LyrArc Article Gist
"I feel rather a lot of hope that if Andy Burnham does become prime minister, he will bring the human understanding with him that he will have acquired when studying English at Cambridge 35 years ago," says University of Cambridge chancellor Smith. "He may well be our first prime minister to have studied English at university, and that would be a very good thing." A good understanding of Chaucer and Shakespeare is a way to understand human nature, life's uncertainties, the English language from its origins and its development over a thousand years, understanding the history that went with the language, and the religious undertones of society from the days of the Tynsdale Bible, what moved people and how it turned out over many centuries. This is very useful for a British prime minister. The education just supplements all the positive aspects of the person, and helps him grow into a fuller person. This is why you have English majors leading to further education in other fields and in important contributions from science to space, physics to the law and business. It has just become hugely undervalued in the last 4 decades leading to some of the gaps we find in better grasp of economics, politics, physics, science, law, business, that have led to the Nation's relative decline since the 1980's. Hank Paulson, Treasury Secretary, Angelo Giamatti, Baseball Commissioner, Steven Spielberg, movie producer, Clarence Thomas at the US Supreme Court, Anne Mulcahy, CEO of Xerox, Mario Cuomo, governor of New York, and Harold Varmus Nobel prize winner in 1989 in medicine for his finding how genes origin in normal healthy cells that transform healthy cells into cancer cells, all had degrees in English. And many brought this passsion for language into other fields by adding degrees in law, medicine, science, other fields. How one can combine English with science is seen in the extraordinary example of the first American woman in space Sally Ride who had a degree in English alongside a degree in physics in 1973 and went on to get a PhD. in physics in 1978 from Stanford University. ...

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Andy Burnham is the first UK prime minister to have a degrees in English literature- a degree from Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge. Other prime ministers had degrees in history, Economics, Politics, and classical studies. Blake Morrison says here that a degree in English adds broadmindedness and empathy. Burnham thinks a knowledge of Chaucer ( one of Burnham's favorites), Shakespeare, Orwell and Harrison, has done him well on people's footsteps, as he campaigned in Manchester and Makerfield. This week The conservative press in the Telegraph and The Times, Cambridge University also commented favorably on this. After all a Nation that favors tradition, right down to the monarchy and sessions parliament, in the courts, and in its unwritten Constitution based on precedent, is unlikely to find a knowledge of Chaucer and Shakespeare to be at odds with a knowledge of the people and how to run the country for their benefit in a modern democracy. Economics has become too theoretical and quantitative to the point that it missed completely that China under CCP using an adaptation of a market economy and state planning, could catch up with the United States and Europe within 3 decades, going from bicycles and rural economy to  one of the largest modern transportation networks across the country, and dominating world manufacturing, supply chains and trade. Burnham says this author, professor emeritus from the University of London, could show his father that a degree in English from Cambridge was well worth his time by citing from Tony Harrison's poem called V about the power or words. ...

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In WSJ 2026 survey about 40% of Ameircans see themselves as middle class, 22% upper middle class and 31% working class. Census Bureau also provides insights into income of Americans and where they fall in income terms. Census Bureau .has five quintiles of 20% each with the following dollar incomes separating each quintile- $35,000, $65,000, $105,000, $175,000, over $175,000. Cost of living (education, automobiles, housing, food, gas) has risen to the point that $175,000 does not feel like middle class today and makes college education, housing, automobiles less affordable. This is the major issue of 2026.

