The Great Cabinet Shuffle

This week, we return with another Issue Scan—three stories, three jurisdictions, and one increasingly depressing outlook on the Western political economy. But don’t worry, we offset the doom with questionable French pronunciations and beer reviews.  Here’s what’s inside this week’s scan:

UK: The Reshuffle That Changes Nothing

Angela Rayner is out as Deputy PM. David Lammy is in. Yvette Cooper moves to Foreign Secretary. And still, Starmer’s government looks… wobbly.

• Does reshuffling help when the fundamentals remain unchanged?
• Are Labour’s backbenchers already preparing for war?
• Holly and Andrew reflect on just how hard it is to govern—even when the adults are in charge.

“It turns out this governing thing is pretty hard, isn’t it?”

Canada: The Economic Squeeze Tightens

The latest numbers are grim:

• GDP down 1.6%
• Unemployment at 7.1% (highest since 2016)
• Youth unemployment? A staggering 14.5%
• Export plunge led by a 25% drop in passenger vehicle sales

Prime Minister Carney tries to counter with $5B in tariff relief and a freeze on EV mandates—but will any of it matter if affordability keeps getting worse?

“What’s old is new again—pocketbook issues are back on top.”

France: Chaos, Again

The curse of Craft Politics strikes again. Since last week’s episode:

• The French government collapsed.
• Macron appointed Sébastien Lecornu as the new Prime Minister.
• That makes four PMs in four years.

But with populists on both flanks and public debt ballooning, we ask:

• Can France actually govern itself out of this mess?
• What happens when the #2 economy in the Eurozone teeters on instability?

“You can change the nurse, but the medicine stays the same.”

Lipstick on a Gerbil

This week’s contender: Nigel Farage, dodging questions about a town mayor’s 600% pay raise.

Does he spin? Deflect? Or just do Farage things?

🧴 Holly: 2 coats

🧴 Joseph: 2 coats

🧴 Percy: 1.5 coats (with a suggestion for what he would’ve said instead)

“He’s not going to bullshit his way through it—and that’s exactly why his base loves him.”

🍺 Beer Notes

• Joseph: Burdock Helles Lager (Crisp. Clear. Happy-making.)
• Holly: M&S-bought Vocation IPA (She brought a glass!)
• Percy: Buxton Axe Edge IPA (Fine. Not his favourite. Would still take sponsorship.)

00:00 Welcome and banter — Tube strikes, bikes, and beer
05:01 UK chaos — Angela Rayner resigns as Deputy PM
06:16 The John Prescott problem — Labour's balance crisis
07:28 Reform benefits from mainstream chaos
08:11 Three failed governments — A journalist's warning
15:39 Canada's economic pain — Unemployment hits 7.1 percent
18:45 What people actually talk about — Cost of living and crime
20:26 Immigration meets affordability — Why it's different now
23:28 France gets its fourth PM in four years
26:00 The medicine no one will take — Europe's unsolvable problem
27:23 Contagion risk — Could France trigger another 2008 crash?
29:22 The social media trap — Why leaders can't make the case for pain
33:03 Lipstick on a Gerbil — Nigel Farage dodges the Scarborough scandal
37:30 Tasting notes and wrap