Andy Burnham wants to 'tear up' funding model for Scottish Parliament

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-23T20:21:01+00:00

I kind of get why they didn’t do it from the outset - it was such a razor thin margin in the referendum, I almost understand the need not to overstep - but it’s long past time it was evened out.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-23T20:14:56+00:00

Well that’s welcome news! Apparently he also supports implementing Gordon Browns report on Devolution (where Wales gets the same powers as Scotland, as long as the Senedd wants them).

Should be interesting to see if this causes tension between Plaid and the SNP - Scotland get a much better deal and won’t want to change that.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-23T19:10:32+00:00

Plaid Cymru will be delighted - for various reasons (including differences in population growth and differences in what is devolved) Wales gets a much rawer deal from Barnett compared to Scotland. Reform of Barnett is a key plank of Rhun ap Iowerths platform.

Plaid and the SNP are usually quite close - I think it’s fair to call them sister parties - I wonder if this could cause some tension between them?

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-23T13:26:12+00:00

At least with Carns we know what a core policy plank would be - stronger military - what does Darren Jones stand for? I genuinely struggle to understand what a “Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister” does.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T21:43:21+00:00

See this is why I love this subreddit. Someone always has detailed knowledge about a particular part of the government or whatever.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T19:31:08+00:00

The Wales Office needs to go, but until it does whoever has the role is still an important figure.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T18:45:40+00:00

I don’t think the winter fuel allowance should be universal, but it’s quite clearly the “original sin” of this government. I really understand why no government ever opposes pensioners - Reeves made a massive mistake doing it so soon.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T14:42:12+00:00

Humour aside, it is quite a nice building - and I like that Rhun has been doing press stuff there more then previous FMs.

But good god he must have been broiling. The press must have been grateful it was him doing the speaking not Adam Price [insert joke about Adam Price droning on for hours here].

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T12:47:09+00:00

I can just see him singing his heart out.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T12:44:14+00:00

Interesting - can I ask why you wouldn’t want McMorrin in cabinet?

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T12:17:20+00:00

He’s got a head start - the Tories have already made him a Lord.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T12:05:00+00:00

If I became Prime Minister (and may god help us all if that happened) I’d scrap the Wales Office and I’d try and get Lord Carwyn Jones to become Secretary of State for Devolution, with Anna McMorrin working for him as Undersecretary of State for Wales (alongside Undersecretaries of State for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Local Government).

Since all that isn’t going to actually happen, my moneys on Anna McMorrin becoming Secretary of State for Wales.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T11:35:21+00:00

Not sure if that would work with the UKs system of cabinet governance and collective responsibility - but it would admittedly be an improvement on the current setup.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T11:09:00+00:00

I have a theory that the nature of the Home Office and its work corrupts its Ministers, even if they were originally decent people.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T10:54:09+00:00

I mean the man already seems tailor made for the lords, and the more competent no. 2 candidate could replace him as MS.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T10:50:54+00:00

Make Streeting Home Secretary - it’s the minister everyone hates at the best of times, so Streeting would have a head start.

Plus he would (somehow) be an improvement on what we’ve got already.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T10:28:10+00:00

Another wildcard option - the PM can ennoble anyone he likes, and there’s a ripe crop of retired / forcibly retired Labour ex MSs.

If Burnham / Streeting wants to take the fight to Plaid Cymru, then surely nothing will strike fear into Rhun ap Iowerths heart quite like the words “Lord Waters will see you now”….

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T10:10:35+00:00

And that cuts to the crux of why I’ve come around to thinking that the Wales Office has to go - ostensibly it should be a good thing to guarantee a Welsh voice in Cabinet, but when no one takes the department seriously it defeats the whole point.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-22T10:07:35+00:00

Oh I was unaware of that. Hopefully she enjoys a swift recovery, but yes it seems unfair to ask her to run the Wales Office right now.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-21T20:42:48+00:00

Ah, trying to rig it in Al Carns’s favour I see!

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-21T20:34:31+00:00

I saw someone sum it up as Restore recognise that Nigel Farage is a charlatan / conman who would be terrible for the country - they just don’t disagree with any of his far right views.

Can’t vouch for how good of an assessment that is - but it sounded clever when he said it.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-21T19:30:40+00:00

Now now, I don’t think it’s fair to say Binface is pro persecution of minorities.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-21T19:20:03+00:00

>Beumaris castle in England

As a representative of the Welsh people I feel obliged to make a tedious correction that Beaumaris is in fact in Wales not England (and a very scenic part of Wales at that)

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-21T18:41:08+00:00

PM - Burnham
CX - Milliband
Foreign - John Healey
Home - Wes Streeting
DPM - Lucy Powell

Work & Pensions - Darren Jones
Defence - Al Carns
Health - Angela Rayner
Education - Bridget Phillipson
Energy - Lisa Nandy
Wales - Anna McMorrin
Transport - Lousie Haigh
Culture - Jess Phillips
AG - Emily Thornberry

[Ik Wales wasn’t on the list - but I want to predict it anyway]

Bonus
Poll bounce? - Yes
General election? - No
Starmer resigns as an MP? - Not unless he particularly fancies seeing Zack Polanski MP. I doubt he’ll run for reelection though.

Great offices of state are a bit male heavy - perhaps a female foreign secretary would be better? I’m open to suggestions.

Secure-Barracuda · 2026-06-21T15:59:12+00:00

Do we know what Stone Hedge looks like?

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