Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is now expected to become Andy Burnham’s chancellor after a campaign by opponents of Ed Miliband to stop his appointment to the role.
A source close to deliberations by the incoming prime minister said senior Cabinet positions are “pretty much locked in now” and signalled Mahmood was in line for the job.
Separately, Mahmood has indicated she would be willing to leave the Home Office to replace Rachel Reeves, a senior Labour source told The i Paper.
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How you could soon take a direct train from London to Cologne
Caption: Gemini Trains
British business travellers could gain a direct rail link between London and Cologne by 2030 under plans from Gemini Trains, a UK start-up that intends to challenge Eurostar?s three-decade hold on the Channel Tunnel.
Image: press@geminitrains.com
British passengers might soon be able take a direct train from London to Cologne after British-based start-up, Gemini Trains, has said it wants to run rival services to Eurostar.
They hope to offer services to the French capital, including Disneyland Paris and Charles de Gaulle airport, as well as Cologne by 2030.
Where else can you visit along the proposed lines?
Gemini Trains, which says that it is backed by a Middle Eastern sovereign wealth fund, will plan to make Stratford International its main London hub as capacity at St Pancras is under pressure.
Trains would also stop at Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International along the High Speed 1 line, which Eurostar suspended services along in 2020.
Photographer: Connect Images
Provider: Getty Images/Connect Images
Source: Connect Images
What will you get for your money?
The company has said that tickets will be subject to dynamic pricing, but they hope to offer one-way fares to Paris from about £59.
Travelling to Cologne will take around four hours, which is similar to Eurostar’s London-Amsterdam service. Currently, those trips can take up to six hours with at least one change.
Gemini has said its standard class will feature “more comfortable seats, good Wi-Fi and mood lighting”, while business class includes food and a privacy screen.
Newsletter (£)
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A ‘disruptor operator’
“Despite having a solid team of experts Gemini Trains is very much a disruptor operator which constantly challenges the status quo… Eurostar, a monopoly operator, has become lacklustre and very expensive. We will shake things up.
Adrian Quine, chief executive of Gemini Trains
Caption: The Eurostar train stops at the station before it travels through the channel on its way to Paris.
Photographer: Alison Wright
Provider: Getty Images
Source: The Image Bank Unreleased
news
Is your dog addicted to his ball? How pets show signs of addiction
Caption: ANKARA, TURKIYE – APRIL 15: Police dogs of the Turkish General Directorate of Security undergo rigorous training and actively take part in crime-fighting operations at the Dog Training Center (KEM) in Golbasi district of Ankara, Turkiye on April 15, 2026. Operating under the Narcotics Crimes Department, dogs are deployed across multiple units of the force. Both service dogs and their handlers are trained together to carry out coordinated missions. (Photo by Binnur Ege Gurun Kocak/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Photographer: Anadolu
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Source: Anadolu
For many dogs, a tennis ball may be just a toy, but for others it could be part of a wider addiction. These dogs may love the toy so much that they may even be regarded as “ball junkies”.
Some dogs will ignore food to play with their toys
As part of largest study of its kind, two Belgian shepherds were presented with their favourite toy locked inside a heavy container.
Food was also given to them alongside the box, but they ignored it and attacked the container until they managed to break it open to release their toy.
First Person
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LIFESTYLE
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Similarities between dogs and humans
The study, conducted by the University of Bern, found that when their ball was taken from them, the dogs would actually exhibit withdrawal-like distress.
Caption: MENANDS, NY – FEBRUARY 5: Buck walks with a football in his mouth at Mohawk Hudson Humane Society on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026 in Menands, N.Y. Buck along will local dogs Jodi and Gazpacho will appear in the nationally televised Animal Planet Puppy Bowl XXII, airing on Super Bowl Sunday. (Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)
Photographer: Albany Times Union/Hearst Newspa
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Source: Hearst Newspapers
Copyright: ? 2023 Lori Van Buren / Times Union
Caption: Man is sitting at a slot machine while focusing on the game. Scene is illustrating gambling, entertainment, and casino atmosphere.
