs in particular) through lower taxes.
July 23, 2026
Yes this is the issue which many people want sorting and reform is the only hope.
July 23, 2026
In principle, is his non-action any different to Mr Johnson’s in August 2019 when he tried to to prorogue Parliament five weeks ahead of the Brexit deadline. The UK Supreme Court ruled this prorogation unlawful, declaring that the move was designed to prevent Parliament from scrutinising the government.
They’re all the same!
July 24, 2026
There was no law broken. Under our legal system, everything is permissible unless it is forbidden by an Act of Parliament. We also do not have a written / formal Constitution.
And remember. This is the same Supreme Court that finally told us what a woman was. Hardly inspiring.
July 23, 2026
John you are thinking formally and logically. This crowd only does ideological terrorism, spending other peoples money on those that might support them come an election is the only thing on their mind.
They still cant believe they got into power with only one in five of the electorate supporting them, so they will hang on, cling on, to do maximum damage before the grown ups take their toys away.
July 23, 2026
If the new Northern inspired government is going to change the way it spends money (and by implication what it collects from us) there really should be a budget with, as Labour insists, full OBR scrutiny.
That date should be fixed now, for as soon as possible, and Parliament can be recalled for that.
I don’t see the need for the bickering to recommence until a full range of measures is presented. What they have done so far is tinkering and presentation. Unfunded additional giveaways which have been received by the targeted parties well but which will cost the rest of us more.
July 23, 2026
Today’s announcement!
‘The overhaul of business rates will be funded through a review of reliefs for businesses that “do not make a positive contribution to local communities” – define positive contribution?
July 23, 2026
Chief Secretary to the Treasury – Emma Reynolds
“Obviously, I’m well into the numbers. I’m not going to give you all the numbers today, but I will we will set out in more specific detail… We’ve got the two major ways in which we’re going to do this. It’s a 100 million pounds for the next financial year. This comes in addition to some of the relief that’s already in place uh from April this year. So, the 15% cut in business rates for pubs and clubs and live music venues.”
So £100million for a ‘piss-up’ is easily found, but defence?
July 23, 2026
Socialism contains the same ingredients regardless of who is in charge. It is now marketed in a different coloured bottle than it has been for the previous two years.
July 23, 2026
Mr Burnham gives no impression of being remotely interested in ‘The high court of Parliament’. He would like the country to think that everything comes from him, and the reputation he earned in Manchester of being all words and no substance, is already showing every sign of being true.
July 23, 2026
All true and right and these are three of many reasons why socialists abhor democratic accountability. Parliament has the power to force a general election by passing a motion of no confidence in the government. We’ll soon know that true democrats in parliament are a minority and relatively powerless. There is no way the current parliament will do any such thing.
The public have no lawful means of forcing a general election.
The King has no such power.
The Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022 automatically ends a parliament after five years (Aug 2029). The Big BUT is that this act does not require a new parliament to be formed by a general election. The need to so is assumed and relies on constitutional convention and we all know the Socialists have no respect for that. The Act is silent on ending of the government of the day. It assumes a new government will be formed after the assumed general election, but does not require either. On its own the Act leaves the government comfortably in office facing no scrutiny by or opposition from Parliament. Socialists cannot resist such temptation because they are completely certain that they know better than anyone else how we should run our lives and how we should be governed.
July 23, 2026
The purpose of the “No. 10 of The North” is to enable the PM and his ministers to be able to avoid being asked to attend Parliament to answer (urgent) questions.
July 23, 2026
I’ve just been informed by a colleague that Burnham’s cut to his electricity bill is saving him 30p per day. I said, ” How? ” It doesn’t come in until October 1st for six months; people just believe what’s in the news unchallenged. That’s why they announce it there and not in the Commons.
Meanwhile, Centrica are planning to cut another 800 jobs on top of the 500 announced last month.
July 23, 2026
What is the Speaker going to say when Burnham faces the Commons for the first time? How mad will he be that these announcements are made to the media first?
Are we supposed to jump for joy that our electricity bills will go down by less than £1.00 a week? The bus fare cap will help those who travel by bus, but most of us don’t. All this is feeble tinkering around the edges, and ignoring the Elephant in the room, government spending! Not a single comment about that and no effort to reduce it!
Burnham had the opportunity to come in and make some tough decisions on government spending, but he has already blown it.
July 23, 2026
A Lightweight crowd pleaser who should have been in deep serious business discussions as to where on earth Britain is heading, not focussed just on saving Labour’s credibility (currently in Intensive care).
He popped up in Bath yesterday promoting £2 bus fares for all, unfunded of course, invited by an old friend who is in charge of a Bus company and West of England Labour Mayor, trying to defuse the North/ South divide…
July 23, 2026
The Speaker admonished Starmer and his Government Ministers several times for announcing policies to the Media, the Public before informing Parliament. Andrew Burnham is doing the exact same so let’s see if the Speaker does the same and gives this Blair 2 Snake Oil Patter Merchant a good bollocking; don’t hold your breath.
July 23, 2026
A new announcement a day but with little detail and seeming lack of coordination with the ones answering the questions from the media. Happy to see cost of living reductions but it looks like edge tinkering with token small gestures to get us on board at the moment. Funding ? – Can’t tell us presently, will let us know when they’ve worked out the detail. Is it a case of Every Little Helps or Too Little & Too Fast….
July 23, 2026
Two Tier?
Comment posted elsewhere ‘3 years for a tweet, 6 years for murdering (for that is what it was) a police officer doing his duty.’
Recall the Commons, why? Its the UK’s Parliament that owns the mess the country is in. So what would be achieved by a recall, the majority in that place have already sanctioned wreaking the country.
Personal ‘ego’, personal political ideology, personal interpretation of Laws, laws for them & laws for us. The Holy Trinity of a Parliament not fit for purpose
July 23, 2026
“will drain your authority”. Burnham already has none, as he has no legitimacy.
July 23, 2026
The whole cabinet is comprised of declared friends of Israel which I find worrying the same as I would also be concerned if the same was said of the cabinet regarding any foreign country – it seems being a friend of Israel is a requisite for high office in this land and if this is the case then I fear we are doubly sunk.
July 23, 2026
172 illegals crossed our border yesterday
July 23, 2026
Unfortunately there are times when the Commons is likely to do more harm than good by sitting. I would rather the in effect new government spends several weeks thinking its policies over rather saying things in haste without detailed forethought so as to answer questions in the Commons.
An even clearer case of when it was right not to sit was when Boris Johnson was negotiating withdrawal from the E.U. It was better not to reveal his negotiating tactics to the Commons and also right not to allow the Commons to undermine his negotiating position, especially if they were showing that he could not command sufficient support there.
July 23, 2026
Today PM Burnham said out loud that the Americans can use British bases to attack Iran. The Foreign Secretary Milliband is now winging it to Qatar while Streeting officials have been talking up threats with counter threats to the Iranians – and so am left wondering is this why Starmer was really removed because he wouldn’t bend to the Trump way?