Would you vote for Andy Burnham in the by-election?

How long ago was that 10 years plus

He’d be the best of potential candidates for PM I think. Other than him, Streeting.

I actually like him a lot.

I do think Manchester has done well under him.

I've been worried by what I've been reading about just how far left his natural leanings are, though that could even be his own rivals briefing against him, the way politics is these days!

@Imdunfer yep, like that. I'm not saying he's amazing, or done everything, I'm saying he's done some things, which is more than no things. That's the extent of my claim.

I’d vote Labour to keep out Reform, with very little relish. If Maggie stood as an independent and was doing well in the polls, I’d think about her, but she’s ruled herself out in any capacity.

The Scots and the Welsh are lucky to have the options they have.

I've just looked it up

£104,000,000

Normally they just announce things and then announce they are cancelling them.

Like he announced the clean air zone, spent millions on mapping the area, lots of publicity, seeing up the systems and installing all the signage, then cancelled it?

In a way I think it's quite good that it's a tough seat. He would definitely have won Gorton (I used to live there). But the towns are a lot harder - way more Reform. So, you know, if he can't move the needle there, then it's a clear signal that he won't move the country.

It's obvious this current version of Labour is incapable of doing the sort of practical things that would actually change the lives of voters. I have found them imperceptible, personally. We joke round here that the government doesn't exist. For most people up here there's simply no evidence of the state. We don't have a hospital - I've not seen a doctor for years. No NHS dentist. We don't have a police station. We don't have a college. The trains sort of run, sometimes, but mainly not. The bins are collected sometimes, but mostly not. The roads are full of holes, literally our town was blocked off, the main road fell in, for a quarter of a year. I'm not talking little potholes here, though we have those too. I can see six out of this window here. We had a burst water main running into the town square last year for weeks. Like, a river running past my house!

It's beyond neglect or shabbiness. It's nonfunctional. We have been abandoned by the government, and in this respect there's no visible difference between this one or the last. The only experience most people round here have of state action in the last 20 years is having their business destroyed by lockdowns during Covid. It's why people round here feel going Reform is worth the risk. I'm not a Reform voter but I can see why people would get there.

When I say this, my friends start yelling about how Reform will hurt the most vulnerable, and I agree, they probably will. But the fact is this is not going to stop anything because the most vulnerable don't vote. So it just seems obvious that's not a politically effective argument.

Didn't he sit on any attempts to investigate the Pakistani rape gangs in Manchester? Maggie Oliver talks about that.

He also thinks the Supreme Court ruling on biological sex is "confusing". He's no friend to women.

I agree completely with this.

I probably would. I'm in a neighbouring constituency. I'm not, like, thrilled by the whole thing but yeah I probably would. He's done some good work in Manchester. TBH any politician that actually gets anything done in the North is so rare. Normally they just announce things and then announce they are cancelling them.

So you know, I'll take the buses and the building. That's something. It's more than nothing which is what everyone else does. And I liked how he fought for our businesses during Covid when all the other politicians were merrily destroying them.

It's not either of the options, really, presented by the media. I'm not dancing in the streets for Andy Burnham and I'm not furious either. I think he's basically ok and does stuff. If we'd had that national care service set up 15 years ago then the local councils would not be so utterly fucked now. But they are fucked, so that's not the same as thinking he can fix that. Or fix anything really. But he might electrify the line between Leeds and Manchester, and that would genuinely improve my life. I can't think of anyone else that is offering anything that would, so...

It’s all a farce. I vote Labour but I’m not happy about this coup. They need to put their egos away and do their jobs!

Manchester joke:

A Blairite, a Brownite, a Corbynite and a Starmermite walked into a bar.

The barman said "Hi Andy, how are you today?"

The country needs stability and that was the ticket on which Labour was elected.

Many people feel hugely let down and any lurch left will make people feel even more disheartened. Everything needs to be paid for and all we seem to have had is one tax rise after another and another. In the meantime, before even increasing productivity and the country’s wealth they got out the cheque book and raised the 2 child cap ( a kick in the teeth for those who make challenging decisions to stick to 2 eg I have 2 and one is disabled). They are not reading the room and will hand the country to Reform because they are doing a Left Wong Liz Truss. She gave away money to the wealthy and spooked the bond market leading to higher government borrowing/ more costs/ more tax. The Left are doing the same with a socialist money give away leading to more borrowing/ higher interest rates and for what? Has productivity gone up? Are we more competitive?

The best Government would actually do nothing and give industry / business th3 chance to plan and plot a future so it can invest. My husband is self employed and they are constantly fighting choppy waters first with the conservatives and now Labour. If Keir stays and they stop back stabbing at least he can keep things stable then businesses might have a chance to plan, invest and grow rather than contract and be risk adverse.

So saying, I really don’t think that Labour is reading the room at all.Their ideology has detached from what they were originally about. They don’t reward aspiration or ambition and use monies generated to help those more needy. Instead they just raise taxes ( in an ideologically driven way] to redistribute as welfare.

Also I am a carer ( by definition I have worked hard doing that) and now I face higher taxes on my only projected extra pension income of a house I rent out bought with an inheritance. I regret that and wish I offshored the monies and bought in an allowable income tax free - I think it’s 5%. I am limited in what it could put into a pension as I don’t work but I tried to go back to work and a lengthy argument with social services about provision for my son ( which actually made me ill as in on blood tests) scuppered that. I don’t know what the Government expects me to do for income in old age. The worse thing is that I will still care even when over aged 67 and lose my carers allowance as I claim a state pension. That’s all rubbish. This week it has been endless calls, emails p, messages and organisation etc. My son relies entirely on someone running his life. The house as rent out is lovely and with a B EPC.I would live there myself. The rent is the same as it was 5 years ago when I bought it. The tenants love it a lot. Now I am also burdened in a few years time with the whole concept of digital tax every 3 months.

As a constituent, I am beyond angry! Josh has been a great local MP. He has been very proactive. Andy is using us as a stepping stone to become PM. Our town will be abandoned if he wins. He does not care about us, and as Mayor, he’s been great for Manchester, but not for towns like ours. His arrogance is breathtaking. Moreover, he believes TWAW! I think he has really underestimated just how pissed off he has made us locals feel. I will not be voting for him, and everyone I have spoken to will not either. I think Reform will win the seat

He only needs to vacate the mayoral role if he gets elected as an MP.

So if Reform do win, then the good people of Manchester will know that their mayor would rather be an MP / PM than their mayor. That will start to undermine any achievements past, present and future.

I would vote for him if i could

I would definitely vote labour again if he was leader.

But it puts Makerfield in the news a lot - bargain for £2.5 million 🤨

Thats our council tax going up again then and bin collections going from 3 weekly to 4 weekly

The by-election will go to Deform Reform. The job AB is vacating will go to Reform.

Keir is rubbish but why would Andy Burnham be any better? I know nothing about him & would love someone to summarise why he'd be an effective PM. I'm not keen on having another unelected PM (as in a PM who didn't win a general election as party leader)

The cost of the by-elections alone would annoy me too much to vote for him.

He had his chance at leader was failed , why does he think that had changed?

What has changed is that Starmer has turned out to be the biggest disappointment as a PM, to put it mildly, and the government needs to turn things around before the next GE to avoid a Reform victory

I'm no particular fan of Burnham but honestly can't think of anyone else who comes near his public persona, recognised achievements as mayor, and general oomph

Labour's last chance IMO

I would vote for him. Yes.

Job swaps for pals - nah!

Here’s the thing, the great British public can always be relied upon to do the unexpected. Remember Boaty Mcboatface?