Do you like Andy Burnham?

[paddleboardingmum]

I want to like him but am finding him quite annoying and smug. I'm worried the power will go to his head.

He's changed his stance on this - as have many people thanks to the hard work and campaigning of women. He now fully agrees with the Supreme Court ruling and the EHRC guidance on single sex spaces. He no longer supports gender self ID.

He's changed his stance on this - as have many people thanks to the hard work and campaigning of women. He now fully agrees with the Supreme Court ruling and the EHRC guidance on single sex spaces. He no longer supports gender self ID

Yes, NOW he does, but only cos it's safe now. If men like him had spoken up at the time rather than cast us as bigots, it would have been completely different. Our left wing men not only didn't join us but they were against us and it was awful.

I like him. I've met him a few times. He's compassionate and genuinely gives a shit about people, particularly those on low incomes. He's a good listener and he takes on board what people tell him. I'm Mancunian and he's made a huge difference here. He's not just all talk - he actually implements his ideas.

I don't care about Andy Burnham or anyone else that matters. It's all about the policies.

The sooner people remember it's policies not personalities. The vitriol is mind blowing.

No. He's an utter cunt.

Lots of people have decided they hate him before he’s even started. I felt the same about Johnson and Truss as they were patently unsuitable, and Johnson (maybe) only got in cos Corbyn was unsuitable, but i think we need to give this guy a chance.

I like that he’ll speed up the end of Labour being in power.

Well yes, that's what I said in my post - that he's changed his stance. I think you'd be even more cross if he was still determinedly holding onto his previous viewpoint on this issue though. I've got very good female friends who were all TWAW. They've changed their minds too since the SC ruling and the EHRC guidance.

I really like him and feel excited

He is not ideological so will hopefully make decisions that are best for the country based on the evidence available, rather than a vision he believes in. Liz Truss was a danger to our country because she tried to follow an ideology. All ideologies are fundamentally flawed

Exactly.

Don't be absurd.

ETA. I don't mean that he shouldn't keep his faith out of politics, of course he should. The absurdity is in thinking that Catholicism is any worse than any other faith.

It's not about the cult of personality to have an opinion on what he's doing or whether he might make a suitable PM. Good to see some on here feel positive though. He has set himself a lot to do, so let's hope he can deliver.

Anyone of any party who has ever thought that TWAW is branded permanently as an opportunist or a fool or both. You don’t become not an opportunist or a fool by saying something different down the line after the SC has given a ruling on the meaning of a piece of legislation.

You don’t become not an opportunist or a fool by saying something different down the line after the SC has given a ruling on the meaning of a piece of legislation

The law was always thus. And what a crazy ideology to believe. Homophonic and sexist.

I don't need to like him, he isn't my mate. I need to know he can do the job. Time will tell.

Yes I do very much. I have witnessed Manchester turn around under him and I’m not saying he’s 100% responsible, there’s obviously lots more to it and it had started turning around before him but he’s done a lot. I hope he can recreate this nationally. He’s humble and down to earth as well. I don’t think he’s bolshy as some have said.

I actually think there’s been an awful lot of classism directed at him already. Everything from hating his northern accent through to him not being working class because he got into Cambridge, because WC kids don’t belong at Cambridge apparently.

I haven't seen classism and agree that's not on. It's good he seems good in Manchester. I suppose for other areas we are less familiar with him overall so it's different just having him landing in there wanting to make a load of changes.

Don’t sit on the fence, say how you really feel

No. He’ll be another damp squib.

Burnham was not health secretary when the failures in North Staffs occurred. They happened between 2005 and March 2009. He didn't take office until June 2009. His name is linked with the scandal only because he commissioned the subsequent enquiry.
Its important to be accurate.

He’s probably an ok guy but he seems to think he can come in and do so much better than anyone else quite easily without some sort of tax change or reform when the reality is likely to be quite different.

He is likely to be very similar to Starmer in reality.

I think it could end up that way @Orangemintcream because he has to fix the same problems with no money.

I don't dislike him is all I feel I can say.

I think he's a lot better at selling a story than Starmer. And that was Starmer's downfall really, that he wasn't able to properly tell the story of what he was doing and why. I think coming in with the bus fares announcement, something that is easy to understand and will make a difference to lots of people, was really smart. Time will tell if he can carry people along with the rest of what he wants to do, but I think it's a good start.