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There was a sense of inevitability about Angela Rayner’s resignation as deputy prime minister yesterday. Having smelled government blood, the sharks had been circling for some time and, having set a high bar as the “squeaky clean” opposition leader, Keir Starmer couldn’t afford to have even the faintest whiff of impropriety about his front bench. So concludes Thomas Caygill, whose research focuses on parliamentary scrutiny of the executive.
Caygill walks us through what to expect as the government tries to reorientate itself in the wake of the loss of such a senior figure. And for those of us who, like me, don’t understand family trusts and how tax law relates to Rayner’s situation, legal expert Ben Mayfield is here to explain.
My gaze has been further afield this week, mainly in China, where Xi Jinping has been hosting like-minded world leaders including Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi and Kim Jong-un. Xi used the week to project his vision for a new China-led world order and showcase some extremely intimidating new military tech.
Putin may have been in China, but his country’s military is still battering Ukraine. Perhaps that’s why so many Russian-speaking Ukrainians are opting to speak Surzhyk, a hybrid of the two languages which is more socially acceptable in a country where Russian is no longer very welcome.
Also this week, a new book explores the history of Æthelstan, the first king of England. Why you should listen to Jamie Oliver when he recommends ten or more portions of fruit and veg every day. And parents of new secondary
school pupils will want to read this article about why the transition from primary schools causes a sharp and lasting decline
in children’s wellbeing.
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