@ClarkeandNewman I completely agree with everything you say about Farage.
I really need to call out the unwillingness to call out the Makerfield by election for what it is. This has been in the works for a while and has been masterminded by some MPs who have lost ministerial, or aide, positions for their own misdemeanours and so have been engaging in consolidating support for Burnham. They stand to do well out of his coronation.
The man who gave up his Makerfield seat for Burnham, Simons is said to have been helping Team Burnham on policy, .....
He has been on a rapid political rollercoaster: he worked for and then fell out with Jeremy Corbyn; ran a pro-Starmer think tank; became an MP and quickly a minister, from which he had to resign over accusations about his conduct at the think tank. (BBC)