Andy Burnham - how can this be allowed?

Reform councillors all believed there were big easy savings to be made in council spending.

And surprise, surprise they haven't found them.

Yes, going through the accounts and stripping down the councils to basic services is the way to go, Reform/Tories would do this? Are Labour deliberately trying to crash house prices?

What are the chances that Reform win? A lot of voters in that area are going to be onside with Reform and maybe they like having him as their Mayor but not their PM, will they sabotage him?

The problem with the wealth tax and council tax rebranding is that everyone thinks it’s just the rich who will pay. Maybe at first that’s true but long term they will freeze/reduce bands until everyone is paying more

london and the south east will also be disproportionately impacted

the knock on effects need to be considered but the current government don’t seem to want to look at things like that if the NI change is anything to go by

People won’t extend their homes if they know the council tax will go up.
Many can afford a small extension , but not to move to a bigger house. It might have the effect of some people downsizing , but who can afford the bigger houses they may want to move from? I bet the housing market will stagnant soon. Especially if council tax increases by a lot. Also councils waste so much money , wouidnt looking into their finances be a better idea instead of clobbering people with more taxes. With so few social housing around, buying is the only option for many and prices are high for so many people are already and many people in flats ( as my son is) also have to pay extra fees for the leaseholders as well as council tax.
That goes up every year.

The council banding system needs an overhaul. Houses with massive extensions etc have not been rebranded for years. It should be done automatically when the work has been completed. Would raise tons of money.

Blimey, the bollox people make up about how our system "should" work in order to attack a party they don't like.

Governing parties elect new PMs from among their sitting MPs all the time. The last government made a particular habit of it. If you don't like it, campaign for a law saying that any time a PM resigns there must be a new general election (which would be completely ridiculous).

And IF Burnham wins the Makerfield by-election, he will be just as democratically elected as an MP as anyone elected in the last general election, so just as qualified to be PM.

Well said.

I really don’t get your point. The only difference with a general election is that MPs are being elected for every constituency, in this by-election only one constituency is voting. Whoever wins will be an MP who can legitimately become PM.
I think you have an issue with the likely outcome rather than the process

They are both better than what we had & growth, though tepid is better than before, we've had some of the best growth in the G7 since July 2024.

NHS is doing a bit better, roads around me are finally getting fixed.

Labour said pre GE, it would take 10 years to turn things around not 2 years.

Reeves messed up on WFA but Labour do listen, hence changes in policy or U-turns as their detractors say but would they prefer to stick with the original plan?

I wish they'd crack on with defence, its a huge priority.

Being photographed running sends a message that you are fit and healthy and that you are driven

theres a reason Ed was eating a bacon sandwich and there was a reason Cameron was eating chips. Even if it backfired!

Keir and Rachel are useless. Unfortunately, I think the Labour party has nothing better to offer. We may as well keep the for another couple of years. A change of leadership is not going to improve things. Look what happened to the Conservatives.
Boris' legs were not particularly hairy. I'm not sure what he was trying to demonstrate by going running. He just raised a smile. No-one thought he was sexy. (Except Carrie and an American pole dancer. )

Andy's Legs are excessively hairy. I don't like his shorts either.
It was another poster who claimed he was sexy. I don't think politicians need to be sexy.
I don't want to see Nigel Farage's legs. I definitely don't want to see Zack Polanski's legs. I don't think I have ever seen a female MP pounding the streets in short shorts. They've probably got more sense.
They just float on inflatables having a vape...

he has talked about it and then his opposition have run with it. I just don’t feel anything he’s saying is at all inspiring. Just more of the same. I’m not seeing any benefit to this leadership scrap to the country.

the daily mail have really gone for him today though. I assume he’s going to be their main story until election day.

Hardly likely.

Think about it, wants to get elected but promises council tax increases....

Just another smear.

Both he and Wes seem to be intent on proving that Labours reputation for only knowing how to raise tax is true

and I see he is back tracking on some of his less popular views

maybe losing the by election will make the big parties sit up and realise that the blatant careerism of their candidates puts people off

I read this too. We already pay a fortune as it is.
I hope it’s not true.

Have you heard that it is being reported he is going to …. Drum roll …… increase council tax if he gets in. Excellent!!

Exactly.

Plus if he wins, he hasn’t been parachuted in, he’s been voted in. Like every other MP

The thing is, once someone is elected to parliament at any point (GE or by-election) they can be voted as party leader and become PM. Thats just a fact.

It is not a parliamentary requirement to have been voted in at the last GE.

By all means campaign to have this bit added if you feel strongly.

In a GE you really should not think of it as voting for rhe PM as the PM is changeable. It would be like buying a house because you like the neighbours - they might move.

I can see where you are coming from, but you don’t seem able to accept it’s just something you don’t like, not something that is actually technically wrong. So in that sense, you do not understand, or will not accept, the way it works.

How long until they actually have a leader, is it the end of June?

I never said sex appeal made anyone a suitable candidate for PM, I said sex appeal, which is more about charisma than looks, wins voters.

Some people's comprehension skills are dire!

I think people deliberately voted Labour to get rid of the Tories, that was the Labour votes that went over to Boris and also Reform voters, this time it all goes to Reform, more so since Labour continue to babble on about reversing Brexit, they just can"t stop themselves, they are totally unfit to be in government.

100% agree and to be fair a few posters have said this is not something a politician needs.

But we all know the Media is largely responsible for this narrative - consistently pulling people apart for their appearance and how they eat.

I'm old enough to remember the bacon sandwich and eating chips with a knife fork mocking that occurred to Ed Miliband and David Cameron.