Trump's Gaza Plan, Labour Conference, and a Postal Strike
Also featuring: Yorkshire ale, Rubik’s Cubes, and one glorious grapefruit lager.
We’re back with another Issue Scan — and we’ve got a full lineup:
🌍 A 20-point postwar plan for Gaza
🇬🇧 Labour’s conference drama (or lack thereof)
📬 And a Canada Post strike that’s gone… oddly unnoticed?
Trump’s 20-Point Gaza Plan
A sweeping ceasefire + hostage deal
A transition plan for governance without Hamas
A surprising reappearance from… Tony Blair?
Key questions we explore:
Is this Trump’s bid for a legacy?
Is Bibi finally out of diplomatic options?
And is this the first credible vision of what happens after the war?
“It feels like the world has finally told Hamas: this is your last turn.”
Labour’s Liverpool Reset
Starmer’s conference speech goes… pretty well
Andy Burnham’s ambitions flame out
But Starmer steps in it by calling Reform UK’s policies “racist”
We debate:
Is this a smart pivot or a total own-goal?
Who is Labour really trying to win over now — progressives or reform-curious voters?
“Nobody thinks Andy Burnham is more suited to be PM than Andy Burnham.”
The Canada Post Strike
Postal workers are on strike
The public… mostly hasn’t noticed
But could this be the start of a slow shift toward austerity?
We ask:
Is this strike a meaningful issue or just a sign of how things have changed?
Could rural communities and small businesses eventually turn the tide?
“20 years ago, this would’ve been a political crisis. Today, it’s a footnote.”
💄 Lipstick on a Gerbil: Steve Reed Defends Starmer
We rate Labour’s Housing Secretary’s efforts to defend Starmer’s leadership on live TV:
Joseph: 2.5 coats — “Strong, but maybe too confident.”
Holly: 2 coats — “Visibly uncomfortable.”
Andrew: 2 coats — “Solid, but please drop the ‘10-year plan’ talk.”
“He’s ready for the question — but is he ready for the replay when Starmer’s gone?”
🍺 Beer of the Week Roundup:
Holly: Theakston’s Old Peculier – “Delicious. Nicest one I’ve had yet.”
Andrew: La Cerveceria Astilleros Grapefruit Lager – “Grapefruit, but boozy. A win.”
Joseph: Kolsch from Wild Eye Brewing – “Crisp, fruity, a little honey and green apple on the nose. Gilly Goolden would be proud.”