'It won't make any difference if Starmer or Burnham leads Labour for 1 reason'
It won't make any difference if Starmer or Burnham runs Labour for 1 devastating reason
OPINION - LEO MCKINSTRY: The party has tragically lost touch with its core values and supporters, no wonder a vast swathe of the public despises it
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Add us as preferred source Comments By Leo McKinstry 07:01, Fri, Jun 19, 2026 
As its leadership crisis deepens, the Labour Government is entering uncharted territory. Never in the party’s history has a sitting Labour Prime Minister faced a direct challenge from a colleague. That does not mean that over the decades there has been an absence of intrigues against the occupant of No.10.
Indeed, every Labour premier since the war has had to endure clandestine manoeuvres in the shadows, like the conspiracy organised by disaffected trade unionists and backbenchers in May 1969 to bring down Harold Wilson. But he cleverly spiked the plotters’ guns by exposing their scheme in public. “I know what’s going on, I’m going on,” he declared to thunderous applause at a rally in London.
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Sir Keir Starmer has also signalled his intention to carry on, but he will only be able to do so if he wins the first ever leadership contest held while Labour is in office. That seems a highly unlikely prospect, given Sir Keir’s toxic unpopularity. Devoid of conviction, or charisma, he is a managerialist mediocrity who presides over a dysfunctional Downing Street machine and an increasingly fractious party.
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Yet Labour’s problems go far beyond the inadequacies of Sir Keir’s political character. If MPs and activists think switching leader will bring a swift recovery, they are severely deluded. The reality is that the party’s values are despised by a large swathe of the public, and that is not going to change by placing a new figure at the top. Tony Blair once described the Labour Party as “the political wing of the British people”. The remark sounded grandiose at the time but it would be absurd to make such a comment today.
On most of the key political issues of our age, Labour’s outlook runs counter to mainstream opinion and the interests of our nation. So when it comes to immigration, the party is keener on promoting diversity than enforcing effective border controls. It was a Labour Government that imposed the Human Rights Act, providing a bonanza for left-wing lawyers and illegal migrants. Similarly, Labour was responsible for the 2010 Equality Act whose zealous emphasis on divisive identity politics has caused such damage to social cohesion.
Today most of the party’s membership remains wedded to this ideology, which explains why the tough-talking Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is so badly isolated in her attempt to crack down on migration abuses.
It is the same story on other fronts. Ed Miliband’s green agenda is a triumph of dogma over common-sense, giving Britain the most expensive energy in the developed world. For all the praise heaped on the former Defence Secretary John Healey in the wake of his resignation, Labour is still profoundly ambivalent about spending on the armed forces, and would far rather dish out extra money for the bloated, ramshackle benefits system.
Nor has Labour been willing to embrace the democratic verdict of the EU Referendum. Instead, the Government seeks to rejoin the Brussels empire through a stealthy process known as “dynamic realignment,” a euphemism for ever greater surrender of control. Starmer and his colleagues pose as the champions of fiscal rectitude and political integrity. But it is all a sham. The party is more interested in social engineering and virtue-signalling than in balancing the books or upholding our sovereignty.
Half a century ago, the Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan, a far bigger figure than any current Cabinet Minister, used his 1976 Conference speech to warn that “you cannot spend your way out” of economic difficulties, while “wealth must be generated before it is distributed”. He concluded “that for too long, we have postponed facing up to fundamental choices.” No Labour front-bencher would dare talk like that now.
That is why the party is doomed.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
