To find Andy Burnham’s sudden rise to the top odd?

I've always thought he's come across well. He's always seemed like a people person, speaks up, stands up and gets the job done.

I'm not a northerner.

Much prefer him to Starmer.

He's a very naughty boy 😂

You voted for whoever your local MP was.

He was responsible for the Hillsborough Disaster families getting the Independent Panel report & the reopening of the inquests which led to the verdicts of Ulawful Killed being given. Without him the case would never have been reopened. He was the person who brought up the need for Hillsborough Law which would mean all authorities involved in any disaster would have a duty of candour.

I'm from / in London, and definitely not shocked or scared. I've been rooting for him for years! And no I'm not sure how OP hasn't heard of him up until now 😳

I've been aware of him for years and years. He was in Tony Blair’s era. Maybey awareness is because I’m Northern?
I get the sense that Londoners are a bit shocked and scared

OMG how short are people's memories? For 14 years the Tories dismantled this country bit by bit, behaved despicably during Covid and made us a laughing stock with their revolving door policy for PMs.
We need a radical change. Is Andy Burnham it? I don't know but let's see what he's about without all the silly scaremongering

If you didn't see Andy Burnham all over the news fighting for Manchester during the covid lockdowns then where were you?
He was on the news every day for about a year.

It doesn't make him great though. He's still a genocide supporter.

It’s a bit puzzling not to have heard of him, but otherwise I agree that if he is simply made PM without any sort of contest or scrutiny, having only just become an MP, it feels odd. Then again, somehow Liz Truss happened…

I cannot stand the man, he’s from my area and he is so smug and looks down on his “lessers”

Clearly not in the North West!

@bittertwisted apologies, I replied to the wrong post. Being 'up north' is definitely not a negative!

@patooties the narrative is continued. Since day one, Keir Starmer was destroyed by the mainstream (right wing) and held to totally different standards than the previous car crash government. Let's hope our politically aware young people are now coming to an age to vote and make themselves heard. They have inherited an absolute shitshow and have been denied the privileges afforded to to those who voted to limit their future.

He’s well known, but it basically shows they have no one else left if no one challenges him. Everyone else is hated or incompetent or both. He’s got a popular image but won’t after this job.

I’m surprised anyone hasn’t really heard of him, given that he was so high profile during the COVID lockdown ? He was constantly on the news and in the papers.

I am from ‘up north’, the same city as Andy Burnham
the post i am quoting suggests being from up north is a negative

Why are people pretending Andy Burnham is some kind of far left loon?

He isn’t even the pm yet. I’m embarrassed for you guys. We cannot have another death by media

No it isn’t. It’s choosing the best option to defeat the one you want the least. As a lifelong Labour voter I want to vote for an election winner.

@bittertwisted, 'up north' is a significant part, if not the majority of the electorate who have been ignored and bloody had to put up with London centric policies for decades. Many cities and towns up here are now thriving and rebuilding despite the absolute devastation caused by the Thatcher government that destroyed entire communities. Also, many tend to forget, the industrial revolution, subsequent wealth and prosperity that certain people still think makes the UK great, all happened up here in the north. We also have amazing, diverse and multi-cultral cities because following WW2 the UK asked people to move here from the British Empire to support industry.

Someone on the right says mumsnet is too left wing...
And the left say the opposite
Hilarious

What an odd comment, most prime ministers have had jobs before politics! The last who didn't was Cameron, everyone else since Thatcher had careers before politics. Not sure who before Cameron. I believe Callaghan only ever worked in the public sphere, so maybe him, if that counts? It does seem more common with Labour, very very few of their current MPs have worked in the private sector.

@GoneWithTHeWindJammers I disagree There remain several people who take an interest in politics and social policy and are disillusioned at the moment. Not because of the current government or even the previous one, but because of the absolute carnage caused by Brexit and the populist politics based on hate and devision.

you vote for a party, not a leader
wtf is being from ‘up north’ got to do with anything

Sad, It's now about choosing the least worst option.

I voted to get rid of the Tories, I don’t give a fuck who the PM is. I’ll be voting to keep Reform out next time I go to the polls in a GE, if Burnham is the best bet I’ll be happy.

I voted for a Labour Party led by Starmer. I didn't vote for a Labour Party led by someone from up North that I hadn't heard of at the GE.