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Original poster

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

391 replies

GarlicBiscuits · 29/06/2026 19:32

A few weeks ago, I’d never heard of this man. A few weeks ago, he wasn’t even an MP.

Yet suddenly, he’s everywhere and going to be our next prime minister? What qualifies him for this role? It seems that all the Labour MPs love him. Why?

The whole situation is very odd to me… I’m not sure it’ll do Labour any favors at all.

OP posts:
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Bullandbear · 01/07/2026 05:49

Diamond7272 · 30/06/2026 22:53

Yes you can be intelligent. But not educated. She's not educated. She's an utter failure in terms of professional qualifications in anything.

She just sucks up to the unions and plays, twists, her working class single mother story for her own gain... So yes, smart... But not educated.

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Completely agree, 100%.

The Labour schtick - brought up in ‘poverty’ = decent and honourable, is clearly bullshit. Rayner is simply a pub car park brawler, and that survivor mentality has carried her as far as she will go in politics. The back benches are where she belongs.

Philipson meanwhile tries to wear her tough upbringing as armour but it’s more like camouflage.

Common to all of them is a massive chip on the shoulder, and a determination to exact some kind of revenge.

Diamond7272 · 30/06/2026 22:53

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2026 22:40

Her personal life isn’t relevant and you can be intelligent without pieces of paper to prove it

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Yes you can be intelligent. But not educated. She's not educated. She's an utter failure in terms of professional qualifications in anything.

She just sucks up to the unions and plays, twists, her working class single mother story for her own gain... So yes, smart... But not educated.

Diamond7272 · 30/06/2026 22:50

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2026 22:40

Her personal life isn’t relevant and you can be intelligent without pieces of paper to prove it

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Funny, but you're the kind of person who would say Nicola sturgeon's love life also was never relevant... Right until the time when it was proven to be extremely relevant in terms of her character, turning a blind eye, spinning a yarn...

If rayner has such a complex family life, a complex non-existent educational background, and a history of misteuth in tax concerns, "spin", she's just not up to the job. She's flaky, makes bad decisions, a mess...

I remember a certain health secretary, Matt hancock, who also had a love life disaster zone. The way he treated his wife was the way he treated the country, us, like he thought we were idiots...

Is it relevant to the job??? Hmmm... It's bloody relevant to character!!! (which in political terms is crucial to the job)...

Remember Boris???

When will we, the electorate learn. PAST BEHAVIOUR IS A PRIME INDICATOR OF FUTURE Behaviour...

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2026 22:40

Diamond7272 · 30/06/2026 22:02

And men in general.... Her love life is a disaster zone.

She also has no qualifications after being an utter dud at school. Bricks are brighter.

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Her personal life isn’t relevant and you can be intelligent without pieces of paper to prove it

Diamond7272 · 30/06/2026 22:02

Bullandbear · 30/06/2026 21:37

Well, to be fair, their last great hope was Rayner, but she rather ruled herself out owing to her unorthodox relationship with tax.

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And men in general.... Her love life is a disaster zone.

She also has no qualifications after being an utter dud at school. Bricks are brighter.

ARingtoit · 30/06/2026 22:01

Have a look at the Labour Together donations...

Diamond7272 · 30/06/2026 22:01

TFImBackIn · 30/06/2026 21:46

Oh you poor thing, your ignorance is actually scary!

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Why is everyone in labour viewing him as the messiah?

Most of Manchester is still a dump and half the towers in Salford have fire and cladding issues?

TFImBackIn · 30/06/2026 21:46

GarlicBiscuits · 29/06/2026 19:32

A few weeks ago, I’d never heard of this man. A few weeks ago, he wasn’t even an MP.

Yet suddenly, he’s everywhere and going to be our next prime minister? What qualifies him for this role? It seems that all the Labour MPs love him. Why?

The whole situation is very odd to me… I’m not sure it’ll do Labour any favors at all.

Oh you poor thing, your ignorance is actually scary!

Bullandbear · 30/06/2026 21:37

Clavinova · 30/06/2026 21:27

That explains why Labour has never elected a female leader.

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Well, to be fair, their last great hope was Rayner, but she rather ruled herself out owing to her unorthodox relationship with tax.

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2026 21:28

Does it? I can’t see the logic personally.

Clavinova · 30/06/2026 21:27

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2026 21:15

Yes dear, we know.