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How the grandiose visions of Saudi new cities in the desert are being reset after the war, and the people in the poorest countries are being faced with higher prices for food, fuel and fertilizer when they can least afford it in 2026. The media focus has been on the Hormuz without saying, A. -that now with the Omani route added to the Iranian route in Hormuz a new defacto 2 route Hormuz is setup by the US Iran agreement. B.- that China has already reset its energy policy to do without the 3 million barrels a day it got through Hormuz, India has already setup new oil supplies from Venezuela, Japan is working out new arrangements, US is creating incentives for oil companies to produce in other regions of the world. And C.- the renewable energy policies, how much energy to use per unit of GDP under effcient use, is being accelerated in EU, India, China and Japan, and indirectly also in the US as cost of renewables comes down compared to fossil fuels. These will be constructive aspects of the situation. The world also shifts away from the Middle East a source of decades of wars that brought down the Soviet Union, destroyed some economies in South Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan), created the distraction for the US that led to letting its infrastructure and economy to weaken, and destroyed the economic and social fabric in many parts of the Arab world and North Africa (Libya, Iran, Iraq, Syria). It closes a chapter of the Middle East from which lessons can be drawn for a focus on economic development and using science and technology to improve living standards of the people of the world, to tackle climate change, and for peaceful cooperation of major nations. ...

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Justice Alito's majority US Supreme Court ruling on DJT ending program that allowed 350000 immigrants from war zones Haiti and Syria as implemented by the DJT administration. SCOTUS majority did not consider the president's statements instead focusing on president's authority to conduct migrant and immigration policy in the national interest.

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Belarus relay stations turned off after Ukraine drone attacks. Ukraine's capabilities in drones technologies stabilizes the war fronts with Russia. For Ukraine economic help from the European Union, defense commitments of the governments of Germany, France and Britain, less dependence on the US, now creates a situation in which both sides Russia and Ukraine can make an agreement through which this war can be brought to a close. 

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Ukraine's capabilities in drones technologies stabilizes the war fronts with Russia. It economic help from the European Union, and commitments of the governments of Germany, France and Britain, less dependence on the US, now creates a situation in which both sides Russia and Ukraine can make an agreement through which this war can be brought to a close. 

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US naval base at Bahrain and the damage from missiles in the war  June 2026 as shown by the WSJ. Bahrain is located only 150 miles from the Iranian coastline and was targeted along with other sites including Kuwait and UAE. A new route along the Omani coastline protected by US naval power in the region that then goes along the UAE coastline is now the route opened up by the US for shipping oil through Hormuz. This route is key to reducing oil prices and the recent visit by Marco Rubio of the US to the Gulf Cooperation Council being held in Bahrain June 25,  and the meetings held there, affirmed the open navigation of the seas on international waterways as being under international law. This has led to the fall of oil prices to prewar levels of around $70 per barrel. The US will redo the naval forces and bases in the region with less in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, smaller footprint in Bahrain, and move some naval forces to the west closer to or inside Israel. The administration has asked Congress for $40 billion for the naval and military effort to restore open navigation of the seas for the world's energy of which $5 billion will go to repair of damaged naval facilities. One of the effects of the war that is constructive is ther is now an awareness to manage oil consumption in India, China and Japan major users of oil coming through Hormuz. China has figured out ways to do without the 3 million barrels a day from Hormuz, India has setup alternative oil supplies from Venezuela, and Japan is both cutting oil use and looking at alternative sources. Oil companies are also working on alternative supplies in other regions of the world. Both China, India, and European Union are accelerating their renewable energy sources to meet energy requirements. This means after 2026 the world may not be dependent on Hormuz for energy supplies, Hormuz becoming one of multiple sources and alternative supplies than in the past. This will also keep oil prices in the $50-$70 range that is consistent with cost of living and economic growth. ...

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The NYT looks at the FIFA rankings of top 10 in the World Cup Soccer 2026 and how they fared- France, Brazil, Argentina did well. 

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Ecuador wins by 2-1 vs Germany World Cup Soccer 2026 in an upset win.

