Burnham unopposed & likely to be PM by mid July

I don’t think anyone is coming out and saying anyone other than Burnham (reasonable as no one else has confirmed a challenge)

She doesn’t have much choice at this point. I don’t think she’ll stay in the role.

The Libdems sum it up perfectly.

Regardless of whether he was an MP when he actually received the money, when he became an MP, he was required to register gifts received in the 12 months before his election.

Purely personal gifts from family etc don't have to be registered. But a £5m donation from a major political donor to an unrelated political figure hardly looks "purely personal". And the rules require that, if there is any doubt, things must be registered.

I think it's extremely clear that he broke the rules. But I suspect he'll get away with it. Shocking, really.

The least worst option IMHO.

Thanks @SheilaFentiman - makes sense.

He’s been asked about the £5m since the story came out

But the Lib Dems made him a subject of a poster about Nigel’s “Brexit payoff” and of course we are at the 10th anniversary of the vote,

www.libdems.org.uk/press/release/lib-dems-launch-billboards-across-uk-attacking-farages-pound5m-reward-for-brexit

It is interesting isn’t it. The media grilling Farage right now, why right now.

I’m pretty sure we tried that - NIC reduction. I’ll have to check back though

The £10 poms of the 21st century maybe.

Well one thing I do agree with Burnham on is the apprenticeship route for young people and making that a priority but how that is going to be funded is another matter. Some other countries fund it via tax breaks for corporates and an obligation for them to have to take apprentices if they are of a certain size.

You forgot Greenland. One solution to the security problems identified, would be an immediate UK invasion of Greenland, spearheaded by an elite unit of one million welfare claimants.

Not sure what will happen with Nigel Farage and the 5 million donation. I heard him on Nick Ferrari briefly yesterday and then later on on LBC. The lingering thing is that whilst he was not an MP he was the owner of a major political party via shares and I have no idea what that means legally.

I’m happy to give Burnham a go, but really it doesn’t matter that much. The country still has the same problems and he is going to be better at dealing with them, or he won’t be. He’ll either borrow more, or he won’t. We’re so constricted that there can’t be that much movement. I’m just relieved we still aren’t being managed by those people- hating, self interested wealth accumulators in Reform and similar.

@Bullandbear - will there be a B-slogan on your buses and will they be air conditioned?

We have discussed personalities and it is a big factor but this situation is troubling. We already have a head of state who the public are unable to chose. To have a PM completely imposed feels like a waste of time pretending we have any real democracy - I know a constitutional monarchy - unless you believe in the divine right of party leaders?

And of course, for many they have been persuaded they aren’t “safe” because ot the boats or the two tier policing.

But at the end of the day, it really all boils down to people feeling safe, however you look at it. And the negative spiral and media frenzy since before Brexit has led to a doom loop. It is like being trapped in a horror movie on a bad weed trip.

Buses and potholes are always important too to most normal people.

However, I really think the main motto needs to be to make Britain Safe Again.

And Safe means different things to different people - it can be the Russians, the Chinese, the US social media negative influences, the threat of an incompetent Reform Government for some, the cost of living, the failing NHS etc, the energy prices, the power of the bond markets etc
When people do not feel confident and safe, there is no investment and growth and people feel disgruntled and anxious,

Ik some are annoyed about Burnham and that won’t change. Others look at Starmer differently to your post, and in the end more felt similarly to get rid of him.

You never know Burnham might turn it around, not sure if unhappy Starmer supporters would be happier that Burnham is PM then.

Buses are the solution to all of the UK’s problems. I have often wondered what makes a country prosperous. I thought about it, and then it dawned on me: all prosperous countries have capitals with buses. The correlation is indisputable.

We need a renewed national bus strategy, and Andy is the man to deliver it. The rest will follow.

@EasternStandard - do not agree. There was nothing major Starmer “failed” at other than the Mandelson appointment and having an incompetent chancellor, a deputy who had to resign etc etc. It is OK to be managerial if you manage a really strong team and manage it properly. Starmer did really well internationally. Mahmood is doing really well and Streeting was fine for a while. Had he filled his cabinet with people just off that ilk to steady the ship at home he would have been fine. There was no major major scandal like Partygate or the massive Truss bond crisis. That is exactly why some people are peeved that Burnham is usurping from the back - but if Burnham is doing that, he may as well not repeat any of Starmer’s obvious mistakes!

I think he failed because of his own failings mostly but agree that Burnham’s choice of chancellor is key.

I think Starmer failed because he put weak people in - like Lammy, Reeves, Rayner. He was probably advised to not put a full package in (by that I mean fully competent plus large personality) in case it undermines him. Yet, that eventually became his downfall.
If Burnham has any sense he will put all the strongest people into the key cabinet positions including some of the military figures they do have and not change too much but keep a financially steady ship. At this point, it is not even about soft or blue or what gave you - it is all about competence and strength and engendering confidence back into the system. Hopefully he has that much sense!