To want Andy Burnham to challenge for the Labour leadership

[Spiritofeden87]

I’m a big fan of Andy Burnham- I think he’s clear, principled, has done some good stuff in Manchester and would be great as Labour leader. I saw him speak a while ago at a festival and he was great- said it took being mayor of greater Manchester to understand fully what he believes in. Which is nationalised train travel, council houses, abolishing the 2 child cap, etc.

Am sure all the Farage nuts will be along in a short while to tell me immigrants are eating swans (!) but I think Andy is just what Labour need to unify and get back to some proper social justice values rather than chasing down the far right.

Starmer is truly truly terrible and his position is untenable.

I'm not even sure if Andy Burnham actually wants to challenge - I think it's him fronting up to Starmer and making the point that a lot of Labour voters didn't vote Labour to get Reform-lite. All Starmer seems to be doing presently is chasing Reform voters - and there are a lot of people in the UK who would never vote for them, but DO want to get a decent, progressive government in that doesn't spend 24/7 wittering on about small boats when there are much larger issues worthy of all that attention.

Excuse me? Don’t drag me into all of that with your enormous assumptions about what I do and don’t believe. Jesus.

He says TWAW so shouldn’t be trusted with anything.

Andy Burnham is even more left wing than Starmer. Whose seat would he get ? Wouldn’t there be a bi election even in the unlikely event a sitting MP offered him his seat.

Even if Burnham got the job he’d have the exact same problems as Starmer. Starmer is torn between the right wing voters, Reform are a threat with election coming up in May , then Starmer has the left of the party voting against him all the time .

I’m no fan of Starmer but he’s in an awkward position and any Labour leader would be the same.

I don’t see the point of Andy Burnham.
And I don’t want more council houses. I want a lot more people into home ownership, like achieved in the 1930s.

He's a very smooth political operator who has been waiting years for the to job. Given how ruthless he is, I'd say it's odds on that he'll become leader in the next few years.

I really don't like him, mainly due to the Hillsborough issue. Whenever strides have been made towards justice for the bereaved families, he always pops up to take some credit. The truth is that he did nothing to help those families until he was publicly jeered by a large crowd. Only then he decided to move things on and had been taking credit ever since. I think that sums him up.

True. Burnham markets what markets would last a day. They’d show their relevance pdq

This. I worry he’s another Boris.

Different to that he was elected with a majority.

I think Yvette Cooper should lead Labour. They cannot have yet another male leader. No way.

Is 12 -18mths how long we expect a prime minister to serve these days? I’m old enough to remember when they went from one general election to the next! 😂

I do want him to.

But it’s technically a challenging process for him.

get an mp to stand
be allowed to stand for selection - starmers folk or other leadership hopefuls could put a stop to it right there
get selected
win a by-election

only then can he challenge for leadership

@CurrentHunYvette Cooper wouldn’t get the support to lead the party and apparently is famous for being indecisive at the Home Office which is why she was moved. Surely the quality of the person matters more than their sex? I’m all for having a female leader but only if they are the best person. Shabana Mahmood is good if the next leader has to be a woman, but I don’t think that should be the defining requirement.

And I still believe Nige and his ‘immigrants are eating swans’ will implode- especially with the likes of Arron Banks basically going all Pol Pot and saying academics should be shot at dawn. It’s incredible stuff.

What?!

Sorry, may I beg a link if you have one to hand for that, please?

I could google, but I'm not sure my blood pressure would take wading through a lot of it...

I haven't been following his recent doings, but know Arron Banks as a character who throws a lot of money at elections – not just in the UK. Also know he has a track record of saying shit then resiling with "Only joking" if there are consequences.

Burnham is an opportunist and career politician.

I wouldn’t trust him- he’s also very left wing .

Name me any politician who his not an opportunist nor a career politician. Its in the skill set.

True !

It's a no from me. He isn't clear and principled enough to take a position on women's rights. I am done with these "both sides" men (and women). Only one side is being told their rights aren't as important as special men feeling sad.

I hadn’t heard this of Yvette Cooper? Is she maybe very detailed, policy-focused, which can result in being a bit cautious, perhaps? I have to say what I want from politicians in this day and age is just to be centrist, well informed and pragmatic. Too many gobshites mouthing off aggressively on the world stage and domestically at the moment, when we desperately need experienced cool heads.

Looks like he’s making his move 😀