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De facto there are now two routes through Hormuz. The Iranian coastline route and the Omani coastline route backed by the US and UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait. Iran $40 billion from tolls and charges for insurance in its part of the route along Iranian coastline, other route is along Omani coastline free of tolls charges and also monitored for insurance by UK maritime authorites. This also means with cooperation of China, Egypt, India, and other nations there will be under the current settlement of US and Iran, an opportunity to keep the navigation in the Hormuz channel open for energy tankers to use. The agreement makes Iran responsible for demining the Hormuz channel. Over time this could be the new defacto arrangement that brings down oil prices, and as shown in Lyrarc providing a transition to China, India and Japan finding alternative supplies, accelerating renewable energy targets, cutting consumption in China/Japan, so that Hormuz channel is no longer a factor in oil prices. It will be a big relief to the poorer countries in the world hit hard in Africa, Latin America and Asia by oil prices and limits to oil use without dollar reserves. ...

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Gas prices at pump drop by 4% on June 24, 2026 in the US, even as oil prices drop by a third from over $100 a barrel to less than $70 as ships make it though Hormuz channel.

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Brent crude drops to $73 a barrel on June 24 2026.

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A very basic EV pickup truck at $25,000 financed by Amazon- with AC Cruise Control and 2 person seating that can be converted into 5 seating using a special kit. The company named Slate based in Troy, Michigan, does not depend on government incentives, bypasses dealerships altogether. It is built using robotic machinery not metal stamping machines and does not use paint but uses $500 customizable vinyl wraps. This way it avoids having paint shops and metal stamping plants like the major car makers, which are major parts of the cost. It will be made at a factory in Warsaw, Indiana in 2027. The Slate pickup truck is shorter than a Toyota Corolla. It can be driven on one EV charge for 205 miles and can use Tesla's charging network.

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Nine other departments have been already moved to a new campus in Darlington. It is part of relocating civil servants to modern offices from the constricted space in the old buildings of No. 9 and No. 10 Downing Street. The Treasury could be split with a new growth ministry in the North of a England, as favored byBank of England economist Andy Haldane. And parts of the Prime Minister's office could be transfered to thre North of England. Burnham has the Makerfield Test which simply asks are the new constitutents served by the actions taken. With Steve Rotherham Mayor of Liverpool, Andy Burnham has published a book that calls for action to equalize living standards all over England.

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James Purnell Work and Pensions Secretary in 2008 Labour government selected for position of chief of staff to UK's Andy Burnham. He worked at a an advisory firm owned by Cinven. (Cinven stands for Coal Investment Nominees for Venture Capital with its funding base coming from British Coal, the Railway Industry and Barclays Bank). The advisory firm provided advice to companies like Apple, Amazon, Google and others. There is scrutiny within the Labou Party of his appointment and any connection to lobbying the government. Burnham served in the Labour government in 2008 and 2009- first as junior minister in the Departemnt of Health and in the Home Office in 2008, and in 2009 under Gordon Brown as chief secretary to the Treasury. Burnham and Purnell are friends.

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Larry Ellison and DJT over two decades as DJT runs three times for the presidency.

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Scott Bessent on the economic and national security of the people of America that follows Alexander Hamilton's advice on possessing all the essentials of national supply. This is also about the American Dream that brought so many people across the oceans to this continent for 400 years since 1626- of the promise of land and opportunity, of scientific advancement and new technologies, of manufacturing on this continent and creating opportunities for American workers and families in our industrial landscape.

Scott Bessent said- 

"The primary vision of this Administration, that every decision and policy of the United States Government should serve the American people."

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One example of how the appearance of divisiveness in the media may be misleading is how all sides are coming together on the toughest problems. On housing supply a genuine change has happened. The 21st Century Road to Housing Act biggest bipartisan legislation before the midterm elections is passed in Congress. The most comprehensive and consequential housing legislation in a century as the president DJT calls it, passes both Houses of US Congress by big majorities, in the House by 358 to 32 and in the Senate by 85 to 5. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Tim Scott from both parties worked together to get it done. It addresses both rural and urban needs for small towns and large cities, creates more funding, cuts approval time, and provides incentives for builders. It also limnits institutional investors in how much of housing they control as this worsened the supply of housing and housing prices in recent years. The extent of the housing supply crisis can be seen by the 54% climb in housing prices since 2020, costing 5 times the median income far above historical standards, according Harvard Center for Housing Studies. ...

