Number 10

  • Westminster Week: Civil unrest

    Wednesday

    The Prime Minister is on the defensive, saying “any attack on any member of my Cabinet is completely unacceptable” as Wes Streeting MP (Ilford North/Labour) is mooted as being a leader in waiting. The Leader of the Opposition, however, says it’s “toxic” inside Number 10. She says he’s “lost control” if the secretive briefing’s about it aren’t authorised by him at all. She says it’s a “civil war” climate among his office staff.

    Nigel Farage MP (Clacton/Reform UK) said the Prime Minister should close hotels used for the Dover Crossings sooner rather than later. The Prime Minister, saying “we will grip the mess we inherited and close every hotel,” claims half have now already been shut.

    *A change was made to correct a mistake.

  • Prime Minister’s Questions

  • Starmer is bad fodder for politics

    The pressing issues of the day have lasted long enough. The fact is Starmer isn’t capable of carrying on any further. He can’t defend a record that includes the failure to end the Dover Crossings crisis. He also can’t hide the difficulties many face in their personal budgets. It’s not unclear to the untrained eye. It’s now glaringly obvious.

    The busybodies in Parliament are failing to cover the issues the country cares about. Their platforms also indicate a distracted mindset, easily led astray by international affairs and business matters. The clumsy approach of some to defending the rights of others is thinly veiled now. Parliament isn’t a rigorous political enterprise, or a serious one.

  • We need to hear more than promises

    The Covid-19 pandemic gave us a look at government we hadn’t had before. It was mostly a daily insight into how important people work. It wasn’t a frenetic episode of cursory looks at how stuff works. It revealed how people think under pressure in centres of power.

    Now, we’re left hanging on near daily boat numbers and random announcements. The fulfilment of even simple promises are set into the far flung future. The frantic search for answers has replaced a vital need to state facts to the public as they are on the ground.

    Border Force, the NCA, and other bodies have not communicated effectively to the public. In fact, it’s left to those in obvious posts to fill a void. The worry is many feel abandoned in a situation that’s getting worse. The omission is virtually a public relations offence.

  • Profile: Rishi Sunak MP

    Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, born of parents of Indian descent, was educated at Winchester College and later the University of Oxford, where he studied Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Lincoln College.

    His role as an analyst at Goldman Sachs, and with two hedge funds, prepared him for his later work in politics. His Chancellorship during the Covid-19 crisis brought out his shrewd side, in making public spending manoeuvres.

    His Premiership began in October 2022 and drove home his ambition to be a modern leader. He addressed issues such as AI, international trade, and crime. His loss in 2024 showed deep fissures in the Conservative party.

  • As spending goes up, so do defences

    The legacy stakes are high at this point. A Premier’s term is his or hers to own, but there’s always worry it won’t go well. The belief in a set of policies can get punctured by disappoints – and defeat.

    Sir Keir Starmer’s Plan For Change, a bold initiative from a Premier who got past his first personal test of ridding the Labour party of antisemitism, is his game changing stab at ultimate power.

    The announcement yesterday of an historic funding increase for the Armed services is appropriate, but it’s also a step into Tory heartland. It’s where defence has often also mattered more than not.

    Labour’s landslide victory is becoming a profitable policy point scoring exercise. It’s a spin doctor’s military drill, taking in many targets. A testy change of focus, it also means Starmer is on a warpath.

  • Gov. disapproval edges higher

    According to a poll for YouGov, the government’s disapproval rating remains stubbornly in the 60’s as it hits the middle of the first quarter of the year.

    A survey for 27 January shows 64% of respondents disapprove against a 16% approval score. It’s a slight worsening since the start of the new year.

  • Politicking a situation

    In the UK, there’s a fringe element that usually accompanies a normal political process. It’s not the entire system that’s at stake (it would be harassment), but a particular policy, party, or platform that draws the ire of a particular group of people.

    They haven’t got any plans, and have little to no idea about the problems they’ve pointed out. Their activity is part of a lampooning of a situation, akin to newspaper cartoon or an Internet meme (its modern equivalent), and there’s little real value in it.

    It wouldn’t be appropriate to make an equivalence between this and pro-Gaza protests for instance, as it’s not the same thing. An example is the trivialisation of the position of Prime Minister, which is the most effective office of state we’ve ever had.

    The point is to see the absurdity in taking serious matters with levity if these issues threaten your nation’s security, for example. It’s the idea of seeing Jesus as Brian on a cross every single time it comes up. It’s not as necessary as people think it is.

    The activity of modern individuals is obviously their own, as it’s a part of the way we live, but it’s not in line with the way we think about things. The activity inside Parliament, for example, is more of what we need and very unlike the fanfare beyond it.

  • A bad week for a PM

  • Long Report: Failures in No. 10 security

    The existence of a Prime Minister shouldn’t incite hatred in the same way it excites opposition. It doesn’t follow a newly elected politician is necessarily unpopular. They have to be tested first.

    It takes time for an MP to settle in, for instance, before they’re considered to have made a mistake. A few here, or a few there, and it’s time to reconsider their position, perhaps.

    The types of people we see in Number 10 aren’t bad people. They haven’t been accused of serious crime – seriously, that is – and all have exited with a clean record on that front.

    However, in recent times there’s a heightened sense of fear for the safety of our foremost political leader. As a world leader, they also have speeches to make, and may invite trouble by it.

    The trouble is, it isn’t the only threat that circles Number 10. There are others, such as staff hired to keep a Prime Minister safe. They enter and exit Number 10 too, but may cause trouble.

    Truths be told

    In recent years the situation has deteriorated. It’s because of special armed officers who try to protect the Prime Minister but have put lives at risk as a result.

    I’ve witnessed it myself – and been a target – and it’s relentless. They carry guns but have no sense of self-control at times. They marshal eyewitnesses but don’t know what to challenge.

    I’ve had guards run at me, and I’ve seen them looked confused at others. They don’t know what a threat is at times, and police officers have stepped in to fill a gap in knowledge.

    Furthermore, agents allegedly working for the Prime Minister’s office have been particularly guilty of mismanagement. I’ve witnessed close shaves where lives are put at risk.

    It’s not acceptable

    There’s clearly no tolerance for it, but the public have encouraged it at times. I’ve seen insanity in people’s eyes. It isn’t pleasant and a lot of discontent has bred over it.

    The trouble is getting it across to people who don’t seem to understand, or want to hear concerns. It’s also difficult to get in contact with a key figure if needs be.

    The safety and survival of a Prime Minister is paramount, but too many incidents like it and questions have to be asked. It’s high time a review is conducted into all of it.

    The matter is crucial. As more funding, better public services, and increased participation takes place, we must consider our basic duties toward each other.

  • What a Dublin visit means

  • What will they vote on?

    According to a YouGov poll taken on 20 May 2024, 69% of people said they disapproved of the Government, against 15% who said they approved.

    It’s a shockingly poor statistic for a Prime Minister who’s tried hard to remain in power for a reason, from proposals on AI to his own Rwanda plan.

    It hasn’t worked, however, according to any plan that may have been devised by strategists in Number 10.

    This stat is a poor reflection of a Prime Minister as he goes into battle on election day on 4 July.

    Indeed, it’s also something which Sir Keir Starmer – his only opposition – can use to his own advantage, as he also fights a campaign.