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That explains why Labour has never elected a female leader.

TemperanceWest · 30/06/2026 21:25

Hmm.

Bullandbear · 30/06/2026 21:22

TemperanceWest · 30/06/2026 21:21

'riz?

Rizz.

TemperanceWest · 30/06/2026 21:21

'riz?

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2026 21:15

Clavinova · 30/06/2026 21:15

John Major was Chancellor and briefly Foreign Secretary before he was PM.

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Yes dear, we know.

Clavinova · 30/06/2026 21:15

VickyEadie · 30/06/2026 16:32

Nor was John Major.

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John Major was Chancellor and briefly Foreign Secretary before he was PM.

Bullandbear · 30/06/2026 21:14

Clavinova · 30/06/2026 21:09

May, Johnson, Truss, Sunak all held one of the so-called Four Great Offices of State before becoming PM - Andy Burnham has not. I was offering Leader of the Opposition as an alternative - he hasn't held that position either.

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None of that matters though, does it?

AB is the messiah, the king of the north, the only choice of the PLP.

It’s all about the optics (don’t focus on policy, or lack of it), the comms, and the ‘riz - and AB has ‘riz in spades.

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2026 21:11

Bullandbear · 30/06/2026 21:03

Ah, the old twister - never gets old. Oh wait.

Define back on its feet. And this Labour government is uniquely placed to deliver that, right? And that’s because….

Did I miss your reply on gilt yields btw?

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Yes, you missed it. I replied almost as soon as you posted it. Did I say this government is uniquely placed? It’s doing better than the last one - we were in recession in the last two quarters of 2023.

Clavinova · 30/06/2026 21:09

TemperanceWest · 30/06/2026 14:41

May, Johnson, Truss, Sunak. None were ever LOP before becoming PM.

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May, Johnson, Truss, Sunak all held one of the so-called Four Great Offices of State before becoming PM - Andy Burnham has not. I was offering Leader of the Opposition as an alternative - he hasn't held that position either.

Bullandbear · 30/06/2026 21:03

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2026 20:58

It was fine as it was. Do you not want the country back on its feet?

Edited
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Ah, the old twister - never gets old. Oh wait.

Define back on its feet. And this Labour government is uniquely placed to deliver that, right? And that’s because….

Did I miss your reply on gilt yields btw?

Bullandbear · 30/06/2026 21:00

EasternStandard · 30/06/2026 19:59

I think he initially said ‘if I’m needed’. That was a while back can’t remember exactly when.

But it wasn’t until much closer that him being PM would happen. For a start Starmer was trying to use whatever to block it happening. The NEC etc

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Harold Macmillan said that prime ministers are either bookies or bishops.

We’ve had the sanctimonious bishop in the unflattering visage of the hapless Starmer, and I rather suspect Burnham will fulfil the role of bookmaker…

Speaking of odds, I predict that a Burnham premiership will prove to be a complete an utter horlicks.

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2026 20:58

Bullandbear · 30/06/2026 20:53

I don’t care. If he gets the country back on its feet and continues to kicks Reform’s arse he’s fine by me.

There, fixed yours.

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It was fine as it was. Do you not want the country back on its feet?

Bullandbear · 30/06/2026 20:53

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2026 20:05

My view is that Burnham, similar to Boris in some ways, is an opportunist - the need to please, the mercurial nature, the fleeting commitment to a particular cause of political opportunity.

I don’t care. If he gets the country back on its feet and continues to kick Reform’s arse he’s fine by me.

I don’t care. If he gets the country back on its feet and continues to kicks Reform’s arse he’s fine by me.

There, fixed yours.

TemperanceWest · 30/06/2026 20:43

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2026 20:05

My view is that Burnham, similar to Boris in some ways, is an opportunist - the need to please, the mercurial nature, the fleeting commitment to a particular cause of political opportunity.

I don’t care. If he gets the country back on its feet and continues to kick Reform’s arse he’s fine by me.

Yeah. I feel the same tbh.

BIossomtoes · 30/06/2026 20:05

My view is that Burnham, similar to Boris in some ways, is an opportunist - the need to please, the mercurial nature, the fleeting commitment to a particular cause of political opportunity.

I don’t care. If he gets the country back on its feet and continues to kick Reform’s arse he’s fine by me.