Photographer: Nico De Pasquale Photography
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Digital Vision
Copyright: Nico De Pasquale
The finding that 3 per cent of dogs experience this broadly correlates with the proportion of humans that are affected by behavioural addictions such as problem gambling.
How you can help your dog
Alja Mazzini, the lead author of the study, told The Times that you should start to be concerned if your dog is exhibiting an inability to disengage, persistent frustration when a toy disappears, difficulty resting and steadily escalating arousal.
She recommended that play should be shorter, with clear beginnings, endings and time to recover afterwards, instead of long sessions of repeated ball-throwing.
Caption: Woman bonding with her border collie dog at sunset by the lake
Photographer: Olga Pankova
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Moment RF
Changes to buy now, pay later rules – what you need to know
Caption: A group of Black Friday online shopping purchases photographed in delivery boxes filled with polystyrene packing pellets, taken on September 13, 2019. (Photo by Neil Godwin/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
Photographer: Future Publishing
Provider: Future Publishing via Getty Imag
Source: Future
Copyright: 2019 Future Publishing
New regulations have been introduced that will provide better protections for shoppers using buy now, pay later (BNPL) schemes. These schemes, provided by companies such as Klarna, Zilch and Clearpay, mean customers can spread the cost of purchases over time.
What will change?
BNPL will now be subject to consumer duty, meaning customers will receive clear, transparent details about their agreement, including what payments are due, when they are due and what happens if there is a missed payment.
Lenders will also be required to carry out affordability checks and offer support to customers in financial difficulty.
PROPERTY AND MORTGAGES
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PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT
2 min read
Regulations will raise awareness of short-term borrowing risks
Mortgage brokers have said that the new regulations will make people more aware that BNPL is a form of short-term borrowing that can affect affordability assessments.
Darani Ganesharajah, mortgage broker at Springtide Capital, told Newspage even though amounts borrowed through BNPL could be small, people often forgot to mention them when applying for a mortgage.
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 27: A photo illustration of the new British ten pound note, featuring a portrait of Jane Austen, on September 27, 2017 in London, England. A polymer ??20 note featuring JMW Turner will enter circulation by 2020. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)
Photographer: Jim Dyson
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Source: Getty Images Europe
Copyright: 2017 Jim Dyson
News
British couple detained in Iran have sentence extended
Caption: Undated family handout file photo originally issued on 15/02/25 on Craig and Lindsay Foreman. The family of a British man jailed in Iran on spying charges says he has been sentenced to an additional two years in prison. Craig and his wife Lindsay were sentenced to 10 years’ prison in February after being convicted of espionage, charges they both deny. According to his family, Mr Foreman was told he had been given an additional two-year sentence for speaking to media outlets. Issue date: Wednesday July 15, 2026. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Family Handout/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Family Handout
Provider: Family Handout/PA Wire
Source: PA
Craig Foreman, who was jailed in Iran along with his wife, Lindsay, after being accused of espionage, has had two years added to his 10-year sentence.
Why has their sentence been extended?
Relatives of Foreman said his punishment has been extended for talking to the media from his cell in Evin prison in Tehran.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said the department was “urgently following up with the Iranian authorities about the reported increased sentence”.
Analysis
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NEWS
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Family’s desperate pleas continue
He [Craig] was allowed no lawyer, no translator and no opportunity to defend himself. We didn’t think we could be any more shocked at their appalling treatment, but in this case, we are absolutely flabbergasted.
Joe Bennett, Lindsay Foreman’s son and a spokesperson for the family
Caption: EMBARGOED TO 1600 THURSDAY AUGUST 28
Undated family handout photo of Lindsay and Craig Foreman. The family of the British couple detained in Iran have requested an urgent meeting with the Foreign Secretary after the pair were “suddenly whisked” to a courtroom in the country’s capital. The pair were taken into custody in January during a motorcycle tour around the world and were later charged with espionage. The couple, of East Sussex, deny the allegations. Issue date: Thursday August 28, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Family handout/PA Wire
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Photographer: Family handout
Provider: Family handout/PA Wire
Source: PA
Worries over their health
The couple were arrested in January last year while they were passing through Iran on a motorcycle journey from Europe to Australia.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman have both been on hunger strike since May, when prison authorities stopped them from calling their families.
