Tag Archives: Andy Burnham

As Brandt Report warned, we can’t afford to be small-minded

We need to break out of our cycle of doom, despair and decline to become a confident, outward-looking country again, says ANDREW FISHER Our planet is more connected than ever. We switch on the television and see events from all … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Fisher, Chris Philp MP | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Cabinet post puts Fahnbulleh’s climate credentials on the line

PETER UNDERWOOD on a less-heralded Croydon connection to the new Prime Minister’s Cabinet There is a lot of talk in the press about “Manchesterism”, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham bringing the ideas he developed while Mayor of Manchester to his … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Crisis Commission, Croydon Council, Environment, Peter Underwood | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Perry’s latest bright idea: a begging letter to new PM Burnham

CROYDON IN CRISIS: After four years of record Council Tax rises and record borrowing from central government, the borough’s bungling Mayor appears to think that the new occupier of No10 Downing Street might solve his problems. By our Town Hall … Continue reading

Posted in Council Tax, Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

MP Jones survives the ins-and-outs of the Burnham reshuffle

WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor, reports on the varied fortunes of local MPs and some with notorious connections to Croydon Town Hall in the appointments by the new Prime Minister There was no need for any vainglorious resignation letter from one … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon West, Hamida Ali, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Reed is first Cabinet casualty under new PM Andy Burnham

WALTER CRONXITE, Political Editor, on the end of a local MP’s ministerial career, as power shifts in Downing Street Steve Reed, the MP for Streatham (and Croydon North when he could be bothered) was the first to resign from the … Continue reading

Posted in Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Burnham’s challenge is to rebalance Britain yet cherish London

What would a ‘No10 in the North’ under a Prime Minister Burnham mean for London? Is it possible to devolve power, and spread wealth, across the country without undermining the economic engine of the nation? ANDREW FISHER sifts through some … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Fisher, Business | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

End for ‘Uncle Keir’ leaves Croydon MPs scrambling for jobs

Political Editor WALTER CRONXITE on how Croydon’s Labour politicians responded to the Prime Minister announcing his resignation Keir today, gone tomorrow. And for Croydon’s right-wing Labour MPs, the scramble to preserve their positions, or to gain some favour under Keir … Continue reading

Posted in Croydon Council, Croydon East, Croydon West, Natasha Irons, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North, Stuart King | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Burnham’s election could make all the difference in Croydon

Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election this week. Here, ANDREW FISHER outlines what the result could mean for Britain, and for Croydon and its politicians When I interviewed journalist Peter Geoghegan earlier this month, I put to him that his … Continue reading

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‘Wake up’ call from Croydon MP as she backs PM ‘Uncle Keir’

As health secretary Wes Streeting considers resigning from government, possibly triggering a leadership challenge, Steve Reed, Sarah Jones and Natasha Irons are backing Starmer “Uncle” Keir Starmer is clinging on to the job of Prime Minister, probably grateful for the … Continue reading

Posted in 2026 council elections, Croydon East, Croydon West, Natasha Irons, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Starmer shocker: could Gorton and Denton happen here?

Our resident psephologist, WALTER CRONXITE, crunches the numbers after a disastrous by-election result at Gorton and Denton for the Labour Prime Minister, with local elections across London, including in Croydon, just 70 days away The Green Party’s historic parliamentary by-election … Continue reading

Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Croydon East, Croydon West, Natasha Irons, Rowenna Davis, Sarah Jones MP, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Streeting’s ‘manoeuvres’ do nothing to reduce NHS waiting lists

While the NHS in Croydon is slipping back on one of its key performance measures, the health secretary has been busy positioning himself for a possible new job. ANDREW FISHER on the conflicted priorities of the Labour government At the … Continue reading

Posted in Andrew Fisher, Croydon NHS Trust, Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Labour’s scandals and dramas reflected in Croydon politics

The 2025 Labour Party Conference begins in Liverpool on Sunday. Here, our columnist, ANDREW FISHER, pictured right, the party’s former director of policy, assesses the state of Labour little more than a year into Keir Starmer’s government. And he takes … Continue reading

Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Andrew Fisher, Croydon East, Croydon West, Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, Fairfield, Natasha Irons, New Addington North, New Addington South, Rowenna Davis, Sarah Jones MP, South Norwood, Steve Reed MP, Streatham and Croydon North, Waddon, Zack Polanski | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Manchester Mayor can’t provide answers to Croydon problems

WALTER CRONXITE, political editor, on the early start to the 2026 local election campaign Croydon’s 2026 mayoral election campaign is well and truly underway – and the Labour Party has not even started its candidate selection process yet. In a … Continue reading

Posted in 2026 council elections, 2026 Croydon Mayor election, Brick by Brick, Callton Young, Council Tax, Croydon Council, London-wide issues, Mayor Jason Perry, Mayor of London, Rowenna Davis, Section 114 notice, Stuart King, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s a Brum do: fixing local government won’t come cheap

After the latest local authority’s finances crashed and burned, and with Michael Gove twiddling his thumbs doing nothing before the General Election, ANDREW FISHER, pictured right, looks at what needs to be done to fix local government in England Councils … Continue reading

Posted in 2024 General Election, Andrew Fisher, Council Tax, Croydon Council, Mayor Jason Perry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Referendum offers us a chance for consensus in Croydon

REFERENDUM COUNTDOWN: Last week, Labour’s Leila Ben-Hassel offered her reasons for opposing a change in the way the council is governed. With the borough-wide referendum being staged tomorrow, resident – and voter – IAN KIERANS questions the councillor’s arguments Councillor … Continue reading

Posted in 2021 Mayor Referendum, Leila Ben-Hassel, Tony Newman | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments