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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.

OP posts:
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LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:05

BrownBookshelf · 20/07/2026 12:05

Whatever thread/s you now apparently think it's a subject for after choosing to bring it up on this one.

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Ah so you lied. Got it.

BrownBookshelf · 20/07/2026 12:05

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:03

What thread?

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Whatever thread/s you now apparently think it's a subject for after choosing to bring it up on this one.

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 12:03

BrownBookshelf · 20/07/2026 12:02

But apparently you didn't think it was an assumption for another thread when you unilaterally chose to bring it up. I'd like to hope you have an explanation that isn't bigoted, of course.

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What thread?

SuziQuinto · 20/07/2026 12:03

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 been explained. The leader of the Labour Party becomes the PM if they win and election. If the leader changes, the PM changes. This happened a few times during Conservative administrations.
The electorate don't vote for a Prime Minister.

TemperanceWest · 20/07/2026 12:02

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.

Did you feel the same about Sunak?

BrownBookshelf · 20/07/2026 12:02

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 11:59

Well that's the assumption several have made. As I said, it's for another thread or one to contribute on when region pops up - again.

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But apparently you didn't think it was an assumption for another thread when you unilaterally chose to bring it up. I'd like to hope you have an explanation that isn't bigoted, of course.

kerstina · 20/07/2026 12:02

Yes I think he should and I am pretty certain he would win. Has he not just won a by election against reform? Hope not hate.

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.

CagneyLacey · 20/07/2026 12:01

LagerLady · 20/07/2026 11:53

The UK doesn't want socialism. If AB moves Labour to the left, he is doomed to lose the next election.

And he will be forced to the left by his back benches and the unions - whether he would choose it or not.

TemperanceWest · 20/07/2026 12:00

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 11:59

Well that's the assumption several have made. As I said, it's for another thread or one to contribute on when region pops up - again.

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Come on, put your money where your mouth is. Why does Burnham being a (non-practising) RC make you wary?

SerendipityJane · 20/07/2026 12:00

LagerLady · 20/07/2026 11:58

We need the right to get back in to sort benefits and immigration.

Not the tax dodging megacorps ?

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 11:59

BrownBookshelf · 20/07/2026 11:55

There is. That isn't a reason for you to add some more.

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Well that's the assumption several have made. As I said, it's for another thread or one to contribute on when region pops up - again.

TemperanceWest · 20/07/2026 11:59

LagerLady · 20/07/2026 11:58

We need the right to get back in to sort benefits and immigration.

They had 14 years to do that.

LagerLady · 20/07/2026 11:58

We need the right to get back in to sort benefits and immigration.

BrownBookshelf · 20/07/2026 11:55

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 11:54

There's a lot of bigotry on MN, as you well know.

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There is. That isn't a reason for you to add some more.

SuziQuinto · 20/07/2026 11:55

SerendipityJane · 20/07/2026 11:51

1688 called and wants it's bigotry back.

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It's awful, isn't it? Mind you I caught the tail end of a previous thread where Burnham's accent was being mocked so I think there's a level of desperation.

BreathtakingBellingham · 20/07/2026 11:54

Meadowfinch · 20/07/2026 06:33

No chance, they would lose.

The Labour Party may want AB but the majority of the country do not.

The working population is poorer, taxes are at ridiculous levels and the number who live off benefits when they don't need to is out of control.

We have immigrant gangs running scams and money laundering on every high street.

NhS waiting lists are improving but education is a total mess. Our food security has been undermined. The grooming gangs have not been stopped. Our young people have been priced out of work. Small businesses are struggling.

This.
They had makerfield success but they forced that by election because so many councils went to reform !

SerendipityJane · 20/07/2026 11:54

Of course, if he were to call an election, it would be a shame if it clashed with the run up to the US midterms, when media bandwidth may be constrained.

BrownBookshelf · 20/07/2026 11:54

EasternStandard · 20/07/2026 11:47

You what now? Labour supporters did to the last gov on social media what they’d like to stop now. Obviously that’s not going to happen.

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Why did you use the word 'all' then? Do you think all Labour supporters did it, and if so how does that mean they had the power to set the scene? Or do you think all the people doing it were Labour? Because what you've written here is not like the rather mangled comment in the preceding post.

It's a lot of hole digging to back up a rather silly claim. Particularly when you could've just made the entirely reasonable point that it's annoying to see people who called for GEs when their party were in opposition suddenly change tune now.

IDontHateRainbows · 20/07/2026 11:54

If he does it may be an own goal, after years of being a flip flopping centrist the recent labour government has made me lurch to the right and if anything, commie Andy will onky make me lurch further.

LuckyHazelFox · 20/07/2026 11:54

SerendipityJane · 20/07/2026 11:51

1688 called and wants it's bigotry back.

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There's a lot of bigotry on MN, as you well know.

LagerLady · 20/07/2026 11:53

The UK doesn't want socialism. If AB moves Labour to the left, he is doomed to lose the next election.

5128gap · 20/07/2026 11:51

MyDarlingRose · 20/07/2026 11:37

Why would he do that? He’s the PM why would he risk someone else getting in?

Don’t talk shite

Because the way things are at the moment, no one else would get in. We would have a hung parliament, which he would continue to lead in coalition with the other left of centre parties. He'd still be PM and have 5 years ahead of him rather than 3.
If he waits too long there's a possibility of the Conservatives getting their act together and becoming a meaningful threat as people drift back from the sinking ship of Reform.
I'm not saying he will do it. I'm saying this would be reason to do it.

TemperanceWest · 20/07/2026 11:51

SerendipityJane · 20/07/2026 11:51

1688 called and wants it's bigotry back.

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Indeed.

SuziQuinto · 20/07/2026 11:51

EasternStandard · 20/07/2026 11:47

You what now? Labour supporters did to the last gov on social media what they’d like to stop now. Obviously that’s not going to happen.

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You keep saying the same thing.
It's been explained and clarified about the role of sm.