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Original poster

AIBU to think Andy Burnham might call a general election soon?

664 replies

Mywishistoclimbthe3peaks · 20/07/2026 00:56

To think Andy Burnham will call a general election before Christmas? Yes it would be a massive roll of the dice but,

Reform - don't have the numbers for a GE and there's all frog faces suspicious money bringing him a lot of heat.

Torys - kemi doesn't have a lot of depth, I feel and she hasn't changed much in the polls. She's good at the dispatch box but let's face it anyone could stand up and insult the other side.

By calling a GE Andy would have his own mandate and break the deadlock of the back benchers.

Not being unreasonable = he needs to call a GE

Your being unreasonable = Robotic Kier and Ratchet Reeves have gone and Andy just needs to get on with it now.

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LeaveOnlyFootprints · 23/07/2026 13:28

Why?

It's not necessary.

Would also be a huge waste of millions.

Reallyneedsaholiday · 23/07/2026 13:26

Why would he? Whatever he is, he’s not a fool.

RodneyKitten · 21/07/2026 15:47

TemperanceWest · 21/07/2026 15:36

Did you pay such close attention to the cost of Philip May's clothes? Hugh O'Leary's?

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Nice attack and distract here.

Grin
TemperanceWest · 21/07/2026 15:36

RodneyKitten · 21/07/2026 15:09

There is some playroom between sack and ashes and a VB dress.

Like it or not, a dress that costs almost a grand has social significance.

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Did you pay such close attention to the cost of Philip May's clothes? Hugh O'Leary's?

TemperanceWest · 21/07/2026 15:19

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 15:09

Repost.

I don't think that dress would suit you, tbh. Perhaps head over to style and beauty for some advice?

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 15:09

Repost.

Angry Walking Away GIF by Feel The Magic Productions
RodneyKitten · 21/07/2026 15:09

TemperanceWest · 21/07/2026 15:05

Sackcloth and ashes?

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There is some playroom between sack and ashes and a VB dress.

Like it or not, a dress that costs almost a grand has social significance.

TemperanceWest · 21/07/2026 15:05

BIossomtoes · 21/07/2026 11:16

They can’t win, can they? His clothes get criticised because they’re too informal. Hers get criticised because she’s a professional woman who can afford to buy an expensive frock. What exactly should they wear?

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Sackcloth and ashes?

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 14:45

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

ruethewhirl · 21/07/2026 14:43

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 11:19

Firstly, it’s abundantly clear that I am no fan of Labour, and I will criticise them at every opportunity.

Secondly, I like to try to introduce moments of levity.

I don’t plan on stopping, so if you dont like or agree with my posts, feel free to scroll on by.

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Well, thank you for your gracious permission to ignore your posts, I was going to anyway. 🙄Although I will first point out that animated gifs are problematic for some people and you might want to try exercising a little consideration. It wasn't even funny anyway.

ruethewhirl · 21/07/2026 14:38

BermudaRhombus · 21/07/2026 11:03

It matters. His wife wearing a £900 dress for his arrival at Downing Street during a cost of living crisis is appalling optics.

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I will agree with you on that score, it does piss me off when Labour or Labour-adjacent people do this.

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 14:18

Sherpaio · 21/07/2026 13:48

The tone of political debate is absolutely dismal. It’s tiring to hear the hyperbole and adversarial nonsense they spout. No one gives a measured, thoughtful and conciliatory response to anything - it’s all just “they’re totally shit and everything they do is wrong”. It’s time they all just grew up and actually tried to work together and compromise to make things better.

If you mean politicians it’d have more to it if people said the same when Starmer was landing blows to get ahead.

LuckyHazelFox · 21/07/2026 14:03

MaeshoweDragon · 21/07/2026 13:55

? The fact that she wore a dress from a London based designer, in London?

(Her shoes were "Office" - used to be called Office of London -too.)

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She wore a dress made by a millionaire whose brand value is into a billion now. Why not choose a struggling designer who could have done with the promotion?

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 14:01

Sherpaio · 21/07/2026 13:58

I wasn’t referring to voters, I was referring to politicians. Badenoch’s response to the VAT policy was a case in point - oh it’s falling apart already, it’s all a load of shit, instead of it’s a step in the right direction, doesn’t go far enough, we’re concerned about how it’s costed, we could think about this, this, and this.

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My apologies, but, yes - it’s a war of attrition out there.

I think Labour have brought this upon themselves - they’ve proven themselves incompetent, duplicitous, indecisive etc., so there is zero goodwill left. Kemi has offered them support on welfare reform, so let’s see if they go for that - I seriously doubt it.

Sherpaio · 21/07/2026 13:58

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 13:56

Sorry, but quite a few of us have been battered during the past two years, so perhaps you can forgive us our trespasses.

We are SME owners, PS parents, farmers, net contributors - you know, that kind of thing…

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I wasn’t referring to voters, I was referring to politicians. Badenoch’s response to the VAT policy was a case in point - oh it’s falling apart already, it’s all a load of shit, instead of it’s a step in the right direction, doesn’t go far enough, we’re concerned about how it’s costed, we could think about this, this, and this.

