I was in favour of Burnham standing but now I’m not so sure he’d have won it anyway. The level of Green campaigning and visible support was off the scale. Never seen anything like it. I suspect the amount of voting in the Gorton side from the more liberal, left leaning young voters and disenfranchised older Labour voters, including a portion of the Muslim vote unhappy about the government’s stance on Gaza outweighed the fairweather fascists over in Denton. Thankfully the anti fascist vote wasn’t split allowing Reform in. Local elections I suspect Labour losing Wards to both Reform and Green.
I think Burnham wouldn’t have necessarily won, but he would havecstood a better chance. There were other issues. Gaza being one, but there is a risk of pigeon holing the Islamic vote as being monofocussed, which plays into the hands of anti-Muslims. I think things like cost of living also played a significant role too.
