Jonathan Ford

Keir Starmer — ever a man of his word til the end. In June 2023 he explicitly ruled out ever indulging in a resignation honours list (BBC Radio 4 Today). Today he’s marked his resignation with 21 peerages, overwhelmingly public-sector/legal jobsworths. Barely a single wealth creator among them. Classic line up of the New Establishment which has run the country under Labour and Tory governments for the past three decades and is now firmly in control. Largely (if not entirely) with the following characteristics: *Career almost entirely in public sector, often taking salaries from several sinecures at once as they work up the greasy taxpayer-funded pole. *Associated with various ‘right-on’ causes. *Largely middle class, London chattering class, Oxbridge well represented (of course). *Fashionable left but not too left. Good mainstream Labour links. Thus is the antediluvian House of Lords perpetuated by the Left as well as the Right as a comfortable state-funded retirement home for the well-connected ‘good and great’ past their sell-by date — when it should simply be abolished.

It’s a pity to have to keep spelling it out, but the risk to the Falklands isn’t military action by Argentina, which is impossible. But Britain is increasingly vulnerable to diplomatic pressure, especially now that we’re out of the EU and Trump is in the White House.

I’ve unveiled a secret project today. One that we’ve been working on for the past year. Something that can add a billion pounds a year to the economy of the north while making the environment better. And we think we can deliver it at no cost to government. Ambitious, right?