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.

If you're cool with taxing education then shame on you.

People paying for private education for their children were also paying for the state schools but not occupying those places so state school kids benefitted.

Now those private schools are closing the kids enter the state system and everything is worse and overcrowded.

What exactly is great about that?

This. With the best will in the world Burnham doesn't have a magic wand.

The UK doesn't operate in a vacuum, there are so many outside factors that influence policy and government expenditure.

The only losers today are members of the British public who have to suffer yet more weeks of distraction for a Prime Minister incapable of actually running the country. Starmer's sole focus yet again will be serving his own interests and saving his own skin if possible.

I agree, I think that Reform are playing 4D chess when everyone else is playing draughts.

Losing the last four by-elections that they challenged is a clear demonstration of their strategic genius and mastery of the long game.

I think we need to wait and see before deciding there's going to be turmoil.

ABs win in Makerfield does not automatically mean a leadership contest. Firstly, he has to want to go for it. Now that does seem very likely, but it doesn't mean he wants to go for it now, or via a leadership contest. There will be a lot of backroom talks and deals to be made and we will have to wait and see what the ultimate strategy is.

Secondly, if he does decide to try for it then he'd have to get 81 Labour MPs to back him, and it's far from guaranteed he could get that. It's been weeks since the Mandelson saga and even one week is a very long time in politics; things have calmed down considerably.

Thirdly, assuming he gets the 81 Labour MPs to back him and trigger the contest, he still has to win it. That is certainly not guaranteed. He'd need over 50% of the vote. We shouldn't underestimate the weight of inertia here. Boris Johnson, for example, won a leadership contest just in 2022 despite a massive revolt against his leadership in the party, and Theresa May did the same in 2017.

I agree that a leadership contest is certainly possible. But we are far from turmoil just yet.

Reform won across the board in Makerfield in the local elections. Within weeks, the same constituency has just voted overwhelmingly for Burnham. Clearly people who voted Reform a few weeks ago have switched their votes to Burnham, because they want him to replace Keir Starmer. That was the entire purpose of this election.

People should have voted for the Fox. People of Makerfield what were you thinking???

There’s no indication that private schools closing is causing overcrowding in the state sector. Schools everywhere, both state and private, are closing due to collapsing roll numbers.

He makes it more likely Reform will win, surely.

Or perhaps people who stayed at home in the local elections saw what happened and went to the polling station yesterday. Voting patterns are different in local elections.

I agree. For those who promote the need for critical thinking skills, they certainly don't lead by example. This wasn't a necessary win for Reform. Labour, on the other hand and their sending voters to hassle other voters - no surprises there. One big circus.

I mean into next GE

I have to admit to not grasping politics as well as I perhaps should but one thing I do know for sure - Nigel Farage gives me the serious willies!

I can’t believe people get away with this type of comments.

That's the spirit. Chin up!

Wow, Labour really can't do right for doing wrong on MN these days. How things change ...

I actually really rate and like Starmer and I appreciate fully that I'm now in the minority there, but even I would have to admit that he's not going to 'help' now, is he? Nobody will give him a chance to continue to improve things (and a great many things have got better!) and TBH they only really gave him the first 12 months' grace after his landslide.

So now we have someone a lot of Labour voters like, who has credibility, experience and probably could do this job, but it's going to be 'turmoil'. But if Starmer stays, it'll be massively unpopular (on here anyway, it seems). I think the ship has sailed that had Starmer staying on and making good, and I hope he realises that.

Hmmm well either way KS isn’t going to want to let go. He’s going to fight it to the bitter end I think. It’s going to be hilarious to watch

What the f were voters thinking?

Er yeah people died of COVID in NZ!

I agree, what has anyone’s skin colour got to do with it? Just imagine if this was said the other way round.

It probably was a factor. If your main aim is to get rid of Starmer it’s a surer way to do it.

Is ideology. Nothing else.

He wants Starmer for fall on his sword @FinchiePink. It’s just appalling however you look at it! Burnham has won a by election and now is the king of Westminster elect. He talks about change, but so did Starmer. They all just talk, talk, talk. He mentions hope! He cannot deliver that! He’s just dishonest about what he can do. The national issues are way above what he’s encountered before. These idiots are just swimming in word soup.

Tice on the radio, saying it was a safe Labour seat. Well, they’ll to win a lot of them if they want more than a handful of MPs.

That is exactly the line Tice is spinning. Reform didn't win in the four other national and local by-elections last night. What are the excuses for those results?

The shine is coming off for Reform.