Andy Burnham

It's not quite that simple, though, is it?

Successive administrations have failed to build enough homes. They have not, and still do not, maximise value creation in contract negotiations with the private sector and investors. They also waste huge amounts money having to revisit and refine poorly thought out policies, that just for starters.

I agree with this and @Luingcow‘s description.

I deeply dislike the underhand way that Burnham and his allies undermined Starmer. Getting an MP to step down and triggering a by-election was an irresponsible step, creating unnecessary expense and disruption for the constituents in the area.

I find it incredibly distasteful that Burnham is now calling for unity and calling out in-fighting. It’s rank hypocrisy. (Pic attached)

I think a legal coup is the best way to describe what’s happened. Burnham is young enough to have time on his side and he should have waited.

Nevertheless, I am staunchly a Labour voter with firmly left-leaning politics.

For that reason I hope that he succeeds because we really do need him to. God save us all if Reform get in - although thankfully that’s looking increasingly unlikely as Farage’s corruption becomes more widely spoken about. The Tories got us into this mess so they need to be kept out of government too.

I think Burnham has been naive in promising to eradicate rough sleeping. He didn’t manage to have any effect on rough sleeping/homelessness in Manchester so I doubt he’ll be any more successful nationwide. I think it’s a noble, worthwhile goal and something that we absolutely should aim for. But essentially promising to make it a thing of the past just leaves the media with a stick to beat him with when it inevitably fails.

I worked in a homeless shelter for many years and as a PP mentioned, it’s a complex area that isn’t just about there not being sufficient places. Mental health and addiction are major factors, and to address rough sleeping/homelessness you also have to solve these problems. It’s a huge task.

Given how Burnham has behaved in grabbing power, I don’t really trust him right now. He seems to have a chip on his shoulder about London/the southeast (I don’t live there so I’m not defending my own interests). But I hope he proves to be a decent PM - and upholds Labour values - because he’s in power now and the alternatives are just dire.

Great post @SpidersAreShitheads

His supporters have been plotting for at least a year to get him in, and he's been trying to become Labour leader for about 15 years!

Thanks for that post @SpidersAreShitheads very interesting.

I’m in Ireland, although I have lived in England but I’m watching from afar because it all does impact us here. I love that he is focused on very traditional Labour Party topics, things like homelessness that everyone can get behind. He’s also an “every man’s man” a man you can go for a pint with but that would hold up at a more formal event too. He has charisma and he’s talking about hope and unity so it just all seems more positive than what has come before.

But yes hopefully he can be trusted.

Do you have any proof of this?

There's no proof. It's just 'feelz'.

Yes. Let's kick the oldies who have worked hard all their lives and spend it on the wasters.

What are your plans for old age? Are you paying lots into your pension? Which Labour are planning on taxing. Are you saving into ISAs, which labour are taxing an element of. Labour are also dictating how you can save into your ISAs. They will probably limit ISA savings in the future.

Are you invested in property? Which will be subject to a death tax.

Do you want to see your parents struggling for money and struggling to survive? Do you want to lose any possible inheritance you may be due to receive?
It never ceases to amaze me how much mumsnetters hate their parents.

I’m old @HarshbutTrue2 - 73 tomorrow and I think the triple lock should go.

If an afghan lady with 6 kids is living in a hotel it is not suitable accommodation. She is removed from that accommodation and placed in a council house. She is a priority.

Years ago, maybe the 1960s, when a young couple got engaged they put their names on the list for a council house.
That same young couple today would be retired before they got their council house.

Please explain the difference between a council house and renting in the private sector? I honestly don't know.

Quote " If an afghan lady with 6 kids is living in a hotel it is not suitable accommodation. She is removed from that accommodation and placed in a council house. She is a priority.

A priority over who ?

Quote :" Years ago, maybe the 1960s, when a young couple got engaged they put their names on the list for a council house.
That same young couple today would be retired before they got their council house."

Thatcher sold the houses off.

Quote " Please explain the difference between a council house and renting in the private sector? I honestly don't know."

You don't know that, but you know how council houses are allocated? That makes no sense .

But you are clearly not in any financial hardship.

Nor are most pensioners. Remove the triple lock, raise the threshold for pension credit and beef it up. Nobody’s in financial hardship and the Treasury saves money. Win/win.

Now many new social homes are enough thought?

As they say, if you built it they will come.

it’s not building, we need to be clear about the criteria for social housing.

Is a council house or flat for a family that already had accommodation somewhere else fair?

How do you know that?

Have they all
shared their personal shopping habits with you?

My entire social circle is pension age. I can see their standard of living perfectly well. Only one of my friends is in financial hardship because she’s recently widowed and the loss of her husband’s state pension has been catastrophic.

The 3.6 million WASPI women is an issue Burnham said that he is supportive of?

I would never dream of judging my friends’ financial circumstances.

What would that entail?

Where they shop, what they feed their cat? Whether they buy their mascara in Boots? Do they have a window cleaner?

I’m claiming a pension and my only remaking parent is doing very well thankyou. Both my DM who is well into her eighties and myself think the triple lock should go.
If my property is subject to inheritance tax before my children can get £250,000 each that’s fine by me and them. I’ve by passed any money my DM might leave in favour of my children.

I want my children to have the same access to housing and social mobility I have - and I want that for others as well. Far from hating people I want to help people and am happy to pay tax to do that.

Observation isn’t judgement.

I disagree with you, people paid into that pension, they deserve a standard of living on retirement. It isn’t some freebie the government provides.

That’s pretty much what I said. 🤷‍♀️

Well, not everyone has paid in. Meanwhile private pensions are abysmally poor and corporations are raking it in for their shareholders. Young people are getting shafted financially (I am old, before you ask). Wealth is concentrated in the old. There are better ways of supporting pensioners in need than the triple lock.

10% on all inheritance seems fair to me. My dsis and I paid more than that over my mum's legacy (not UK, though we live here). There was plenty of money that we did not earn left for us.