Mark Chadbourn

Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 11:06 UTC

There may be some of those shenanigans!

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 11:05 UTC

He quit the Tories over Brexit issues and sat as an independent.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 11:03 UTC

I haven’t seen anything from him yet so very possibly!

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 11:01 UTC

That would be an interesting choice. The Left would self-combust though.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 11:00 UTC

He’s a highly regarded QC who’s advised Labour on legal matters.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:54 UTC

She’s baaack…

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:51 UTC

Exactly.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:50 UTC

These ancillary changes could well be huge for society.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:45 UTC

I mean, we’ve all been conditioned by 14 years of the Tories.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:43 UTC

Certainly not if they want to hit their growth targets.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:42 UTC

Don’t blame them. I think the EU too will be pleasantly surprised. Although behind the scenes Lammy and Starmer have been building relationships there.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:39 UTC

Starmer has ruled it out. He’s looking for ‘deeper ties’ with the EU.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:38 UTC

It’s the ‘lot to be done’ bit I’m looking at. So much that’s collapsing it’s going to be hard to choose. It *all* needs doing and fast.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:36 UTC

Somebody’s going to have prioritise the priorities!

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:36 UTC

14 years is a long time and so many will have been trained to think incompetence and failure at the top is just how things are. I think people are going to be quite shocked.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:34 UTC

Quick question: how many priorities do you have before they stop becoming a priority and are just work as normal. Because looking at this list…

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:32 UTC

Definitely. And I really hope the UKHE sector is a top priority too.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:31 UTC

Me too.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:30 UTC

Absolutely.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:23 UTC

He’s also head of the Prison Reform Trust.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:23 UTC

They’ll need to be accountable in Parliament eg Cameron as FS.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:21 UTC

From my perspective the Civil Service can be small c conservative. If you want new thinking you need to guide them to where you want to be. There’s so much needs doing we can’t afford slow evolution.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:19 UTC

😂

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:19 UTC

Sure you’re right. Too much experience to be sidelined. And you don’t want to be facing her at the despatch box.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:17 UTC

I’m still coming to terms with it.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:17 UTC

Definitely a big deal and signalling a new approach.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:16 UTC

Ideology drives people mad. Many can see the logic but they can’t countenance doing the things necessary to win over centrist voters.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:14 UTC

To be fair, the Conservatives here don’t like experts either - they always manage to punch holes in those insane ideas.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:13 UTC

The difference now is how they manage a membership that is hardline Reform and a parliamentary party that is to the left of that. Sunak could change the rules so only MPs get to decide which would be wise.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:11 UTC

They’ll all need to be made Lords to serve. But it will cause some internal pressure - three plum jobs that aren’t going to MPs. And Emily Thornberry was the Shadow AG so she’s lost out. But it looks like a very good move to me. Quick way to get ahead of a brief.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:09 UTC

Morning, Bluesky. Labour’s first Cabinet meeting is underway with a Starmer press conference afterwards. One interesting factor for me is three experts who were given ministerial jobs: Covid star Sir Patrick Vallance as Science minister, James Timpson at Prisons and Richard Hermer attorney general.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:03 UTC

That’s how it’s looking.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 10:00 UTC

It seems he’s agreed to stay on as leader to shepherd the election of a new one but I can’t see him relishing the life of a backbencher.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 09:58 UTC

There are a lot in the Conservatives who wouldn’t countenance being in the same party as Farage.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 09:56 UTC

The theory is experience and wisdom. Leigh destroys that argument.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 06, 2024 at 09:54 UTC

Yes, lots to discuss there.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 23:39 UTC

It’s rubbish. Most governments don’t have politicians with serious experts in that area. That’s why we have the intelligence service and the military to offer expert advice. Politicians are there simply to give judgment. Tell them to watch a few episodes of West Wing to educate themselves!

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 23:02 UTC

Oh yes.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 22:47 UTC

One of Keir Starmer’s first tasks was to call President Zelenskyy and reaffirm the UK’s “unswerving support for Ukraine”.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 22:28 UTC

I’m there for it.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 22:28 UTC

One of the worst.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 22:26 UTC

People like Leigh are too arrogant to see that.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 22:24 UTC

Yes!

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 22:23 UTC

Meanwhile Boris Johnson has said the Conservatives should *not* invite Farage in at any cost. So all looking good for calm discussions in the Conservative Party.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 22:16 UTC

Conservative MP Sir Edward Leigh, the Father of the House, says it’s time to invite Nigel Farage and Reform voters into the Conservative Party.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 22:10 UTC

I bet they have.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 22:09 UTC

That would be the wise approach.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 19:55 UTC

I wouldn’t be remotely surprised. Trump has been a game changer for Farage, showing him what’s possible.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 19:53 UTC

Definitely. I’m hoping for a first 100 days of groundbreaking activity.

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Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social [ View ] Jul 05, 2024 at 19:30 UTC

That’s such a great feeling, isn’t it? Sadly in our system so few get to experience it.

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