Last week, US-based human rights group, HRANA, said it had received information that Craig had lost 16kg and Lindsay was suffering from dizziness and body tremors.
Last month, two United Nations human rights experts urged Iran to release the couple, saying the legal proceedings against them had been marred by serious irregularities.
The midnight social media curfew for older teens proposal – explained
Sixteen and 17-year-olds will face a voluntary overnight social media curfew, the Government has announced.
Caption: PASAY CITY, PHILIPPINES – JUNE 8: Passengers bound for the quake-hit city of General Santos check social media posts about destruction in Mindanao, following a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Southern Philippines, at the domestic departure area at NAIA airport, Pasay City, Philippines, on June 8, 2026. Multiple buildings across the Mindanao region have reportedly been damaged or collapsed. Rescue operations are underway. (Photo by Daniel Ceng/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Photographer: Anadolu
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Source: Anadolu
Midnight social media ban for teens
The Government has announced that older teenagers in the UK will be subject to a social media curfew from midnight until 06:00. However, they will have the option to disable it by adjusting their account settings.
Caption: BATH, UNITED KINGDOM – APRIL 27: In this photo illustration a 14-year-old teenage boy looks at an iPhone screen displaying various social media apps on April 27, 2026 in Bath, England. In the UK, a ban on social media for under-16s has been backed by the House of Lords following the Australian law which aims to stop children under 16 from having social media accounts and social media platforms, including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram potentially being be fined for preventing children younger than 16 from having social media accounts. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
Photographer: Matt Cardy
Provider: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images Europe
NEWS
3 min read
Hopes of ending infinite scrolling
Apps such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube will be set to unavailable by default during the curfew times.
The Government also wants “addictive” functions such as auto-play and infinite scroll to be set to disabled.
Ministers believe these restrictions will improve teenagers’ focus, sleep quality and family life.
Explained
2 min read
Will it work?
The Government trialled the curfew previously with 300 teenagers and found it led to improved sleep as well as making teens more communicative with their families.
The report found the curfew was the most manageable measure to enforce.
However, in Australia, where an under-16 ban is already in place, many teens have said that they can still access supposedly banned sites.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) can also be used to get around age checks, but the Government said that they have found little evidence to show VPNs are being used by children.
news – explainer
Social media debate continues
Australia brought in a similar ban for under-16s in December last year (Photo: Hollie Adams/Reuters)
Professor Sonia Livingstone, an expert in children’s digital rights at the London School of Economics, told the BBC that the curfew could harm vulnerable children by restricting them from social media when they need it most.
But online safety minister, Kanishka Narayan, said the plans show the UK is “firmly on the side of” parents and families.
Iran War
All you need to know as US reinstates Iran blockade
Caption: TOPSHOT – A tugboat guides a ship at the Khor Fakkan Container Terminal, the only natural deep-sea port in the region and one of the major container ports in Sharjah Emirate, along the Gulf of Oman on July 14, 2026. Tehran announced it was closing the Strait of Hormuz on July 12 and launched missiles and drones at its Gulf neighbours, in retaliation for new US strikes following an attack by Iranian forces on a merchant vessel that was abandoned in flames by its crew. (Photo by AFP via Getty Images) /
Photographer: –
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
The US has resumed blockading Iranian ports as the two countries exchanged attacks for the fourth day in a row following a breakdown in talks.
Trump drops toll threat
The blockade announcement came after Trump dropped a threat to introduce a toll on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Caption: IRAN, OMAN – JUNE 18: (RESTRICTIONS: NO Access Israel Media/Persian Language TV Stations Outside Iran/Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International TV) Rescue efforts are underway for a South Korean container ship that ran aground after choosing the wrong route while attempting to navigate through the Strait of Hormuz, which the Iranian military had closed, during the attacks launched by the U.S. and Israel on February 28 in Oman, Iran, on June 18, 2026. (Photo by Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Photographer: Anadolu
Provider: Anadolu via Getty Images
Source: Anadolu
Caption: TOPSHOT – US President Donald Trump looks on after signing an executive order to drastically shrink two national monuments in Utah, paving the way for fossil fuel extraction and mining, at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 13, 2026. The issue has become something of a political football. Previously, President Trump had targeted the two monuments, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, during his first term in 2017, before his Democratic successor, Joe Biden, restored them to their original boundaries in 2021. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: SAUL LOEB
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
Trump announced the toll would be replaced with a series of investments and trade deals with the Gulf states.
