Voters of Makerfield show you are not some pawns in a political power struggle

[Goatsarebest]

The voters of Makefield are being used in a political power struggle that is not of their choosing. They elected a MP who has decided that he wants another person to represent them so he can challenge the sitting PM.
AIBU to say they should reject this and not vote the puppet candidate in.
Vote IABU somebody needed to stand down so there would be a credible challenge to the current leadership.
Vote IANBU an elected MP should represent the people who elected them for their full term.

I've never known a political movement to have such an impact. They terrify some people because they look like they are engineering a massive change that's long been needed in this soft country. People have become comfortable with the status quo. That's all now coming tumbling down.

I hope that any voters of MakeRfield reading this thread have noted the number of people advising them who can't spell the name of their constituency. Like, you really care about them, right?✌️

Like the amount of people insisting last night it was Macclesfield as there is no town called Makerfield 🙄

Agree.
I now live in a Reform council ... unheard of. Always been Labour.The red wall has crumbled.
People are pissed off and sending a message.
I think the labour Party are delusional and AB is playing fast and loose with this seat.
It's far from a done deal.

They care more about them than the MP who's stepped down and Burnham. Both have shit on those constituents and both will be punished for it.

You can't force an MP to do their term. No more than you could be forced not to give up your job. Josh Simons is perfectly entitled to step down for whatever reason he chooses, including this one.
If the constituents don't want to vote for Andy Burnham they have other options.
Nothing untoward is happening here at all.
Its a legitimate and democratic process.
The constituents may not like the idea of 'electing the next PM'. They may be supportive of Burnham as PM.
Regardless, they are far from being used, as they hold the power in the situation. Unless they are unusually unaware, they will know this and are unlikely to be swayed by propaganda telling them they 'shouldn't put up with it'. They have the choice here, and I'm sure will make it in accordance with their views rather than upon being stirred to outrage by people scared of Burnham as PM.

I disagree. Neither are showing any regard for the people who voted for a Labour seat.

You are correct. I didn't genuinely believe that by opening a post on Mumsnet that I was going to influence the mass voting intentions of a community in the North of England, but it was more to hear some views on what people think. I think it could go either way. Either he gets in no problem or the electorate make a very clear statement. I think that he has real local connections and a record of working in Greater Manchester and a constituency wasn't just picked because it had a huge majority, will probably swing it for him.
But like you say, that's the decision for that electorate to make.

YANBU. It's offensive and insulting to people who voted in the Makersfield guy. Not to mention anti-democractic.
It's also offensive and insulting to people who voted in Andy B as Gtr Manchester mayor.
That's twice he's done it now. 'King of the North' until something better comes up in Westminster, eh, Andy?

The same group of people will be doubly offended then as the people who voted Josh in for Makerfield would have also voted Burnham as GM Mayor

Has he resigned his current job or will he only do that if he wins?

It shows a great deal more then when an MP defects to another party after their constituents voted for a particular party seat, in which case, we are told that constituents vote for the person, not the party.
Josh Simons has decided to stand down. That is entirely his perogative. If his constituents are upset at no longer having him personally, then that's unfortunate, but people leave posts. If they're upset because they wanted a Labour seat, they can vote Labour again.
No one here has done anything wrong. People are just rightly scared that Burnham could positively impact Labour support, and are scraping round for reasons to suggest they have in order to discredit him.
Both Simons and Burnham no doubt believe they are showing full regard for people who voted Labour, as im sure they both (like those trying to discredit Burnham) believe these actions may save Labour.

He doesn’t have to step down as mayor unless he wins.

The worst bit is if probably consider voting Burnham. The issue is that he's on glue if he thinks he is just going to walk this.

It'll be a lot like the EU referendum in terms of attitude - establish v non establishment. I don't think Streetings endorsement actually is going to help Burnham either.

Given the local election results in that constituency I don’t imagine he thinks he can walk it at all.

It's the enormous cost that gets me

Why is Josh Simon standing down though for Burnham ? What’s he’s getting in return ?
MPs on 90k a year don’t just give up a job after 20 months to give way form someone else..
Somethings not right here ..

Why is Josh Simon standing down though for Burnham ? What’s he’s getting in return ?
MPs on 90k a year don’t just give up a job after 20 months to give way form someone else..
Somethings not right here ..

And Reform have absolutely nothing to lose. They’ll potentially win a MPs seat and a Mayor’s job.
Labour have a lot to lose ..

They won’t win an MP seat and a mayor at the moment. He won’t quit as mayor if he loses the constituency election. I doubt a sense that he might up and leave if he gets a whiff of power will help his popularity if he wanted to stand again though.

Something similar happened before. Around the time of a lot of unrest about immigration as well. The person parachuted in lost at the first attempt.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1965_Leyton_by-election

Burnham has a track record of all of this to the people in Makerfield (ish) from his Mayoral role.

I’m actually more concerned about the opposite - that he has little understanding of national politics despite being a good local politician (he’d have my vote for mayor, even though I’m not a Labour voter and never have been). I work in Greater Manchester and grew up in Makerfield so have links to the area but won’t be voting the by election.

I also think he should be made to end out his mayoral term before being eligible to stand as MP.

Would Burnham need his own act of parliament for his pension too?

It would piss me off too-but I am so scared that people will think they’re “expressing their outrage” by voting Reform. It’s a shit show.

Also a lifelong Labour voter and (almost lifelong) member. If I was a local voter, I think I would abstain for the first and only time I can imagine. This type of silly buggers manipulation leaves a very bad taste.

Bottom line is that if interest rates jump, my mortgage becomes unaffordable. We have no more room in the pot.