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AIBU?

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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.

OP posts:
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SpottyAlpaca · 20/07/2026 12:37

Friendlygingercat · 20/07/2026 12:01

Andy Burnham might be a nice personable chappy but he has no mandate from the electorate at large to be where he is. This country is supposed to be a democracy but he was elected by a few hundred MPs.

How is that democratic?

The entire process by which he gets to No 10 sounds like it is something from Trumptown.

It’s the Labour Party’s mandate. Not Andy Burnham’s. Not Keir Starmer’s. Not anyone else’s. That is how British parliamentary democracy works.

ExtremelyLargeClock · 20/07/2026 12:37

Lots of comedy TikTok’s splicing footage of AB with David Brent. Surprisingly very similar types.

this country doesnt want a very leftie government. Hopefully the governments will stop him from wrecking things too quickly. Mind you, the more horrible his ideas are, the better for Kemi and Nige.

it’s a massive punch to the voters to be given a PM nobody voted for.

EasternStandard · 20/07/2026 12:36

MajorProcrastination · 20/07/2026 12:34

GEs are expensive and disruptive. The hounding of Keir Starmer by BBC News talking about his resignation as a fair accomplis felt anti-democratic. I'm not pro-Starmer. Burnham won't call a GE because what a fucking waste of his time that would be, how bloody disruptive to rejig his cabinet with the possibility of being out on his arse very soon.

Can we please return to grown up politics where people do the time they were trusted with in the first place.

There's obvs also the danger of Reform gaining power from the imbeciles and racists who vote for them.

Your last line is why Labour MPs panicked and ousted Starmer. Not the press.

They’ve rolled the dice, I’m sure they’ll be happy if it works out with Burnham but they’ll have to accept their own role if it doesn’t.

SuziQuinto · 20/07/2026 12:36

Mywishistoclimbthe3peaks · 20/07/2026 12:35

Because Kier didn't have his party's support basically they wanted him out from practically day one. They plotted and plotted and here we are.

It's Keir.

Mywishistoclimbthe3peaks · 20/07/2026 12:35

LagerLady · 20/07/2026 12:22

If AB moves to the left, then he has no mandate, so should call a GE. If he sticks to the manifesto, then why replace KS?

Because Kier didn't have his party's support basically they wanted him out from practically day one. They plotted and plotted and here we are.

OP posts:
SuziQuinto · 20/07/2026 12:35

MajorProcrastination · 20/07/2026 12:34

GEs are expensive and disruptive. The hounding of Keir Starmer by BBC News talking about his resignation as a fair accomplis felt anti-democratic. I'm not pro-Starmer. Burnham won't call a GE because what a fucking waste of his time that would be, how bloody disruptive to rejig his cabinet with the possibility of being out on his arse very soon.

Can we please return to grown up politics where people do the time they were trusted with in the first place.

There's obvs also the danger of Reform gaining power from the imbeciles and racists who vote for them.

Yes, good points.

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:34

bingo1922 · 20/07/2026 12:32

That article is over four years old.

My bad. So he's been relevant for that long? Let's see what tributes he can find outside of Manchester.

MajorProcrastination · 20/07/2026 12:34

GEs are expensive and disruptive. The hounding of Keir Starmer by BBC News talking about his resignation as a fair accomplis felt anti-democratic. I'm not pro-Starmer. Burnham won't call a GE because what a fucking waste of his time that would be, how bloody disruptive to rejig his cabinet with the possibility of being out on his arse very soon.

Can we please return to grown up politics where people do the time they were trusted with in the first place.

There's obvs also the danger of Reform gaining power from the imbeciles and racists who vote for them.

SuziQuinto · 20/07/2026 12:32

https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/prime-minister
This may help some posters who don't understand the role of Prime Minister.

bingo1922 · 20/07/2026 12:32

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:27

..and so it begins. Day one of the circus.

That article is over four years old.

SerendipityJane · 20/07/2026 12:31

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:28

I love me a bit of irony on a Monday 😆 🤣

Not napalm in the morning ?

TemperanceWest · 20/07/2026 12:30

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:27

..and so it begins. Day one of the circus.

That is from 2022.

SerendipityJane · 20/07/2026 12:30

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:27

..and so it begins. Day one of the circus.

Which started in 2022, I see.

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:30

TemperanceWest · 20/07/2026 12:28

You have cagney backing you up, so all fair etc.☺️

Shall we resume adult conversation.

TemperanceWest · 20/07/2026 12:28

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:26

Some feel more emboldened when they feel they've got back up. That's all.

You have cagney backing you up, so all fair etc.☺️

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:28

TemperanceWest · 20/07/2026 12:27

You are a very entertaining double act 🙄

I love me a bit of irony on a Monday 😆 🤣

BIossomtoes · 20/07/2026 12:28

TemperanceWest · 20/07/2026 12:27

You are a very entertaining double act 🙄

Glad you think so.

Desperatelyseekinglazysusan · 20/07/2026 12:27

Mywishistoclimbthe3peaks · 20/07/2026 12:19

How eloquent 😕

Because if he tries to make big bold moves to "get things done and the country moving" and his OWN party keep blocking his every move. Then he's stuck, completely stuck with no where to go except a GE to have a re shuffle and get his own government.

His only trump card with his MPs is an election which would put most of them out of a job. He'd be silly to pull it too soon. They chose him. They engineered a by election to get him in. They have literally no one else. They need to shut it.

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:27

..and so it begins. Day one of the circus.

TemperanceWest · 20/07/2026 12:27

CagneyLacey · 20/07/2026 12:26

😂

You are a very entertaining double act 🙄

SuziQuinto · 20/07/2026 12:27

LagerLady · 20/07/2026 12:17

I voted for a centrist Labour, not a leftist Labout.

No. You voted Labour.
You must - surely - have been aware of the various Conservative Prime Ministers who didn't win an election? You must have followed the change in policy that happened? People who voted Conservative ended up with Liz Truss and one point, then Rishi Sunak. Very different policies indeed. Particularly those of Truss.
Or did you just think it happened with Conservative administrations?

BIossomtoes · 20/07/2026 12:26

It doesn’t say he never wears anything else. 🙄

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:26

TemperanceWest · 20/07/2026 12:25

Doing what I normally do? Yes, I am challenging your views. That is what the forum is all about. I am far from the only poster on this thread to do so. But nice DARVO attempt. You clearly don't want to explain why you are wary of Roman Catholics, so I will draw my own conclusions on that.

Some feel more emboldened when they feel they've got back up. That's all.

CagneyLacey · 20/07/2026 12:26

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:19

Are you doing what you normally do, again? Next time I post a thought, theory or supposition, shall I treat you and the others to an essay?

😂

TemperanceWest · 20/07/2026 12:25

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:19

Are you doing what you normally do, again? Next time I post a thought, theory or supposition, shall I treat you and the others to an essay?

Doing what I normally do? Yes, I am challenging your views. That is what the forum is all about. I am far from the only poster on this thread to do so. But nice DARVO attempt. You clearly don't want to explain why you are wary of Roman Catholics, so I will draw my own conclusions on that.