Four takes on the new Burnham cabinet

Plus why things might point to early election 😬

A new dawn has broken, has it not? The sixth new dawn in the last decade, in fact.

POD! On YIMBY Pod this week, a double-interview special. We talk to Guy Ward Jackson and Elizabeth Seger from the Tony Blair Institute about why they think Britain needs a state-funded open-source AI lab. And then Joe Hill from Re:State makes the case for rethinking the regulatory state. It’s good nerdy stuff, and the perfect savoury alternative to the Westminster personnel drama this week. Go have a listen!

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Hello! It has finally happened – Andy Burnham is our new Prime Minister, and this means that you’ll be drowning in pieces about What It All Means.

I’m afraid I’m going to add another to the pile.

I’ve already written about my mild scepticism of Burnham, but I’m hoping I’ll be pleasantly surprised. So this time I thought I’d offer up four shorter takes looking at some of Burnham’s first decisions in office.

So read on to find out:

• Why breaking up the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology was a strange decision.

• My enthusiasm for the new AI minister (and what tempers it)

• Is the new Energy Secretary a NIMBY?

• How the Burnham government offers Angela Rayner an enormous opportunity for redemption (it’s nothing to do with the tax thing).

• And why the decisions Burnham has made so far point to (oh no) the possibility of an early election.

Now let’s get started!

The bizarre fate of the Government Digital Service