The US President scrapped the toll “based on highly productive conversations with Middle East leadership”, just five hours before it was due to come into effect.
Oil prices rise after blockade announcement
The renewed attacks have triggered a sharp rise in oil prices as traffic through the Strait has slowed to a two-month low. On Tuesday, oil prices closed up at a one-month high, with Brent futures up 0.7 per cent to $85.31 (£63.64).
Analysis
4 min read
Analysis
4 min read
Caption: TOPSHOT – Motorists drive along an expressway as plumes of smoke rise after a strike in Tehran on March 5, 2026. Israel pounded Tehran with fresh strikes and Iran targeted Kurdish guerilla groups in Iraq on March 5 as a spiralling war in the Middle East engulfed the entire region. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images)
Photographer: ATTA KENARE
Provider: AFP via Getty Images
Source: AFP
Copyright: AFP or licensors
Threats to strike critical infrastructure
Trump once again threatened to strike Iran’s bridges and power plants if Iran does not return to the negotiating table. “Next week, it gets really bad for them,” he said in a Fox News interview.
In April, Trump made similar threats, which were denounced by UN human rights chief Volker Türk, who called them a “war crime” under international law.
US carries out strikes
US Central Command (Centcom) said it launched a wave of strikes against Iran at 06:00 on Wednesday morning.
Iran said at least seven people were killed in US strikes on a base in the southeastern city of Bampur.
Caption: This screen grab made on July 15, 2026, from a handout video released by US Central Command on July 13, 2026, shows what the US military says is a strike in Iran. The United States carried out a fresh round of strikes on Iran and renewed a blockade of its ports, while Tehran targeted American allies in the Gulf and vowed the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed “until the US ends its aggression”. (Photo by US Central Command Public Affairs / AFP via Getty Images) / THIS PICTURE WAS BLURRED AT SOURCE — RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – MANDATORY CREDIT “AFP PHOTO / US CENTRAL COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS” – HANDOUT – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS
Photographer: –
Provider: US Central Command Public Affair
Source: AFP
Caption: Smoke rises from an explosion at an unknown location, during what U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) says are strikes on Iran, in this screen grab taken from a handout video released on July 14, 2026. U.S. Central Command/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. OVERLAY AND MASKING AT SOURCE. VERIFICATION : -Location and date could not be verified -No earlier version of the video found posted online before Tuesday (July 14)
Photographer: U.S. Central Command
Provider: via REUTERS
Source: Handout
The Iranian response
In response, Iran fired missiles and drones at US targets in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, according to state-run television network IRIB.
In the early hours of Wednesday, Kuwait’s military said it was intercepting Iranian attack drones, while Bahrain activated air raid sirens.
The US said Iran “intentionally targeted civilians” by attacking seven commercial ships, which resulted in “a dozen civilian crew members” being killed, going missing or suffering from injuries, according to the commander of Centcom.
2.5m pensioners missing out on up to £13,000 a year in benefits – how to claim
Research by charity Independent Age shows that if all older people took up their full means-tested entitlements, 280,000 fewer pensioners would be living in poverty. This would save the NHS and social care sectors £790m a year, according to the report.
Charity Independent Age are calling on Andy Burnham’s incoming government to come up with a strategy ‘urgently’ as poverty rates for older people hit 1.7m last year (Photo: Getty Images)
MEDIA
3 min read
What pensioners are missing out on
Depending on their circumstances, pensioners may be entitled to pension credit, council tax benefit, and housing benefit.
The report found that only 62 per cent of those eligible are receiving the income-related pension credit top-up, and 230,000 pensioner households aren’t claiming housing benefit. Over a million pensioner households could be missing out on council tax reduction benefits.
