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AIBU?

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Original poster

To want to see Andy Burnham as Labour leader

136 replies

Rollercoaster21 · 08/05/2021 19:15

Aibu to think Andy Burnham would be a brilliant choice for Labour leader? Competent, passionate, unifying, relatable

(and also rather attractive 🤭😜)

OP posts:
RockingMyFiftiesNot · 09/05/2021 19:00

It means that a majority of Greater Manchester (maybe not Trafford and a few other leafy suburbs) vote for the party and not the person.

Plenty of people in 'Trafford and the leafy suburbs' voted for AB the person. Where do you live to be qualified to make such sweeping statements?

Susie477 · 09/05/2021 19:05

Andy stood for the leadership in 2015, when Corbyn won. He ran a poor campaign, in which he repeatedly flip-flopped on lots of different issues. Hopefully, if he had another chance, he would do rather better now he has more experience and a better idea of where he stands.

I have been saying for years that Labour should chose a woman leader who has school-age children. That would be a very good look for the party.

Hmmph · 09/05/2021 19:24

Stella Creasy ?

BonnieDundee · 09/05/2021 19:38

What about Yvette Cooper?

Herewegoagainok · 09/05/2021 20:04

He showed backbone when fighting for a better deal for Manchester during covid restrictions but generally strikes me as someone who stands for what others think is right and not what he thinks is right. When he was standing for leader he was criticized for his involvement in the Blair government and he would be hauled over the coals by the press if he got a sniff of leadership.

He has done good things and I hope he continues, but a leader he ain't.

Winniewonka · 09/05/2021 20:10

I voted for him again because he donates 15% of his salary to homeless causes. Before anyone comes back and says he should be preventing homelessness, ALL politicians share that responsibility.

HavelockVetinari · 09/05/2021 20:13

I bloody wish Harriet Harmon wanted the job, but she doesn't Sad

I dunno about Andy - I thought David Milliband would've been amazing, but the bloody unions* picked the wrong brother to back.

  • I'm a union member. Just a disappointed one. Ed-fecking-Milliband! What a notion! (Not as bad as Corbyn though, the prick Angry)
LWOTT · 09/05/2021 20:19

Sadly Andy Burnham won’t become leader as Labour members seem to prefer London white men. I would’ve liked to see Lisa Nandy win the leadership contest last time but she didn’t get it for the same reason.

SycamoreGap · 09/05/2021 20:21

@RockingMyFiftiesNot

It means that a majority of Greater Manchester (maybe not Trafford and a few other leafy suburbs) vote for the party and not the person.

Plenty of people in 'Trafford and the leafy suburbs' voted for AB the person. Where do you live to be qualified to make such sweeping statements?

Just north of the city. There were a few surprise in the last election - From memory Bury North and Bolton NE, but the majority of GM is labour (18 MPs out of 27) and people will always vote that way no matter who stands.
Tealightsandd · 09/05/2021 20:38

@LWOTT

Sadly Andy Burnham won’t become leader as Labour members seem to prefer London white men. I would’ve liked to see Lisa Nandy win the leadership contest last time but she didn’t get it for the same reason.
Ed Miliband? He didn't last long.

Keir is not from London.
Corbyn is not from London.
Blair is not from London.
Brown is not from London.

Tealightsandd · 09/05/2021 20:41

Harriet Harmon? With her links to PIE?

LWOTT · 09/05/2021 20:43

@Tealightsandd They all lived and worked in London.

Tealightsandd · 09/05/2021 20:47

[quote LWOTT]@Tealightsandd They all lived and worked in London.[/quote]
Well yes. As Labour Party leaders. Andy would too. Definitely if he became Prime Minister. That's where parliament is based. It's the office.

Tealightsandd · 09/05/2021 20:48

And, they most definitely did not represent Londoners.

LWOTT · 09/05/2021 20:51

You know that’s not what I meant. I thought Starmer was from London. Corbyn moved there as a teenager, Blair did his pupillage there then practised in London.

Tealightsandd · 09/05/2021 20:56

So tell me. This obsession with politicians being supposedly 'London centric". What is it you envy?

The gang crime? The stabbings and shootings?

The extreme housing crisis - with the worst homelessness issues in the whole country?

Of families living in temporary accommodation, two thirds are in London. Rough sleeping is epic levels.

Families and individuals, including the vulnerable, priced out, forced away from their communities and support networks.

Yeah. London's really been looked after, hasn't it.

LWOTT · 09/05/2021 20:57

I don’t envy anybody. I am simply saying that many people believe, rightly or wrongly, that London based politicians don’t fully understand the issues happening the regions.

Tealightsandd · 09/05/2021 21:02

Perhaps they don't. But they certainly don't understand or care about what's happening in London either.

LWOTT · 09/05/2021 21:03

Well I can’t comment on that because I don’t live in London but as someone who visits regularly it’s quite obvious that the city is facing huge challenges that are not being met.

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 09/05/2021 21:06

Rather vacuous to want a leader based on looks???

OvaHere · 09/05/2021 21:14

@the80sweregreat

I like David Lammy too. I don't feel that Sir Kier Starmer is really that comfortable doing this job. It wouldn't shock me if he went back to being a barrister one day to be honest.
I always get that vibe with him. Like he woke up one morning with no memory to find he was the Leader of the Opposition and was like "Shit. How did that happen?" but has to just play along with it anyway until he deciphers the secret code that will tell him who he really is.

Netflix screenwriters eat your heart out. Grin

User135644 · 09/05/2021 21:15

@GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing

It’s hard to say! Maybe his popularity stemmed from defying central government, but if he was the PM his USP would have deserted him, if that makes sense!
He said recently that being in parliament and government made him be someone he wasn't.
User135644 · 09/05/2021 21:16

@Crunchymum

MN cannot seem to have a discussion about male politicians without resorting to discussing their appearance?

Why is this?

Because they all fancy Matt Hancock.
Tealightsandd · 09/05/2021 21:22

@LWOTT

Well I can’t comment on that because I don’t live in London but as someone who visits regularly it’s quite obvious that the city is facing huge challenges that are not being met.
Sorry @LWOTT My post wasn't aimed at you specifically. I'm just sick of hearing people, encouraged by the media, banging on about "London centric", when the consequences of that centricness have been so so devastating for Londoners.

As an aside, if anywhere else wants to take Corbyn (both brothers) you're all more than welcome. Smile I'd say Blair too but he's already left (the mess he made).

Separately, I've just read Burnham thinks Starmer sacking Angela was a mistake. Doesn't say much about Burnham's judgement.

User135644 · 09/05/2021 21:22

@HavelockVetinari

I bloody wish Harriet Harmon wanted the job, but she doesn't Sad

I dunno about Andy - I thought David Milliband would've been amazing, but the bloody unions* picked the wrong brother to back.

  • I'm a union member. Just a disappointed one. Ed-fecking-Milliband! What a notion! (Not as bad as Corbyn though, the prick Angry)
David Milliband is the biggest myth in politics to be honest. Ed had the better policies, David was more photogenic and slick. Perhaps he would have won in 2015 though, who knows?