Thread 41 Starmer : "Alban Arthan" the returning of the light

[DuncinToffee]

Previous thread https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5461238-thread-40-starmer-prettig-kerstfeest-nollaig-shona-hyvaa-joulua-nadolig-llawen-god-jul-feliz-navidad-bouan-noue-nollaig-chridheil?page=40

Welcome to 2026 for political discussion, general chat and taxes in kind.

UK government borrowing fell sharply last month, due to more income from taxes and higher National Insurance Contributions outweighing spending, figures show.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clymd1pj887o

Fake news, though, innit. Must be.

Andrew Gwynne has resigned

"It has been the honour of my life to have been an elected representative for almost exactly three decades."

He says his GP has described him as "extremely vulnerable" and recommends his retirement on medical grounds.

And, apparently - Behold,Andy Burnham.

Indeed.

Absolutely must be, the economy about to be crashed at any minute surely.
the guardian piece on ICE truly terrifying & heartbreaking a five year old child ffs.

It's not ICE the reformistas are talking about. It's IMF.

Starmer allies on the NEC have apparently nixed Burnham even getting on the shortlist let alone the ballot paper - guess we'll see what happens

Imagine a Burnham-Rayner ticket.

I think Rayner would get the NEC votes.

She's already a sitting MP.

I'd definitely vote for Burnham/Rayner.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/22/manchester-politics-economy-country-city-uk

This isn't a crisis within the Labour party no matter how many Tory, Trump and Farage supporters may think it is, especially within this site.

Been reading about Prince Harry and Liz Hurley regarding the court case against the Daily Fail and the attacks on privacy are shocking and relentless.

Where are those flagshaggers now ?

Pic failure ...

Crikey ! Has anyone seen the photos of Trump and Farage from Davos .?

Trump biglying up his new BFF and saying how wonderful he is ?

No. Neither have I.

You would have thought with a leader whose partner is French and was married to a German, and a deputy whose partner lives in a country where Arabic is the main language, there would be more respect for other languages.

No it is another case of do as I say not as I do.

The media would still destroy Burnham, they'll already be very busy making sure they have a pile of dirt to throw his way should he become leader.... they'll wait until he is in position before telling us all...

Just as Starmers expenses never came to light until he was PM.

Aside, is it Board of Peace OR Bored of Peace? i ask because there are a few on it who have no interest in "Peace"

Just as they did when Boris Johnson was having an affair with another woman, soon to be mother of three more children, when his then wife was recovering from cancer surgery and treatment? That sort of destroy?

Andy Burnham’s road back to parliament would be a bumpy one

Greater Manchester mayor said to have ‘zero’ chance of NEC selection, but public fuss may just embarrass No 10 enough

Andy Burnham’s road back to parliament would be a bumpy one | Andy Burnham | The Guardian

Let us have respect for our PM please - he's had a hell of a week, he's had a hell of a year, he's had a hell of a term in office, so far.

I get nightmares when I think where we might have been if any of the current crop of Tories had still been at the helm.

Leave the salivating over party in fighting for another day chaps.
IMHO

That's a piece that's written by a Corbyn sympathetic writer. No alarms and no surprises.

Does Burnham actually want to stand in the by-election?

Given the way things are there is no guarantee he would win it and that would be the end of his political career (presumably he has to stand down as mayor to run as an MP?).

There are a lot of assumptions being made!

Are you saying it's not true? Doesn't seem much different to Pippa Crear's earlier piece - or is she a Corbyn sympathiser too?

He's said different things on different occasions about his 'plans' IIRC most recently said he 'wouldn't rule it out'

It would be a huge risk for him Resign from mayoralty with no guarantee of being elected to parliament