NEWS
3 min read
Newsletter (£)
3 min read
Are you missing out on pensioner benefits?
Analysis by The i Paper suggests some pensioners eligible to receive all three benefits could be missing out on as much as £13,000 a year.
Pension credit is available to those with weekly incomes of less than £238 for single people or £363.25 for a couple.
Anyone with savings under £16,000 can claim housing benefit.
Council tax reduction can be claimed through your local council depending on how much savings you have.
You can apply for the benefits on the Government online portal or by calling 0800 991234.
Want a new career but worried it’s too late?
Mid-life is not too late to start again, says experienced recruiter Elizabeth Willetts [below].
Here, Willetts shares the best jobs to switch to during midlife if you want a change – without sacrificing pay.
Changing careers in your fifties
Mid-life career pivots can lead to higher earnings.
7.4%
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, workers aged 45 to 54 who voluntarily pivot jobs see an average wage growth of 7.4 per cent.
3.5%
And those aged 55 to 64 still see a 3.5 per
cent increase.
The AARP Global Employee Survey also found that over half of workers who changed jobs voluntarily experienced improvements in work flexibility and mental health.
So what job options are there?
Virtual assistant
As a virtual assistant your workload will be very varied and it could be anything from tidying inboxes, booking travel, sending invoices or updating spreadsheets.
More and more people are using AI for counselling (Photo: Oscar Wong/Getty/Moment RF)
Confident successful Indian female HR recruitment manager holding resume in hands while having an interview in a modern office, looking and listening to job candidate. Friendly interview between HR female director and caucasian job candidate. – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
You can start out earning around £20 to £35 an hour, but it can scale into agency work, launch support or even project management. Some earn very well.
Recruitment
Male candidate handshake with the recruiter at job interview – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
What it involves
You will source, screen and interview candidates to match them with the right job roles.
Who it’s for
You don’t need any qualifications but it’s suited to communicators and commercially-minded people.
Rearview female recruitment reading and checking resume in hands interviewing and hiring woman candidate for joи near laptop in office with glass windows – stock photo. (Photo: Olga Rolenko/ Getty)
From April 2027, retirement savings will be included when the tax bill for those inheriting money is calculated (Photo: Malte Mueller/Getty)
The pay
The salary van vary from £25 to £50k, but you can earn around £100k depending on commission.
Jobs to switch to in your fifties
Some estate agents give high valuations to drum up business (Photo: Monkey Business Images/Getty/iStockphoto)
Estate agent
It offers flexible hours and weekend staff can earn £15 per hour.
Training
This form of coaching for businesses could earn around £250 to £1,000 per day.
Caption: portrait of confident senior business man holding digital tablet in modern office
Photographer: zeljkosantrac
Provider: Getty Images
Source: iStockphoto
(Photo: Getty).
Sales
In the lower end, a sales rep can make £30k and on the higher end £50-60k, plus commission.
Why coaching is a good option
Coaching is incredibly varied and can be anything from career coaching, to confidence and leadership coaching.
As it is an unregulated industry, you don’t need qualifications but the more reputable option is the International Coaching Federation.
It’s a great career option for older people because clients genuinely value your wealth of life experience.
It’s flexible, scalable, and you can start doing it part-time alongside another role.
It could make you anything from £200 an hour, all the way up to £500 p/h+.
Even though the NHS Pension scheme is envied by many for its generosity, those working for the NHS facing financial struggles are choosing to opt out (Photo: Getty Images)
Consulting
This can be across HR, operations, marketing, finance, people strategy or project management, as it’s varied.
A huge number of businesses now want expertise without having to hire full-time staff so there is a big job market for freelance consultants.
Price on value, not hours – if your advice saves a client £200k, charging £150 an hour undersells what you’re worth.
Burnham’s choice of chancellor, the second most powerful job in government, will probably be fundamental to the success or failure of his government. While Burnham has made his key decisions, the Cabinet line-up is unlikely to be finalised until the hours before Burnham takes over as prime minister – expected next Monday.
Rayner and Streeting also in line for Cabinet positions
Opponents of Miliband have been lobbying Burnham to stop him from being appointed to the role, and believe they have succeeded. Miliband is likely to become foreign secretary, the source close to Burnham’s team told The i Paper.
