Burnham has won. More turmoil?

[KatiePricesKnickers]

Now Burnham has won, it will trigger a leadership contest, and if he wins, a new chancellor of the exchequer.

Surely this cannot be good for the country, or its finances?

YABU - Burnham is a true leader who will improve the UK for everyone and be a competent and respected leader.

YANBU - FFS, here we go again.

the simple point is KS, RR and BP rushed in a tonne of policies most people didn’t want and that were hugely unpopular.

It's not a fact the Reform cleaned up in Makerfield in the local elections? Are you sure about that?
The people of Makerfield want a change of prime minister more than they want a Reform MP.

No I don't have fairies in my garden. Do you always suggest that people who you disagree with are suffering a lapse in mental health?

I am relieved he has won because reform winning another seat is not what the country needs.

I hope Burnham doesn’t try to rush the headship challenge but his ego is desire to be PM so I think he will likely do this quickly. Starmer has his strong points and at present we need stability and a PM who shows commitment and strength particularly when dealing with world leaders.

i think Burnham will be more popular with voters and is more likely to win the next election, but that doesn’t make him a better PM just possibly a more popular one and he is more likely to make choices to increase his popularity t

Because the statement I assume (and don’t want to speak on behalf of the poster) was meant that white males are over represented in positions of high office. Wanted a change from that is not sexist or racist.

it also plays into the far-right notion of their being “anti-white racism” in this country. Which is bollocks. There is racism in this country. It is increasing. And it isn’t against white people

Reform got 32% of the vote.

I doubt it. A win for Reform in Makerfield wouldn’t have given us a Reform government and made Farage PM. They would just have added 1 MP to their relatively small number.

It was a vote to get Starmer out and make AB PM. If you wanted Starmer out, you would need to vote Labour. If you were of the mind that you think Starmer should stay, you would vote for the biggest party that wasn’t Labour.

What is this obsession people have about people's mannerisms and looks in politics. It seems if people disagree with someone's politics they feel happy in providing a personal critique of the mannerisms or dress sense or how they eat.

Quite frankly I couldn't give a flying fig as long as they do a decent job and things get better for everyone.

I don't think so.

Starmer wasn't particularly disliked on day 1 but it didn't take any time at all for people to start criticising him for everything wrong in the world and their lives.

The same thing will happen with Burnham and I think the media bears a lot of the responsibility - particularly social media.

People just want someone to blame - and seem so angry these days.

I hope Burnham has the sense to see that the country's interests require him to work with Starmer. It's really only journos who want a leadership contest so that they have something to write about.

This will cause noise and drama for a few weeks until Andy is defeated and Keir continues. Rachel and Ed will continue with their agendas.
It will not be good for any of us.

You’re right he wasn’t. He got there by policy and behaviour.

And Starmer blaming others is part of it.

But isn’t the problem that not everyone is struggling (to pay rent, pay for heating or put food on the table)? We’re not all in it together. Some people are doing very well indeed.

There’s growing wealth inequality, including big regional disparities. And the UK is far worse than many other countries in terms of income inequality and compared to previous decades.

It isn't really about whether you are wealthy enough to selflessly believe in higher taxes or not. There is generally a tipping point. We don't live in isolation and London is one of the most international cities in the world which means that it has very mobile community of higher rate tax payers. If you look at our higher rate tax, it is fairly similar to other equivalent European countries. To raise more tax you have to bring more people into paying more tax. Then you have problems with it not paying to work and low productivity. People stick to part time work, don't take promotions and spend a bit less. This is already happening a lot in my work. When people spend less there is less VAT coming in and also businesses close. Businesses closing means less jobs, less spending less taxes and more demand on benefits.

Obviously, that is a very simple summary but the vast majority of people have finely balanced finances and small changes can have a big impact on them.

I was surprised to read this. I thought the tories were toast in Scotland

Flawed analysis. This by-election was a test to see if Reform could win the next general election. Had they taken the Makerfield seat it would have been game over for Labour. This is not about one seat for one party, it's a significant marker in the fight against the far right.

Have to agree to disagree there.

BBC has reform 35 and restore 7 percent - had lumped them together. The point stands - Burnham appears to get it…

Ok but ignoring Starmer’s very bad ratings won’t help Labour.

Even the Telegraph is admitting that Burnham did well. "An astonishing achievement." Poor Badenoch is reduced to "small beer".

What is there to get away with? 50% of the UK population is female. Why hasn't the Labour Party managed to produce a brilliant female politician who could lead their party and win an election for them? The Tories have had four women as leaders!

And what's wrong with pointing out that the Labour Party has also not yet managed to elect a leader who wouldn't tick the White British box on an ethnic monitoring form? Again, all the others have.

It's all of a piece for me with their supposed commitment to women's rights, which is so superficial that they've steadfastly ignored the problems with identity politics and gender ideology in particular. Tickbox exercise at best.

I respectfully disagree. It was a vote on whether you want Starmer out or not.

Want Starmer out? Vote Labour

Think Starmer should stay as you don’t think we need yet another PM and it will (probably) just be more of the same? Vote for the biggest opposition (in this case, Reform).

Clearly more people wanted Starmer out than in. Possibly many people who would vote Reform (or for other parties) in a GE voted Labour in this just to rid of Starmer.

Farage said this by-election was existential. @ClarkeandNewman’s analysis is correct.

He's good friends with Ange and Milliband

There are vast numbers of us who could never vote Reform or Restore. We may have wanted to do something tactical but some things are really off limits!

I don't ignore his bad ratings and don't love him myself but to me it's a truth that the media came for him from day 1 and the same thing will happen to Burnham or whoever replaces Starmer (assuming he loses a leadership challenge).

And people use social media to spread hate towards public figures. No one is immune because no politician can please everyone.