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 13:56

Sherpaio · 21/07/2026 13:48

The tone of political debate is absolutely dismal. It’s tiring to hear the hyperbole and adversarial nonsense they spout. No one gives a measured, thoughtful and conciliatory response to anything - it’s all just “they’re totally shit and everything they do is wrong”. It’s time they all just grew up and actually tried to work together and compromise to make things better.

Sorry, but quite a few of us have been battered during the past two years, so perhaps you can forgive us our trespasses.

We are SME owners, PS parents, farmers, net contributors - you know, that kind of thing…

MaeshoweDragon · 21/07/2026 13:55

LuckyHazelFox · 21/07/2026 13:38

The significance of that dress won't be forgotten.

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? The fact that she wore a dress from a London based designer, in London?

(Her shoes were "Office" - used to be called Office of London -too.)

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 13:54

Desperatelyseekinglazysusan · 21/07/2026 13:35

One of the problems with labour is their desperation to appear 'working class' Who cares about their great granny being in the workhouse? Most of them ( and their supporters and members) are solidly middle class, University educated in good jobs, earning well above the minimum wage. Burnhams wife, on one of the biggest days of her husbands life, wore an expensive dress. If shed pretended to be 'down with the people' it would have made no difference to the cost of living crisis. What will do is what Burnham does.

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Fair comment.

Conversely, I did notice that Rayner is now wearing specs (probably with clear/non prescription lenses), presumably an attempt to make herself appear more serious/academic.

I just thought you daft try hard.

It’s all bullshit isn’t it?

Sherpaio · 21/07/2026 13:48

The tone of political debate is absolutely dismal. It’s tiring to hear the hyperbole and adversarial nonsense they spout. No one gives a measured, thoughtful and conciliatory response to anything - it’s all just “they’re totally shit and everything they do is wrong”. It’s time they all just grew up and actually tried to work together and compromise to make things better.

LuckyHazelFox · 21/07/2026 13:38

Desperatelyseekinglazysusan · 21/07/2026 13:35

One of the problems with labour is their desperation to appear 'working class' Who cares about their great granny being in the workhouse? Most of them ( and their supporters and members) are solidly middle class, University educated in good jobs, earning well above the minimum wage. Burnhams wife, on one of the biggest days of her husbands life, wore an expensive dress. If shed pretended to be 'down with the people' it would have made no difference to the cost of living crisis. What will do is what Burnham does.

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The significance of that dress won't be forgotten.

LuckyHazelFox · 21/07/2026 13:37

Desperatelyseekinglazysusan · 21/07/2026 13:31

I'm talking about Reform attempting to take the moral high ground re Haigh and Rayner. They can't, as they are funded by someone who went to prison for fraud.

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I hadn't realised Louise Haigh had been made Deputy PM. Burnham has cornered himself with that one. I don't think Reform can take the moral high ground but what on earth was Burnham thinking. I hope the support groups behind criminal records sieze this opportunity. Someone with a conditional discharge not only gets an appointment but deputy PM!

Desperatelyseekinglazysusan · 21/07/2026 13:35

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 11:20

Personally, I couldn’t give a toss what Burnham or his wife wears.

My focus is on his actions and policy.

Things that directly impact many of us.

One of the problems with labour is their desperation to appear 'working class' Who cares about their great granny being in the workhouse? Most of them ( and their supporters and members) are solidly middle class, University educated in good jobs, earning well above the minimum wage. Burnhams wife, on one of the biggest days of her husbands life, wore an expensive dress. If shed pretended to be 'down with the people' it would have made no difference to the cost of living crisis. What will do is what Burnham does.

5128gap · 21/07/2026 13:32

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 13:05

Because I’m guessing you and others said nowt at the time.

And some against it now will have joined in then.

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You'd be guessing incorrectly then. I don't expect you to know my posting history. But I can assure you I dislike attacks on women's appearance intensely. I don't care what direction its coming from. Some things to me transcend childish left and right tit for tat. I've had exchanges with you that demonstrate I'm fair and will concede fault and favour where its due. I don't expect you to recall them, but I would expect you not to make blanket judgements about my consistency simply because I vote differently from you.

Desperatelyseekinglazysusan · 21/07/2026 13:31

LuckyHazelFox · 21/07/2026 08:12

Amounts involved are irrelevant. This was argued the case in Rayner's stamp duty evasion. It's the principle that matters.

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I'm talking about Reform attempting to take the moral high ground re Haigh and Rayner. They can't, as they are funded by someone who went to prison for fraud.

LuckyHazelFox · 21/07/2026 13:21

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 13:18

I’m happy to do so and the dress thing doesn’t interest me that much. But there were vicious threads on here and probably elsewhere about Akshata Murty and Carrie Johnson.

Many of those posts will be from Labourites.

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The Carrie comments were awful. As she's seen as posh, she's was an easy target.