Free thinking. Straight talking. Explore more opinion from the nation’s leading comment writers. | | Burnham’s request to run in the Gorton and Denton by-election was rejected by eight votes to one |  | Ben Riley-Smith Political Editor | Have a look at some of the words being used by Labour MPs to describe the decision by Sir Keir Starmer’s allies to block Andy Burnham’s path to becoming an MP again.
Among them: “completely outrageous”; “disgusting”; a “huge mistake”; “incredibly disappointing”; “cowardice”.
Admittedly, many of those phrases are being issued by figures on Labour’s Left, but the anger and public nature of the declarations are telling.
The National Executive Committee (NEC), Labour’s ruling body, voted yesterday to reject Burnham’s request to stand for the now available Gorton and Denton seat.
Starmer’s allies claimed letting him run would in turn trigger a contest for the Greater Manchester mayoralty, which Reform UK could win.
However, Labour’s move, which is widely seen as an attempt to block a potential leadership rival from returning to the House of Commons, has triggered a civil war within Labour.
John McDonnell, who was Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow chancellor, issued the most scathing remark: “Message to Keir: Do not underestimate the depth of anger people will feel about this disgusting decision.
“If you think it strengthens you I tell you it will simply hasten your demise. You could have shown magnanimous leadership but instead it’s cowardice.”
The proposal was dismissed out of hand by No 10. Asked if the NEC could rethink the block on Burnham, one Starmer ally told The Telegraph: “No. It’s done.”
Continue reading ➤
Elsewhere, my colleague Samuel Montgomery has been speaking to constituents of Gorton and Denton where the move is already backfiring on Labour. Voters who were poised to support Burnham said they were now considering voting for Reform UK.
Read Sam’s dispatch in full here ➤
Tom Harris: Starmer has sealed his own fate ➤ | | Hamish de Bretton-Gordon Our writer spends a day at the track with the British Army’s trouble-prone light tank Continue reading ➤ Tim Stanley The Labour Party is forcing the nation to live through its messy divorce Continue reading ➤ William Sitwell Who would have thought Trump would be the man to unify Britain Continue reading ➤ | | A community lunch is held weekly for those exiled from the Chagos Islands | | Sir Keir Starmer’s defence of the indigenous people of Greenland’s right to self-determination may have gained plaudits on the international stage, but it raised eyebrows among the exiled Chagossian diaspora in Crawley, West Sussex. “There is this double standard,” Frankie Bontemps of Chagossian Voices said, adding: “What about us? He has been ignoring us.” Evicted by the British to make way for the military base on Diego Garcia, the Chagossians have spoken of feeling left out in the territorial bartering over their homeland. Continue reading ➤ | |  | | Friends have described Alex Pretti as ‘a good, kind person who lived to help others’ | | Alex Pretti was a nurse who cared for army veterans at an intensive care ward. He was a committed healthcare professional, dog lover and avid mountain biker. Yet, the 37-year-old was shot dead by federal agents during protests against the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. White House officials have labelled him an “assassin” who was trying to “murder federal agents”. Here, the people who were close to him speak out against the “slander” surrounding his death.
Continue reading ➤
Misfire of victim’s gun could have triggered fatal ICE shooting ➤ | | | | | Lisa Armstrong remembers this visit as a ‘relatable insight into a real family’ | | A few years ago, by mistake, I got the time wrong for an interview with Victoria Beckham, writes Lisa Armstrong. I was so early that Victoria wasn’t there. Instead of directing me to wait in a nearby café, the housekeeper kindly showed me into the study. This was trust indeed. Here’s my view on Brand Beckham, having seen behind the familial curtain.
