Burnham has been blocked!

Because Keir Starmer isn't a Blair or Boris Johnson. People vote for personalities as much as (or probably even more so) than policy and it's fair to say that Starmer doesn't cut it in that quarter. Also bear in mind the ultra hatchet job of the right wing press. It's more ruthless than I've ever known and I'm 69. That, coupled with the fact that Labour has a useless PR machine. People also wanted a quick fix. Things were appalling under the Tory government and getting worse by the day. They thought a new broom would just sweep it all away.

Well so what if someone was in a coma? Save me the virtue signalling nonsense.

It was a rhetorical question anyway, the answer is entirely obvious…as it is with you.

My DD is at the very youngest end of this scale. It's rather bonkers to think she'll get a vote if this government lasts the full term.

The polls are appalling because Labour have gone back on too many election promises and have stupidly moved too far to the right to appease the undecideds who might vote for Reform, instead of shoring up what they stand for. They are no longer the party of socialism. As a lifelong Labour voter, I am infuriated Starmer has blown this opportunity. He and the party inherited such a fiscal shitshow from the Tories that the only way really was up. Instead, he's had them lurching all over the place and in many areas – education being one – going backwards. If it wasn't for the fact I think a Government coalition headed by Reform is a terrifying prospect (I don't think they can win overall without striking a deal with the Tories), I'd say he and the Labour party deserve to lose big time to them.

I can't see how 16 year old will have the vote if the online safety bill restricts what they can see online compared to an 18 year old. Thats just an aside.

The word Nazi in the 70s had connotations to Gen X for example that it doesn't to Gen Z due to over use and tne distance of time since WW2. There's no real bogeyman to refer to.

So what if she is a recipient of our tax system!! I hope @ginasevern doesn’t dignify this with an answer

Sadly the Greens support mass building on the "Green" belt. I am not sure how that sits with their aims of restoring nature, sustainable farming etc. There won't be any left. Not so Green and nature friendly then.

I wouldn’t say single handed, but obviously yes..pick a factual metric not just throwing in words like misrule and sexual assault. If you want any life outside of being benefit dependent or an inclusivity officer for a public sector organisation then your life is much worse and it’s been deliberate. I wasn’t in a comma for 14 years no, are you by any chance a net recipient of our glorious tax system?

I think it was a the correct move for the benefit of the party. Reform inevitably going on to win the Manchester Mayoral election would have been a big thorn in Starmers side. Mayoralty suit Reform. You get to make a lot of noise without really having to do a lot.

I think he is using one of those paper fortune tellers we used to use at school in the 80s to make decisions (if anyone else remembers them). Just potluck what he might decide at any given time, depending on the number he lands on.

Agree with some of this, but I think the biggest problem is their crap advisors… whoever is giving advice to Starmer needs sacking they keep getting wrong over and over..

That's the point I was trying to make. 👍

It's interesting you say that. So why do you think that the polls so appalling for Labour. Presumably most people can compare the last Conservative government and this Labour one. KS is the most unpopular PM of all time. You don't get that accolade by being better than the other PMs presumably.

Somebody competent would have cramped the style and diminished the power and control of the unions.
It would be great to hear from women, if there are any, who have had excellent support and assistance from Unison, for example...

Agree.
Absolutely no guarantee he would win the by-election anyway. The very fact that it he was standing would make it even more of a circus. Labour are right to want to hold onto a labour mayor in GM.

Only the one I responded to and quoted.

@MissMollyanna "Brilliant and that’s from one of the few remaining Labour supporters, so you admit they’ve run the country into the ground."

Hang on. You actually think Labour has singled handedly run the country into the ground? Were you by any chance in a coma during the 14 years of Tory misrule, corruption, sexual assaults, sleeze, blackmail and Brexit lies - as well as a staggering total of 5 Prime Ministers and christ knows how many reshuffles? The country was on its fucking knees when they finally left (and so were they). They heaved a collective sigh of relief when Labour won because they knew they wouldn't be the ones dealing with the fall out.

How can so many of you -presumably women - be so adoring of Burnham??
He is a vile man.
He didn’t want any enquiries into raping gangs - especially in his back yard- and he called them a thing of the past.
Also he would not say that the people (on the whole) being raped and abused were/are children!!
Too busy kow towing for the Muslim vote rather than protecting white girls from being raped. It’s an utter fucking disgrace and hopefully this is why the Labour Party will never get in again.

To be honest, I wonder whether Burnham is breathing a sigh of relief. I think the PLP/ Cabinet is in such dire need of 'talent' that if he became leader he'd actually struggle to get things done with the current Cabinet. There aren't any particularly shining lights on the Labour benches who could replace them. It's all a bit depressing really. He put himself forward to be leader before - but wasn't elected. Were people pinning their hopes on him because he looked the best of a poor bunch of replacements for KS?

I agree with this, having a 17 year old myself. Many hate the woke issues that have been rammed down their necks for years at school etc and are (predictably) reacting. So Reform is currently attractive to many of that age. They don't have the collective memory of race riots etc that may put older people off Reform, they see the left as being authoritarian and intolerant and young people want to rebel against the status quo (ie the Government). They are also blaming Labour for the lack of job prospects. Girls of that age like ZP perhaps more than Reform. But none are the Labour lefties of previous generations at this age.

Interestingly that doesnt apply so much to my 20 year old who is completely uninspired by politics and I suspect probably won't bother to vote. I think he was a bit more open to (or relaxed about) left wing issues such as things like the trans ideology etc as the indoctrination at school went on before there was a proper push back from women. So the kids initially trusted what teachers told them. Unlike my 17 year old now. And as Keir Starmer doesn't know what a woman is, a lot of 17 year old boys despise that. Its really interesting. Totally different approach to when I was that age. I don't think Labour can't rely on the youth vote any more. Labour aren't mentioned really. Why should they be? They aren't helping young people.

Brilliant you’ve not read my posts!! 😂

I'm sure Andy Burnham has done a great job in Manchester. I'm also sure his time will come. But is this really the time? Starmer has done the best job possible in incredibly difficult circumstances - in particular on the international stage, which must be like walking on burning coals in bare feet currently. I've never warmed to him, but respect his sincerity and dedication to duty in the face of such difficult problems. It's like watching someone juggling with knives, at gunpoint.

Burnham is not a knight in shining armour coming to save the world, or even the Labour Party. Burnham is a career politician and a recovering Blairite. This whole thing is a massive, damaging distraction in the face of Reform and everything else that's going on in the world. And this "contest" can wait.

Agree, definitely in my lifetime, might be other examples in history but for me he’s the one! Massive coward.

We ought to have laws where people can be prosecuted if it can be shown they have deliberately lied to the electorate in my opinion. I can think of many politicians of all stripes who would have been caught and convicted. Same goes for our wonderful press!!

there are endless threads listing them

Fine. Link to a couple of them @Dragonscaledaisy. You know the score - pictures/links or it didn’t happen.