Hello and welcome to not another one, the podcast with me, Steve Richards, Ian Martin, Miranda Green and Tim Montgomery.

As we speak, Tim isn't here yet. He might be joining us, but there is

plenty for the three of us to explore in our time together. Before all the political dramas,

I must say thank you to a leading member of the Rock and Roll Politics Podcast Cooperative,

Joe Ruffles, who's here, actually.

And he has brought us all cakes. Now, Miranda's down the line. And usually you're here when

there's cake, Miranda. It's usually me who misses the cake. But Joe has brought in these cakes,

which say, each one has a different word. And together it says, keep calm and have another one.

Repeat it because there are more than six cakes.

So we will retweet those cakes because it's about the best publicity we've ever had.

They sound amazing and I'm very, very appreciative of Joe's lovely gesture and I'm very very appreciative of Joe's uh

joe's lovely gesture and I'm very sorry not to be there to scarf my share

it's usually me who's not here when you bring in cakes Ian brings in champagne and all

that kind of thing but I'm here yeah it is it is epic revenge talking of which

well certainly epic.

What a few days. Let's try and make sense of where we are. Let's begin with the position of

Kirstama. My view is that he is safe for now, that when you get public declarations from all the cabinet, Lucy Powell, Angela Rainer, they can't withdraw and renege on those declarations in the next few weeks.

And my guess is, and it's only a guess, that includes the by-election coming up

very shortly. Evidently May is the next junction after that. But for now, there is a bit of space

for him, and how he uses that space will be crucial for him and the nature of the government.

Miranda, what's your assessment after the comings and goings? We'll look at the Anna Sawa intervention and all, and we haven't, we haven't, of course, in this podcast, discussed the departures of Tim Allen and the more significant one, in my view, of course, Morgan McSweeney. But, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, but, um, you know, well, you know, the, the, the, saying is if you come at the king, you may better not miss, right? So, I think the fact that, um, once again, labor plotters seem to have fluffed any potential coup means that he's probably all right for a bit.

I mean, like you, Steve, I can't really see this becoming a particularly healthier situation for him after a by-election if they lose that Greater Manchester seat that ought to be a Labour seat

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