Plus: Canada’s economic blues, France’s fourth PM in four years, and Farage dodges a lipstick.
Joseph, Andrew, and Holly 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 solid banter, questionable French pronunciation, 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.
🇨🇦 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?
🇫🇷 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?
🍺 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.)
