When Keir Starmer swept to power two years ago this month he did so with an unexpectedly large majority. But instead of using his chunky mandate to inject some much needed optimism into the national conversation, he set about making everyone even more miserable. Hard times ahead, tough choices to be made, it will get worse before it gets better. These were the messages streaming out of Downing Street. And there was no big idea or policy which made people feel better about the country – or better off.
Burnham's First 48 Hours
Contrast that with Andy Burnham’s first 48 hours in the job. On day one we got the vision thing, with hope and optimism the key words. And now we’re getting some concrete policy decisions that should give the country some much-needed cheer.
In Scotland, he wants to spark economic growth and job creation by drilling for more oil in the North Sea. That might not satisfy the environmental lobby, but it will please those who want well-paid, high-skilled jobs to be retained in the north-east.
Yesterday he tried to finally tackle the horror of growing energy costs by cutting the VAT we pay on our bills. It might not save households a fortune, but it is a step in the right direction.
Burnham also intends to scrap the unpopular and controversial plans for a national ID system, which could free up cash for frontline services.
All of this is a breath of fresh air after the pessimism of Starmer’s two years. But as always, these confident plans will amount to nothing if the UK economy continues to stagnate and things don’t improve for working people. Burnham’s big challenge now is to be as effective in delivery as he is in communication.
Our Final Flourish
Scotland's disappointing World Cup might have left the Tartan Army deflated. But at least one Scot played a key role in the final of the biggest sporting event on Earth on Sunday. Lynsey Troop, from East Kilbride, was among the Qatar Airlines cabin crew selected to hand out medals at the showpiece final.
It was an eventful evening with a global audience of billions, delirious fans, a superstar half-time show and even a punch-up between the players at full time. But amid all the chaos, Lynsey played it cool as she rubbed shoulders with Lionel Messi, Donald Trump and the King of Spain. And it’s great to see that at least one Scot got her hands on a medal – even if it was just for a minute or two.
