Burnham

[Deereyme66]

Given Starmer’s a dead man walking in the electorate’s eyes, Burnham could set the cat amongst the Reform pigeons. I’m assuming he’s weighed up every hurdle and when the leadership vote surely comes in the next few years, I can’t see anyone in the Party beating him. And why not? He’s had a good few years as GM mayor and may aswell make his move now. Can’t see current Labour voters in Gorton and Denton not voting for him in the by-election and may gain more non-Labour too. Farage will be irked I reckon. The supposed ‘man of the people’ v the actual ‘man of the people ‘

[Northumbiron]

A proper Socialist?

May irk some on here too!

[Deereyme66]

Blocked! Boooo!

[Siderite]

I have always found him a bit of a weather vane and his attempts to undermine Starmer, as useless as he has been, for the past few years, has been underhand.

[Deereyme66]

He’d be a bigger challenge to Farage in a general election than Starmer or any other potential leader of the Party. That’s the bottom line for me.

[64]

Starmer is toxic,nobody close to Starmer can be trusted and there’s still too much Blair influence in there. Andy Burnham at ” seems ” to mostly reflect what should be Labour values in my opinion.Starmer sees politics a game to be won and stay on top ,no morals at all.His chasing racist votes is proof of that.

[64]

PS Wes Streeting is even worse.Proper ladies parts

[Siderite]

Streeting is the only minister who seems to have had some benefits in his own task of healthcare, but it is probably not surprising I am more fond of someone when it is not shared by 64.

I am not surprised Burnham was blocked; from a strategical point of view, it would be silly to allow someone in who has been scheming for years and would cause friction.

[Deereyme66]

Burnham’s been focused on his role as GM Mayor the last few years, and a good job he’s made of it too. If he harbours ambitions to lead the Party and the country I wouldn’t hold it against him. It’s politics and he’s hardly Machiavelli.

[Siderite]

It’s perhaps not surprising, but he hasn’t been subtle in interviews for quite some time now, and I have no doubt there would be internal issues coming if he was a back bencher. It’s politics, so I am not saying he is a bad person or has been a bad mayor, but from party leadership it would be a fraught move for them to allow in someone to stand when they will likely cause issues.

[Deereyme66]

I think it will cause more issues not letting him stand. Firstly, they need to find a strong candidate for Gorton and Denton. There’s been a lot of flag hanging round those parts recently.

[Iron-awe]

Think Burnham missed his chance when he ran against Corbyn , as a union member I voted for him back then but he didn’t really gain any ground against the far left candidate or Russian sympathiser or whatever Corbyn was, most people I talked to reckon he was a fruitcake, Corbyn not Burnham I mean.

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Siderite

[Deereyme66]

Siderite wrote:

I have always found him a bit of a weather vane and his attempts to undermine Starmer, as useless as he has been, for the past few years, has been underhand.

‘Taking questions at the Resolution Foundation thinktank, Burnham says that the PM “has my support, the government has my support”.

He adds that ministers also had his support when he put his name forward for the Gorton and Denton by-election in recent weeks, a move that was subsequently blocked by Labour.

“I do feel we’re at a crucial moment, it is absolutely right that people give the government stability in this moment,” he adds.’

[Siderite]

I think some of his previous comments when spoken of leadership ambitions were undermining. It is the nature of politics and there are a lot of comments of support currently that I think have tactical undertones, not just from Burnham, but from Streeting and some of the rest of the Cabinet. And given how unpopular and weak Starmer is, I don’t think it is fully without reason.

Again, it doesn’t make them bad, but I don’t think it’s high principle. I am not totally against Burnham, but he very much has a political gamesmanship mind, as do many of them. I find it funny when it is said Starmer was previously playing games, but Burnham hasn’t been doing. As a social media joke goes: “A Blairite, a Brownite and a Corbynite walk into a bar. The barman says “what are you having today, Mr Burnham?””

[Deereyme66]

I thought you might find Burnham’s latest ‘backing’ amusing. I certainly had a wry smile.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Siderite

[Siderite]

I have to be honest in that I am majorly disappointed in the government. I thought Starmer would have some degree of competence, from being head of the CPS and some apparent mastering of detail in opposition when scrutinising Sunak and co, even if charisma was never his strong point. Turns out that was just a charade for his overly lawyerly style, where he has no seeming personality or vision, along with questionable decisions and flailing under pressure.

[Siderite]

On a lighter note:

[Northumbiron]

So being a politician is like being a PL manager then?

Instant results otherwise you’re history!

[64]

He’d have won Gorton

[Iron-awe]

I remember when Gorton was a gopher, oh sorry that’s Gordon.

[Northumbiron]

Green Gorton!

Or was that Goblin?

[Iron-awe]

Northumbiron wrote:

Green Gorton!

Or was that Goblin?

“We’ll meet again Spiderman “, rides off on flying green chariot cackling manically.

[64]

Another example of the moderates sabotaging an election to keep red Labour out of Westminster?

[Northumbiron]

Back in the good old days the moderates would leave Labour and set up their own centrist party (SDP anyone?).

The centre-left are looking almost like centre-right because there is a present no effective centrist party. What the hell has happened to the LibDems?

We need Bobby G to post on why they have gone into hiding.

[Deereyme66]

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.

[Deereyme66]

Anyway, good to see the back of Goodwin. Total c***.

[Deereyme66]

I feel for decent people in local authorities that may become run by Reform after May. They’re absolute lunatics. Those that vote for them get what they deserve but it’s harsh on those that are against them and have to put up with their mismanagement and racism unless they move out the area.

[Iron-awe]

I see Farage was straight on social media after the Gorton result claiming corrupt voting procedures and poo pooing postal ballots as being anti democratic, straight out the Trump playbook and no serious evidence to back any of it up. A well regarded group ( according to Farage ) of observers noted some family voting taking place in Gorton, volunteers at polling stations would not allow that to happen as it is illegal and neither the GMC or the police have had any reports of wrongdoing, try again Nigel you lost fair and square, get over it.

[Siderite]

Deereyme66 wrote:

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.

[Siderite]

Iron-awe wrote:

I see Farage was straight on social media after the Gorton result claiming corrupt voting procedures and poo pooing postal ballots as being anti democratic, straight out the Trump playbook and no serious evidence to back any of it up. A well regarded group ( according to Farage ) of observers noted some family voting taking place in Gorton, volunteers at polling stations would not allow that to happen as it is illegal and neither the GMC or the police have had any reports of wrongdoing, try again Nigel you lost fair and square, get over it.

The group in question are funded by the Rowntree foundation, and are reputable. Farage and co are seizing on it to sow doubt and paranoia, but let’s not denigrate volunteer groups serving a valuable purpose. These groups are independent and have less incentives to lie than party volunteers at polling stations (not actually accusing any of foul play, just stating they are more independent) and ensuring no foul play in elections is good. I doubt any family voting pressures held much sway, but any instances should be stamped out. We shouldn’t accept declines in standard because some want to use it to destroy trust for an agenda.

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