Doubts over the back four...

At the time of Starmer's 'sacking', the most salient issue in British governance has been Defence. 

This may turn out to be vaguely coincidental, but the interest of both Putin and Trump will have been piqued.

And it reveals one of the key quirks of British democracy, as when we go to the polls in roughly half-decade cycles, this particular matter is rarely at the very forefront of the election chatter, for we are then in the process of electing our local representatives and the composition of Parliament and only on a somewhat secondary level our national leader — yet we do somehow all retain the notion that an essential part of his or her job description is protecting us from the threats that the Defence budget is expected to address.

Trump has gone on record to say that Sir Keir is a 'nice man' but...windmills.

Andy Burnham will become PM two days before England win the World Cup.

'By Mutual Consent'

We have arrived at the point where a change at No10 is about as noteworthy an event as a switch of manager (coach?) at Stamford Bridge.

At least at Chelsea there does always seem to be a more honest and earnest debate every time about whether the whole problem goes a lot deeper than the person with the high viz, high stresss role at the top.

I suppose Starmer has actually suffered a fate similar to Arne Slot at Liverpool e.g. he ought to have had a bit more 'in the bank', but was ultimately undone to a greater extent by the erosion of his bond with die-hard supporters, rather than results on the field which, whilst not great, were not entirely calamitous.

It's not so much that the fan base fell out of love with him as that they discovered that they had only really cared for him when he won. There’s a certain kind of personal aura which will bleed out more readily.

And it just so happened that a seemingly very attractive alternative had just become available...

Burnham is an Everton season ticket holder.