Oh Andy, Andy, Andy.. just Why?

I like Andy Burnham - and one of the main reasons I like him is he has made me feel engaged with and inspired by politics for the first time in a long time. When - online in particular - politics has become increasingly snide and sniping, he’s been a breath of fresh air.

But I certainly don’t have him on a pedestal (beyond an admiration for his communication strategy, which I think is fairly flawless as these things go). And I’m very much aware I’ll likely be disappointed in the long run. In fact, throughout this thread I’ve repeatedly agreed with posters - some of whom probably have very different politics to me - when they’ve said that we’ll have to wait and see to really know how good a Prime Minister he’ll be and that the real test will be what he does in the budget and beyond.

Obviously, I haven’t read all the comments on his social media, but what I have read (and linked to earlier in the thread) is an independent report analysing the comments, and showing that compared to other politicians, he has an unusually high ratio of positive to negative comments.

Do I confidently think all the people who currently like his social media posts or currently favour him in the polls will go on to vote for him in an election? Obviously not.

But I don’t think any of that makes calling people who disagree with you dim-witted any less rude.

🙄 It really is a deeply entrenched trend to ‘hate the prime minister’ isn’t it?!

The simple reason as to why he’s doing it, is his audience like it. On that specific “wakey-wakey” post, on IG the top rated comment is about what a breathe of fresh air Andy Burnham is.

Other party leaders aren’t using social media to make complex statements and explanations about fiscal policy either, by the way. But it seems the online audience prefer props and toys to name-calling and mudslinging about other politicians, which is what Kemi Badenboch and Nigel Farage both do a lot of online. In an online world saturated in cynicism and outrage, I really struggle to see that as a bad thing.

🙄 It really is a deeply entrenched trend to ‘hate the prime minister’ isn’t it?!

Things move so fast though in modern politics, shouldn"t we all take a moment to reflect and give thanks that KS is actually gone, OMG he is actually gone! Thank the Lords and Gods of politics for their wise judgement in getting him the fuck out of there!

But he isn"t a breath of fresh air, he is someone who failed twice previously to become leader who has been parachuted in at great cost to the taxpayer because the last leader was a train wreck, and who has no new ideas that are realistically/financially doable, he is everything that is wrong with modern politics! Either he doesn"t have the self-awareness to realise this or he is just there to top up his credits for the speaking circuit when he inevitably gets forced out or loses a GE, old swivel eyes who sits near him at PMQ"s etc. is so obviously desperate for the job that you can smell the saliva through the television.

You personally definitely don’t have to find the Prime Minister a breath of fresh air.

I actually wasn’t even making the point that I find him a breath of fresh air (although in terms of political communications, at least, I do).

I was just making the point that that was what the top rated comment on his Instagram said (so, the comment with most likes from non-bot accounts).

So, that suggests the simple reason Andy Burnham is making the kind of content he is, is because the people watching it, like it.

A Labour activist posting favourable comments on his social media is just meaningless in the real world, sorry.

Especially unelected no mandate from the people ones, yes.

Why would they hold an election for a new party leader though? Labour were elected, they just changed their party leader, is all.

I’m not quite sure I agree with that - part of Starmer’s downfall was that he lost the faith of Parliamentary Labour Party, they just didn’t see him as popular enough to deliver. So, if Labour activists are enjoying the Prime Minister’s content, I’m sure his communications team will see it as a win.

Why would they hold an election for a new party leader though? Labour were elected, they just changed their party leader, is all.

I"m sure they will, but meanwhile back in reality British citizens feel the need to cover their faces and protest illegal boats in the English Channel, when will he get a grip on that situation?

You know that Starmer had set that situation on a much better course - no boats arrived in the last week, no migrants arrived on small boats.

You know that Starmer had set that situation on a much better course - no boats arrived in the last week, no migrants arrived on small boats.

I"m sure they will, but meanwhile back in reality British citizens feel the need to cover their faces and protest illegal boats in the English Channel, when will he get a grip on that situation?

I’m not sure I fully understand the point you’re making, or what it has to do with Andy Burnham’s social media strategy.

The rise of the populist right is incredibly disturbing, but as far as I understand think the police handled the situation, and the government have done a good job of making it clear that masked men intimidating citizens and blocking our infrastructure is not and never will be acceptable.

I’m not sure I fully understand the point you’re making, or what it has to do with Andy Burnham’s social media strategy.

The rise of the populist right is incredibly disturbing, but as far as I understand think the police handled the situation, and the government have done a good job of making it clear that masked men intimidating citizens and blocking our infrastructure is not and never will be acceptable.

While he is plonking about with his social media illegal boats are crossing to the UK and some citizens are choosing to make their feelings known about this by protesting, a competent government would get a grip on the illegal boat crossings or make strong correctly worded statements to the public about how they are going to stop the illegal activity, not be faffing about making daft social media posts that look like audition tapes for children"s TV in the 70"s.

Oh, I see. I think we’re coming at this from very different perspectives. From my perspective, the government has been (under Starmer too, TBF) quietly getting on with getting the numbers of illegal boat crossings down, and I personally am glad to hear less noise and less inflammatory language about asylum seekers, including from the Prime Minister who seems to me to be trying to keep the heat out of the debate.

It is a complex, emotive issue and in my opinion, the discussion round it needs more nuance, and much less inflammatory language - on all sides. I don’t think the Prime Minister’s social media (which is the subject of this thread) would necessarily lend itself to that kind of discussion.

@EasternStandard - I didn’t realise the situation was ongoing, that’s troubling.

Oh, I see. I think we’re coming at this from very different perspectives. From my perspective, the government has been (under Starmer too, TBF) quietly getting on with getting the numbers of illegal boat crossings down, and I personally am glad to hear less noise and less inflammatory language about asylum seekers, including from the Prime Minister who seems to me to be trying to keep the heat out of the debate.

It is a complex, emotive issue and in my opinion, the discussion round it needs more nuance, and much less inflammatory language - on all sides. I don’t think the Prime Minister’s social media (which is the subject of this thread) would necessarily lend itself to that kind of discussion.

@EasternStandard - I didn’t realise the situation was ongoing, that’s troubling.

Do you have any detail on how they are actually reducing the crossings, what tactics are they using? Or is it more likely that there was a drop off in numbers coming into Europe for a reason we don"t fully understand yet and Labour tried to take credit? Unfortunately the next phase seems to be even bigger boats packed with more people, how do you think they will spin that one, blame Nigel maybe?