Coffee House Shots Suella Braverman defects – not another one!
Jan 26, 2026
Gabriel Pogrund, Sunday Times Westminster reporter, and Tim Shipman, political journalist and author, discuss UK political turmoil. They unpack Andy Burnham’s blocked by-election bid and what that reveals about party strategy. They also cover Suella Braverman’s jump to Reform and what it means for Nigel Farage and the Conservative realignment. Fast-paced political drama and shifting alliances.
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Blocking Burnham Buys Starmer Time
- Blocking Andy Burnham was a strategic move that conserved Keir Starmer's short-term authority.
- The NEC decision buys the leadership time to wait for improving political conditions.
Delay Can Be A Calculated Weakness
- Choosing to delay a leadership contest is often a choice between two weaknesses rather than a strength.
- Starmer used institutional levers to buy time in the hope political conditions improve.
Factional Fragmentation Helps Incumbents
- The NEC ruling strengthened other Labour figures like Shabana Mahmood, Wes Streeting and Angela Rayner.
- When internal factions lack coherence, incumbents benefit by default.