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Carl Benjamin: The problem with the British right...

The problem with the British right is that nobody is able to create a big tent which can encompass those who wish to push hard on certain issues alongside the wimpy types who can't help but be obsequious to the liberal opinion. It should have been Nigel Farage, but he didn't have the stomach to follow in the footsteps of Trump and repudiate the media and rely upon the online cohort to project his message. He also wasn't brave enough to stake out a popular but controversial position and judo-flip the media into spreading this message for him. Purging his right has just created more problems, in fact, worse problems than having the hardliners inside the tent. This is the lesson that Keir Starmer also learned the hard way: you might not like your radicals but they are a non-trivial percentage of your coalition, so you must tolerate them. Starmer didn't, and they went to the Greens. Farage didn't, and they became Restore. Labour are rebuilding their tent as Burnham is morally more aligned with his radicals than not. Farage doesn't seem to be able to extend this kind of sympathy to his flank, so it seems he will be unable to make any progress on this issue. The Reform goose is cooked if their star player is the reason that they can't advance any further. No good moves left for them to make.

Alex Wickham: Exclusive by @LucyGJWhite...

Exclusive by @LucyGJWhite Reform makes plans for early election A person close to Reform says the party has become increasingly concerned Andy Burnham might call an election to take advantage of the recent decline in Nigel Farage’s fortunes triggered by revelations about the party’s finances They express concerns that Reform won’t be ready and has yet to create policy in key areas like foreign affairs, defence and education, and that it’s missing spokespeople on important beats As a result Reform is rapidly drawing up a skeleton manifesto and speeding up candidate selection, running assessment centres over the summer, they say Reform will also try to regain some impetus from Burnham by launching an attack on small-boat crossings next week A Reform official confirms the party is speeding up candidate selection and that work is ongoing to produce a manifesto, but insists they’re optimistic about their chances should Burnham call an early election

Alex Wickham: BP’s decision to sell its North Sea...

NEW by @Joe_Mayes @MitchellFerman @EllenAMilligan BP’s decision to sell its North Sea business leaves a pivotal decision for Andy Burnham and marks a critical moment for Britain’s dwindling oil and gas industry North Sea producers have criticised Tory and Labour governments since the 2022 windfall tax, arguing investing there is no longer competitive Trump wants Burnham to change tack and the new PM let the president believe he would in their first call But the reality is it’s politically contentious with environmentalists and Labour MPs opposing new drilling. That’s now been made even harder by the wildfires in Europe Despite his rhetoric it appears Burnham is in reality just looking at doing what Keir Starmer likely would have done eventually, ie tie-backs, Jackdaw and Rosebank, rather than any major change in policy That risks upsetting both sides: Trump, trade unions and the oil and gas industry for whom it might not be enough, and the green-minded side who don’t want any more drilling BP’s move “should be a defining moment for the new prime minister,” says Russell Borthwick, chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce. “This decision is another stark reminder that confidence in the UK continental shelf has been badly shaken after years of policy uncertainty, punitive taxation and mixed messages about the future of the industry.”
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