QUENTIN LETTS: Angela was looking decidedly skittish. Might this great survivor finally make it to Cabinet?

Here, some ministers are fighting to get a place in the lifeboats on the sinking ship. A few stoic souls have remained on the bridge since the MV Starmer hit the iceberg on Monday. For some, SOS meant ‘saving our outsides’.

Rachel Reeves tossed her hair aside as she headed to the British Chambers of Commerce conference. Grab the front page, announcing his support for Andy Burnham to become Prime Minister. His face was contorted into a stern expression as he bragged about how well he knew ‘Andy’.

Stretcher bearers for Mrs. Reeves!

In the House of Commons, Darren Jones was more contrite and decent. General Secretary Jones, 39, was Sir Keir’s second mate and the government’s top parliamentary debater. There was even a rumor that he would defend the Labor leadership.

He put an end to this and said: ‘I am beginning to prepare myself for a quieter life. ‘My team and colleagues are proud to serve the Prime Minister and we wish his successor every success.’

His Tory shadow, Alex Burghart, began praising Mr. Jones. Speaker Hoyle told Burghart to stop getting wet or words to that effect. Mr. Burghart is smart, but I wish he’d stop stretching out his arms like he’s measuring mackerel.

Sir Keir had been to the cinema in Buckinghamshire (it should be explained that the visit was to promote the VAT discount on family trips in the summer). David Lammy, who is not expected to continue as Deputy Prime Minister under Mr Burnham, flew to Poland for a Ukraine recovery conference. Gdansk for memories.

Who else will be dismissed? That’s all you hear discussed in Westminster. Ministers think it will help their case if they can point to recent activity. Digital Government Minister James Frith sat in the front row but nothing worked out. Finally someone asked him a question and he jumped up excitedly and shouted ‘a batsman needs a run!’ he said. Mr Frith has a seat in Manchester. It should be fine.

Ms Eagle, Minister for Security and Labor MP for Wallasey, in the House of Commons today

Runs help; split logs, less so. What will Camp Burnham think of Bridget Phillipson’s row with Kemi Badenoch after PMQs?

This earned Ms. Badenoch a lot of coverage and reminded the world of Bridget the Terrible’s policies, which Mr. Burnham is said to be suspicious of. Medical samples for Sister Bridget, please.

Paymaster General Nick Thomas-Symonds, who is leading the Starmer government’s talks with the EU, had a front row seat in a meltdown. By contrast, Security Minister Angela Eagle looked timid. She’s the one who could be Keith Chegwin’s slightly less fun sister. She was wearing a necklace. It was the first time I saw him this decorated.

Ms Eagle carefully noted that she served as minister for channels at the start of the Blair government in 1997. Mr Burnham was then merely a Labor MP. There’s little Angela doesn’t know about muddy bottoms and leaky weirs. Will this extraordinary survivor finally make it into the Cabinet? Could you be Mr. Burnham’s Chief Whip?

Labor leader and Cabinet Minister Anna Turley spoke of ‘talent pipelines’, ‘career pathways’ and ‘north-west training camps’. You wouldn’t sell his life insurance right now.

The other minister in the front row was Chris Ward, who spent a year as Sir Keir’s parliamentary private secretary before becoming a minister (he was good at it). Mr Ward is intelligent, but the House of Commons does not bring out the best in him. He blushes, gestures a lot, and hasn’t yet mastered the art of non-response.

Meanwhile, there are concerns in the Lords about Lord Stockwood, the trade and Treasury secretary. He was the one standing next to Rachel Reeves on Budget Day 2025 and couldn’t be bothered to wear a tie. It was revealed in terrifying fashion at the committee stages of the Financial Services and Markets Bill on Wednesday. He seemed to have no idea what he was about, and his peers noticed. M’Lud Stockwood’s body bag, please.