To think Andy Burnham will not make Labour any more electable.

[4thweekofjuly]

I think there is little appetite for a new PM and a new Labour leader will make 0 difference to their chances of winning. I also think the best the public can hope for, from any government, is a slow, well managed decline. I don't think there is much of a future in the UK and the public need to accept the social contract is no more. .

I would vote for anyone who would properly slash the benefits bill. Including the triple lock.

Then you prob want Tory.

If ever there was an abuse of process, this is it. An absolute waste of taxpayer money holding what should be an unnecessary election (elections don't come cheap). Looking at the 2024 election results for Makerfield, it won't take much of a swing in the Labour vote for Reform to win anyway. If this goes ahead, I hope the self-serving bastard loses. The party as it stands is beyond contempt. Discounting the PM and speaker, there are 401 potential candidates that are actual MPs to replace Starmer and yet they still can't rustle one out of that bunch that'll actually be any good/palatable to the public.

Starmer is a jelly fish. Spineless.
Mr flip flop.
Burnham will bring strength.
He will benefit those who need the most support.
He has done good in Manchester and he would continue to do well for the country.

Didn't Reform just anihilate Labour in the Wigan council ellections? and does that mean Burnham won't win the By election. Also will Reform with the manchester mayoral by election? This could be very interesting to watch!

It’s funny to think that Starmer will be backing Reform in this By-election.

I also think the best the public can hope for, from any government, is a slow, well managed decline.

This is a curious statement ? you don't think any government has it in its power to make things even incrementally better for any of its electorate ? Ever ? Regardless of what their policies are ?

I think that’s why Starmer has allowed him to run this time unlike recently . I think Starmer will appear the good guy knowing AB may well not win this seat .

I find it appalling that he’s going to be telling the constituents that he’s got their best interests at heart, he’ll be their best choice for local representation in parliament etc etc when they absolutely know full well he’s not in the least bit interested in them, he’s been parachuted in and only doing it for the crack at the top job. He wouldn’t get my vote under those circumstances.

Ha, good point.

Vote Reform to save Starmer.

I've seen it all

I agree with your title, not necessarily with the rest of your post.

Andy Burnham left Parliament to become Mayor of Manchester, after having lost two contests for the Labour leadership. He only avoided causing a costly by-election because the 2017 General election was called off schedule. Now he's going to cause impromptu elections both for a Parliamentary seat and for the mayoralty in order at a time of huge upheaval when the public has just demonstrated a prefernce for most other political parties besides his, in order to .... get back to where he was in 2017 and then attempt to replace the Labour Leader who's been in the HOC all this time doing the work, and who won both a Leadership contest AND a majority in the HOC ??

I can't get excited about his carpet-baggging and even if people don't mind it, I'm not sure Blairism is going to resonate with the Great British Public right now. If Starmer's so bad, Burnham should throw his weight behind whatever current Labour MP would be better, and make plans to get back to Parliament legitimately at a less inconvenient time for everyone else instead of making his self-regard and lack of regard for others so obvious.

I think he's the best option and that the opposition both within and outwith the labour party are running scared of him. Streeting is simply NOT the guy. I actually don't mind Angela Raynor at all but I don't think she will fly with the British public. I also like Ed Miliband if he were to run again I think he's a really decent guy who has grown a lot in the past 10 years. I also wonder if he'd really want to go though all that again? Ultimately I think the biggest danger to Reform and other opposition parties is Burnham. Just watch how much negativity he in particular will get in the press, online, from various social media bots telling us all how awful and unelectable Burnham is precisely because they know he's a very serious contender indeed.

Save Starmer to finish Labour.

@HisNibs very good point and hard to argue with.

Yes, Manchester has improved massively under Andy Burnham. But it’s not just him- he’s building on a legacy of over 30 years of stable Labour political leadership in the city all committed to the same long term goal of economically regenerating the city and wider region. They prioritised growth and it has paid off.

The irony that it might be ended as Andy Burnham hands the council to Reform is horrendous.

I doubt he’ll win a by election. There is no winnable seat for Labour right now. The national party has discredited the work of lots of decent local councillors and quite understandably the electorate want to give them a kicking.

This exactly. The Labour MP they voted for has decided to ditch them 5 minutes later, then Burnham decides to use them to get his paws on the Labour leadership- nothing to do with them at all. What a vote winner. These Leftists are clearly also too stupid to remember Burnham the Blairite!

He’ll crash and burn. Why can’t Labour see that Starmer isn’t the problem. It’s Labour that’s the problem. Angela and Andy are not the answer. Reform grabbed a lot of seats in Manchester at the locals so it seems to be absolute madness that they think Andy Burnham will win the seat easily.

Similar to all the negative press which surrounds Farage, because the lefty press knows that he is a serious contender.

I’ll definitely be getting out the popcorn for this one. I think it’s going to get a whole lot worse for Labour.

@Livelovebehappy You could be right, I really do think Burnham has what it takes to expose and show up Farage and to beat him soundly in the next election so bring it on!

Oh, hi Liz!! How have you been? Do you fancy another shot at 10 Downing Street?

Not one of them is thinking of the good of the country or people, just the good of themselves, and that sickens me.

Absolutely diabolical behaviour. Self serving, opportunistic, revolting

How much do elections cost?

Is he stepping down as mayor yet?