Great Western Coffee Shop

A new Labour leader today. What new policies on public transport, or has the Coronavirus already done a great deal for what those policies might be?

Whatever the Labour  party's policies on transport are or are likely to be, they won' be in a position to do anything about them for the foreseeable future.

I don't suppose it will change much from their previous policy of taking the railways back into state ownership.

…...but with Starmer they may at least become a credible, constructive and effective opposition, unlike the pondlife (with a few honourable exceptions) which has inhabited the Opposition front bench since 2015.

I do feel however that transport will be a little way down the agenda at Shadow Cabinet meetings for the foreseeable future.

With what's been happening, the best approach would be to focus on local rather than national. I see a downturn in long distance commuting and further into the future, service workers doing work at home or sharing office space with other companies workers near to them if necessary. How we move around locally and quickly en masse will be vitally important if climate change targets are still aimed for. Extra capacity on railways might not be that necessary.

Unsurprisingly, Sir Keir Starmer is the new Labour leader.

I don't allow myself to get too bogged down with the world of politics, but has a leader of a major party ever been elected who has been an MP for such a short period of time (2015)?

Alec Douglas-Home became prime minister when not an MP (he was a Lord) ... quick by-election to get him a seat.

It's also very unusual for a ex-senior civil servant to become an MP, let alone leader. But then DPP is an unusual post in itself, going to a senior lawyer (almost always a QC), but being more inside government than part of the independent judiciary.

Of course in many countries this sort of thing is the norm - if your boss is a politician (as for the DPP) it could even be seen as a step up the promotion ladder in government.

From the BBC:

Sir Keir has described himself as a socialist but not a Corbynite, and vowed to keep key policies from the Corbyn era, such as nationalising rail, mail and water and repealing anti-union laws, in a 10-point plan.

Interesting. The previous incumbent's supporters/acolytes are still referring to him in the approved "Blairite Red Tory Scum traitor" manner.....several even charmingly refer to the fact that he had a Jewish girlfriend at University......we've come so far, haven't we?

I noted his comments on antisemitism in Labour today and I wish him luck in clearing out the Augean stables.

From the BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52187354)


James McMahon has been the Member of Parliament for Oldham West and Royton since a by-election in December 2015.

Only two labour MP's in the South West and not much scope for anymore as the LibDems are generally the second party.
During the coalition I think the only reason the Kingskerswell Bypass (South Devon Highway) after 30/40 years was built because there was a LibDem MP in Torbay, Adrian Sanders.

Of course unforeseen consequences of the new road was that instead of bringing jobs to Torbay it allowed residents to commute to Exeter and the jobs being created there and has brought the Devon Metro a little closer.