Continue reading ➤
P.S. Those signed up to the Fashion and Beauty Newsletter received this exclusive article 24 hours before other Telegraph subscribers. Sign up for future early access here. | | | Route 66, America’s “Mother Road”, passes through eight states and three time zones, with a plethora of gas stations, motels and burger joints on its 2,448-mile journey from Chicago to Santa Monica. While spending three weeks travelling its length, Nigel Tisdall learnt about the country’s eccentric people, varied laws and incredible landscapes. Continue reading ➤ | | | Tom Kerridge outside his Chelsea gastropub, The Chalk | | Tom Kerridge, Britain’s most beloved publican, knows his industry is in trouble. The John Bull figure, who knows how important pubs are “to British culture and society”, is fighting back. However, as Ed Cumming discovered, Kerridge’s love of the hospitality industry has come at a price to his health, after vast consumption of booze in his youth. Does he regret it now? “Not at all,” he says, refreshingly. Continue reading ➤ | | | When it comes to the first meal of the day, many of us are creatures of habit, sticking to the same bowl of cereal or plate of toast – or skipping breakfast entirely. This means a nutritional misstep made once may well be repeated 365 times a year, having a major impact on our gut health and blood sugar. To help you out, we asked a gastroenterologist, a personal trainer and a nutritionist for their tips for a healthy breakfast, from what to have to when to have it based on your personal routine. Continue reading ➤ Below are two more articles that I hope will improve your day: | A Tale of Many Cities Every weekday, Orlando Bird, our loyal reader correspondent, shares an off-piste topic that has brought out the best of your opinions and stories. Orlando writes...
Which is the greatest British city of all? Chris Moss’s article, ranking the 20 largest from worst to best, has provoked quite a response. I can’t say I’m surprised. Incorrigible southerner that I am, I felt aggrieved that London didn’t secure a higher spot. Then again, I’ve never visited the winner, Liverpool, despite living only a three-hour train journey away. Damning, I know.
Claire Sharp agreed with that verdict: “Liverpool deserves to come top. It’s a very historic city with lots of interesting buildings. There's something for everyone, from the Beatles heritage to a museum dedicated to the Atlantic battles of the Second World War.”
David Jordorson wasn’t so sure: “Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle are great, but Birmingham is anonymous and dull, and putting Manchester ahead of London is plain silly (it has retail and football, but then so do most German cities). London has more history, museums, art galleries, theatres, shops and restaurants than any other two or three on this list combined.”
Mark Calvert suggested that Hull deserved a better billing: “People are always pleasantly surprised and find themselves going back. Fabulous waterfront, museums, old town and pubs. Give it a go.” As a Philip Larkin fan, I probably should, even if his review of it wasn’t exactly glowing: “I don’t suppose I’m unhappier there than I should be anywhere else.”
Poor old Southampton scored an abject 1/10 for visitor appeal, prompting a letter from one of its MPs, Darren Paffey: “Mr Moss seems to have my home city very wrong. Away from the cruise terminal, he’d find a place steeped in history and culture, with medieval walls and vaults that survived the Luftwaffe’s bombardment, and museums that celebrate its world-shaping maritime connections. There is also the newly refurbished city-centre art gallery, which has a collection of 5,300 works from the Renaissance to the present day... A stop-off at the Mayflower Theatre would also be in order, to see why its plays, musicals, operas and comedies draw audiences from across the south coast.” Is Liverpool better than London – or Belfast better than Bristol? Send me your thoughts here and the best of the bunch will feature in a future edition of From the Editor PM, to which you can sign up here.
Please confirm in your reply that you are happy to be featured and that we have your permission to use your name. | Caption competition with... |  | Matt Pritchett Cartoonist | Hello,
For today’s caption contest, we have a couple consulting a concerned wedding planner. Any nuptial-related captions welcome. I’m excited to hear your thoughts.
We also have our winner from last week below.
What a week it’s been for geopolitics after the rest of the world scrambled to keep up with Donald Trump’s indecision. Andy Shuttleworth’s contribution was particularly commendable. P.S. For an inside look at what inspires my weekly cartoons, you can sign up for my personal subscriber-exclusive newsletter here. | | Honnold took a selfie at the top of the skyscraper | Yesterday, Netflix live streamed the solo climber Alex Honnold scaling the side of a 1,667-foot-high building. In which Asian city did the climb take place? | | Find as many words as you can in today’s Panagram, including the nine-letter solution. Visit Telegraph Puzzles to play a range of head-scratching games, including PlusWord, Sorted, and Quick, Mini or Cryptic Crosswords.
Yesterday’s Panagram was POLITICAL. Come back tomorrow for the solution to today’s puzzle. | | Please let me know what you think of this newsletter. You can email me your feedback here.
Thank you for reading. Have a fulfilling day and I hope to see you tomorrow. Chris Evans, Editor | |
.png){kind=icon}
No comments:
Post a Comment