There has been widespread speculation over who Burnham would pick as chancellor ever since he emerged as the PM-in-waiting.
Ed Miliband has long been thought favourite, but other names mentioned have included Rachel Reeves, Wes Streeting, Darren Jones and, as The i Paper reported on Tuesday, Yvette Cooper.
Yvette Cooper, currently Foreign Secretary, is now understood to want to stay in her current position.
Also in line for Cabinet positions are Louise Haigh who will be in a “beefed up” role as chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, a senior Cabinet Office minister who drives cross-government policy and collaboration. Former health secretary Wes Streeting, Labour’s deputy leader Lucy Powell and former housing secretary Angela Rayner are all in line for Cabinet positions.
“Shabana had been saying she wants to stay at the Home Office, now she is saying she is prepared to move wherever helpful,” a senior Labour source said.
An ally of Mahmood said: “She is focused on her job as Home Secretary.” Her team refused to be drawn on what she would do if approached for a different role. A spokesman Miliband declined to comment. Burnham’s spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Miliband still blamed for previous Labour woes
Last week, nearly 80 Labour MPs signed a private letter urging Burnham to retreat on Mahmood’s controversial immigration reforms. The row centres on her plans to change people’s right to remain in the UK even after spending several years in the country. Nonetheless, Burnham supported the Immigration and Asylum Bill at its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday evening, despite a rebellion by 14 Labour MPs.
Labour whips, the party’s managers, have also suggested Mahmood could become chancellor and Miliband go to the Foreign Office. Miliband had been lobbying for his brother David to come back in a foreign affairs-related role.
Miliband, a former Treasury aide during Gordon Brown’s chancellorship, is valued for his economic expertise by former officials, and his pursuit of the net-zero agenda has alarmed some in the Labour movement concerned about jobs.
Sharon Graham, general secretary of the Unite union, said Miliband’s appointment to the Treasury would be a “noose around job creation” in Britain. Others are concerned he would represent a shift to the left that could deter investors and some voters.
A Labour source said Miliband’s allies had still been pitching him to be chancellor in recent days, suggesting he hadn’t been given any assurances by Burnham about the job. Burnham is understood not to have made any assurances about Cabinet positions, according to multiple sources.
A Labour insider sympathetic to Miliband said his prospects of becoming chancellor had suffered not so much because of scepticism about his net-zero agenda, but because many in the party had not forgiven him for the 2015 general election defeat.
“He still gets blamed for his leadership losing the general election and laying the ground for [Jeremy] Corbyn,” they said, adding that it was “shocking the amount of people [in Labour] you meet who just have an ideological dislike of him”.
Miliband’s soft-left reputation meant he would have a “harder time convincing bond markets and the business community” of his credentials to be chancellor compared to some other candidates, the source admitted.
Treasury ‘needs a shake-up’
However, they thought that if Burnham did appoint him to No 11 he could “make a few hard-nosed decisions” – such as throwing his support behind the Jackdaw gas field – which would “start to win over people”. “He’s politically astute. I don’t think he gets enough credit for that,” they said.
Burnham would want a chancellor who could “actually get hold of [the Treasury] and shake it into shape”, the insider claimed.
They said that only two people had demonstrated that they could do that with a Whitehall department since the election: “Ed and Shabana.”
Meanwhile, Josh Simons, the former Labour MP who resigned to allow Burnham to run in his seat, said he wouldn’t be taking a job in Burnham’s Downing Street team. Despite being widely expected to do so after advising Burnham on policy, Simons said in a statement on Tuesday that he wanted to “take a breather”.
Despite offering his seat, Simons is not popular with soft-left allies of Burnham. He resigned from Sir Keir Starmer’s Government in February, over his role in Labour Together’s commissioning of a public affairs agency, APCO, to investigate journalists’ reporting on the think-tank. He said that while he had been cleared of breaching the Ministerial Code, the allegations had become a “distraction” from the Government’s work.
Burnham is also expected to keep on some more junior staff in No 10.
A spokeswoman for Burnham declined to comment.