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Scott Bessent Treasury Secretary told the Economic Club of New York on Tuesday evening that the founders knew something more enduring than what we have come up with in the last couple of decades with chips and other technologies- " "The founders understood something far more enduring: that the fortunes of a nation are shaped by the energies of its people. Those energies transformed a small republic on the edge of a continent into the most prosperous nation in the long sweep of human civilization." We should never forget this, and we should make the energies of the American people and how it affects them the core of everything we do.  America's strengths lie not just in its natural resources and the depth of its capital markets it lies in the conditions, the character, capacity of its people- "It resides most of all in the character and the capacity of our people: the entrepreneur with an idea, the worker who can master new trades and technologies, institutions with the freedom and confidence to flourish." We must remember Bessent says what Alexander Hamilton as one of the founders in the 1780's taught us about possessing within us all the essentials of national supply, so that we produce what we need- "Alexander Hamilton taught us: that every nation “ought to endeavor to possess within itself all the essentials of national supply.” Our strength is derived from what we can build, for the nation that can’t produce what it needs isn’t truly secure. The nation that depends on its adversaries for critical inputs isn’t truly sovereign. And the nation that reduces its economics to consumption isn’t truly prosperous." Access to cheap supplies of goods is not what the American Dream was and is about from the beginning of the settlement of this continent in 1620's and throughout the period before and after independence for 400 years.  "Access to cheap goods is not the essence of the American Dream. The American Dream is rooted in the concept that any citizen can achieve prosperity, upward mobility, and economic security. For too long, the designers of multilateral trade deals have lost sight of this. International economic relations that do not work for the American people must be re-examined." ...

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Internal Bank of England data showing Britain inside European Union 6-8% higher GDP and 75 billion pounds of higher exports of goods in 2025. This is the only objective assessment one can accept in judging what would be best for British workers and their families.  Also lost on the 2014 -2016 period that led to referendum on Brexit in 2016 just three years later is that it came after the 2009-2011 period for recovery from the financial crisis, the first entry of Conservatives and sharp austerity cuts in public spending by 2012, and the period of Covid that followed just 3 years after 2016 in 2019. The process of improving productivity and increasing competitiveness that could have happened, is a cost Britain suffered from Brexit becoming topic No.1, skewing priorities from reindustrializing to debate on a non priority item Brexit- with a lost decade as a result in addition to the 8% of GDP and 75 billion pounds that could add to these numbers. In this way UK lost about 10% of its GDP and 100 billion pounds of exports that without the that  additional public investment  did not happen from 2009 financial crisis, from Brexit divisiveness, followed by Covid. The result is 1.5% growth in GDP in UK compared to closer to 3% in the US. The lower growth alone can mean additional losses in exports in 2025 than are seen in numbers, and additional losses in GDP. This is the economic weakness  that hangs over Britain as it tries out a new leader in 2026. Only a bold action plan under a bold leader can reverse this decline. As shown elsewhere on these pages in Lyrarc, this is why a new leader needs to articulate a bold and well thought out plan to execute with the support of the British people. Andy Burnham has the potential to make this happen starting in 2026 over the next 5-7 years. He has to build on the work he did in the Greater Manchester region, and like Modi in India applying the lessons learned in his home state of Gujarat, step by step, year by year, build the industrial and economic capacity of Britain by 2035. It is not a feat for the timid, struggles will abound, yet it can be done with one step following the previous step in a continuous stride. In fact Burnham can now work with India to add about 1% of GDP because of the close trading relationship and centuries long synergies with India to get closer to 3% growth in GDP per year. At that point public spending and investment would rise to propel further growth. It is in the interest of every sector in Britain to pull together, the same in India, to lift these two main countries of the Commonwealth by the bootstraps. ...