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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 13:18

LuckyHazelFox · 21/07/2026 13:10

In fact, I don't really care how Burnham speaks. That was lighthearted. I will judge him by his performance.

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.

LuckyHazelFox · 21/07/2026 13:10

In fact, I don't really care how Burnham speaks. That was lighthearted. I will judge him by his performance.

LuckyHazelFox · 21/07/2026 13:07

It does happen and happened frequently under the Boris government. You might have good intentions but plenty more are hypocrites. I do agree the designer dress was tone deaf. I don't know why MN Labour voters don't just admit they are applying double standards. It was the same with Burnham's accent. To be honest, I sort of led with that.

Edited sorry @5128gap

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 13:05

5128gap · 21/07/2026 13:00

Who attacked previous PMs wives for their appearance? And more importantly, why does the answer to everything always have to be "But, but miss...they did it first..!!!"
Some of us don't think its OK to criticise women's appearance. Some people are fine with weaponising it as a cheap dig against their husbands. When the former encounter the latter they will generally speak up.

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

And some against it now will have joined in then.

5128gap · 21/07/2026 13:00

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 11:36

Tbf the same attacked previous PMs spouses for dress and other.

Who attacked previous PMs wives for their appearance? And more importantly, why does the answer to everything always have to be "But, but miss...they did it first..!!!"
Some of us don't think its OK to criticise women's appearance. Some people are fine with weaponising it as a cheap dig against their husbands. When the former encounter the latter they will generally speak up.

EasternStandard · 21/07/2026 11:36

BermudaRhombus · 21/07/2026 11:22

It really does matter and needlessly provides ammunition to the opposition.

Tbf the same attacked previous PMs spouses for dress and other.

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 11:28

Darren Jones - who was perfectly happy to remove the 2-child cap without much consideration about how it would be funded.

What a knob.

5128gap · 21/07/2026 11:24

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?

Perhaps a turqoise rosette? Tends to act like a charm, rendering its wearer beyond reproach, whatever they spend on themselves and wherever the money came from.

BermudaRhombus · 21/07/2026 11:22

5128gap · 21/07/2026 11:08

Don't be daft. Do you think if she'd worn something from Primark we wouldn't have known that the Burnham's are high earners? You think a woman successful in her own right should have to pretend she can't afford an expensive dress to make us feel better? How incredibly patronising.
This is the kind barrel scraping criticism that makes it difficult to take any of the negativity seriously. Because if that's the best you've got, he hadn't done much wrong yet, has he?

It really does matter and needlessly provides ammunition to the opposition.

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.

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 11:19

ruethewhirl · 21/07/2026 11:16

Constructive as in posting gifs of lettuces, you mean? OK then. 🙄

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.

ruethewhirl · 21/07/2026 11:16

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 11:03

Feel free to respond to any of my other posts.

Constructive debate always welcome.

Constructive as in posting gifs of lettuces, you mean? OK then. 🙄

BIossomtoes · 21/07/2026 11:16

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.

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?

5128gap · 21/07/2026 11:08

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.

Don't be daft. Do you think if she'd worn something from Primark we wouldn't have known that the Burnham's are high earners? You think a woman successful in her own right should have to pretend she can't afford an expensive dress to make us feel better? How incredibly patronising.
This is the kind barrel scraping criticism that makes it difficult to take any of the negativity seriously. Because if that's the best you've got, he hadn't done much wrong yet, has he?

ruethewhirl · 21/07/2026 11:08

Desperatelyseekinglazysusan · 20/07/2026 14:16

The groups of people with the highest number of Labour voters were those earning over £50k, so the top 2 demographics in 2024. Most Labour ( and Green) voters are University educated fairly wealthy people. As are most Labour members.
https://yougov.com/en-gb/articles/49978-how-britain-voted-in-the-2024-general-election.

Yeah, my point still stands. If he can improve things for people who are struggling, he'll win their vote.

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 11:03

ruethewhirl · 21/07/2026 10:51

Oh well, if he 'has that look' it's a foregone conclusion then, isn't it... 🙄

Feel free to respond to any of my other posts.

Constructive debate always welcome.

BermudaRhombus · 21/07/2026 11:03

ruethewhirl · 21/07/2026 10:54

In that case I've missed something, I stand corrected. Still don't give a hoot what he wears, though.

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

ruethewhirl · 21/07/2026 10:54

AlwaysExtraHot · 20/07/2026 13:05

And the Zelenskyy analogy doesn't really work imo - Zelenskyy wears those tops on ideological grounds.
That's exactly what Burnham is proposing to do. That's why I made that specific analogy. Only Zelenskyy has a good justification for it.
It matters to me BECAUSE it's so obviously a populist, grandstanding move. At bottom, I don't care what people wear, politicians or otherwise, but he's making what he's going to wear into A Thing.

In that case I've missed something, I stand corrected. Still don't give a hoot what he wears, though.

ruethewhirl · 21/07/2026 10:51

CagneyLacey · 20/07/2026 14:33

He has the look of a bottler.

I have known a few bottlers in my time, and Burnham definitely has that look about him.

Oh well, if he 'has that look' it's a foregone conclusion then, isn't it... 🙄

concertinacornflake · 21/07/2026 10:51

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 07:27

The average real world job experience of Burnhams new cabinet is 2.5 years (mostly
in low grade roles).

How the hell can they claim to represent us?

Absolute madness.

MPs represent the people who elected them - the voters chose them.

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 10:34

Russian warship opens fire off Plymouth

Frigate’s ‘highly unusual’ gunnery drill seen as attempt to challenge Andy Burnham on first day in No 10

CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 10:20

ALERT, ALERT.

Food Salad GIF by vegpan
CagneyLacey · 21/07/2026 10:18

Burnham’s new cabinet = lipstick + porcus.

LuckyHazelFox · 21/07/2026 08:55

BermudaRhombus · 21/07/2026 08:50

Any they’re off! Infighting over how the electricity VAT cut is to be funded. Burnham claims it’s from axing digital id, but turns out that digital id itself was unfunded. You couldn’t make it up. The VAT cut makes no material difference to the public as it’s such a small amount, but rushing out the policy without nailing down the funding is another own goal. Burnham really is hapless.

Kneejerk and U turns part 2.

BermudaRhombus · 21/07/2026 08:50

Any they’re off! Infighting over how the electricity VAT cut is to be funded. Burnham claims it’s from axing digital id, but turns out that digital id itself was unfunded. You couldn’t make it up. The VAT cut makes no material difference to the public as it’s such a small amount, but rushing out the policy without nailing down the funding is another own goal. Burnham really is hapless.

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