Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[Oexmelin]

What's the bit from Yes Minister? Something like « They simply want to make sure he's truly [politically] dead. »

[Josquius]

Curiously I hear some MPs are actually pushing what I suggested ages ago as a "not going to happen but makes a certain sense" suggestion - Keir Starmer as foreign minster.

He'd do the job well though there are probably political optics problems for Burnham.

[Sheilbh]

It's Labour sentimentality. They've shot Old Yeller and now feel bad about it.

Also from all of the reports about Starmer being absolutely furious, feeling personally betrayed and very frosty meetings with Burnham (including a big fight with the civil service to allow Starmer to announce the DIP without fully briefing Burnham) I'm not sure he'd particularly want it. Again I think the "decent man, bad PM" isn't true at all - I think the sheer amount of churn underneath him of people fired because he's blamed them for his mistakes/incuriousity (see Olly Robins now taking the government to the employment tribunal) is who he is. I don't think he's an Alec Douglas-Home who could swallow his ego (if he even had one ) to become a pretty decent Foreign Secretary.

Separately on the FCDO - via Popbitch (I think the duck question is valid - it can be quite difficult to find that sort of info and I've looked for it in the past and found conflicting things on different government sites. Others....less so):

Politics Global
@PolitlcsGlobal
🚨🇬🇧 NEW: The Foreign Office has revealed some of the most unusual requests for consular assistance made by British citizens abroad

🇮🇹 A caller in Italy asked where they could watch the Scotland v Haiti group game in Milan

🇯🇴 A tourist in Jordan asked whether the embassy knew where they could get blonde highlights

🇫🇷 In Paris, one caller asked how much duck pâté they could bring back to the UK, while another wanted the embassy's help finding where they had parked their car near the Eiffel Tower

🇬🇪 A British citizen in Georgia asked whether their two pets could be granted British citizenship to guarantee them diplomatic protection

🇪🇬 A holidaymaker in Egypt asked the embassy to intervene over the temperature of the showers at their hotel

🇳🇬 A tourist in Nigeria asked the embassy to help secure a refund for an unsatisfactory meal at a restaurant in Abuja

🇬🇧 Another Brit contacted the FCDO's consular service to ask how they could get in touch with their postman while they were away on holiday

[The Minsky Moment]

I take an opposite view...I think some activists should try to virally push his candidacy on the Count's behalf, and the other major parties should not-so-subtly support it. 

His material writes itself: "Don't throw away your vote. Toss it in the Bin"  "Finally a honest politician who admits he's rubbish"  etc.

[Tonitrus]

It's Labour sentimentality. They've shot Old Yeller and now feel bad about it.

Also from all of the reports about Starmer being absolutely furious, feeling personally betrayed and very frosty meetings with Burnham (including a big fight with the civil service to allow Starmer to announce the DIP without fully briefing Burnham) I'm not sure he'd particularly want it. Again I think the "decent man, bad PM" isn't true at all - I think the sheer amount of churn underneath him of people fired because he's blamed them for his mistakes/incuriousity (see Olly Robins now taking the government to the employment tribunal) is who he is. I don't think he's an Alec Douglas-Home who could swallow his ego (if he even had one ) to become a pretty decent Foreign Secretary.

If it were the old days, he'd probably be sent on a crusade or something...or offered a posting in India...or the EU.

[Sheilbh]

He apparently wants to be next NATO Secreary-General

As I've said before - he thinks he's been a good PM. I think he still doesn't get how and why and that he has failed - or how much he's really annoyed quite a lot of our allies (especially the Nordics, Baltics, Poles) who wanted us to do more, while I think he's been held in better regard with allies who like people who have good manners and enjoy a meeting.

In fairness I wouldn't be surprised if he has that post-premiership rehabiliation which tends to happen for our failed PMs. You can already see it with Sunak and May especially, it's happened with Brown and Major and I think he'll fall into that bucket of dreadful PMs who were not up to the job that Brits look back on fondly

[crazy canuck]

He apparently wants to be next NATO Secreary-General

As I've said before - he thinks he's been a good PM. I think he still doesn't get how and why and that he has failed - or how much he's really annoyed quite a lot of our allies (especially the Nordics, Baltics, Poles) who wanted us to do more, while I think he's been held in better regard with allies who like people who have good manners and enjoy a meeting.

In fairness I wouldn't be surprised if he has that post-premiership rehabiliation which tends to happen for our failed PMs. You can already see it with Sunak and May especially, it's happened with Brown and Major and I think he'll fall into that bucket of dreadful PMs who were not up to the job that Brits look back on fondly

Oh my God, the Quisling to the United States wants to be the head of NATO. Don't think so