AIBU to think Andy Burnham might call a general election soon?

[Mywishistoclimbthe3peaks]

To think Andy Burnham will call a general election before Christmas? Yes it would be a massive roll of the dice but,

Reform - don't have the numbers for a GE and there's all frog faces suspicious money bringing him a lot of heat.

Torys - kemi doesn't have a lot of depth, I feel and she hasn't changed much in the polls. She's good at the dispatch box but let's face it anyone could stand up and insult the other side.

By calling a GE Andy would have his own mandate and break the deadlock of the back benchers.

Not being unreasonable = he needs to call a GE

Your being unreasonable = Robotic Kier and Ratchet Reeves have gone and Andy just needs to get on with it now.

@BrownBookshelf same I'm not that up with him. Just had a quick Google and he was a junior minister under Blair/Brown. He's been in politics for a long time. When he resigned I said to dh then he's been offered a deal with Burnham.

No it doesn't, or you'd have been able to explain it by now instead of goalpost moving. And once again, if there being news happening is a reason not to post about this, you'd have stopped by now.

Words have meanings. You used these ones wrongly.

Any word on Philipson, or Rayner?

You were more prescient than me!

Not yet

No I haven’t. You just missed the post I responded to and context.

I absolutely love analysing the tactics of politics 🤓 I would love to be a politician but they would eat me alive. I wouldn't last a day 🤣

It’s quite crazy when you stop and think about it. The constant reshuffling of woefully under qualified people into leadership positions in departments they frequently know absolutely nothing about. Some of them seem to repeatedly fail upwards ( who remembers Grayling and Williamson?)

Yes you have. There is no context that can explain why a pattern of complaining that already existed and a trend towards social media usage that was long established before the last administration could possibly have had the scene set by a group of people on Mumsnet in 2021-22.

Although it's quite impressive how non specialists fit nicely into their new positions - with a few exceptions.

Oof I couldn't think of anything worse! Too much visibility for my liking, and that's even as someone quite extroverted.

Of course there is. Have you really not noticed the recent up tick in SM political backlash?

Yes we were just talking about this. I know the civil servants actually run things but how can you really be on top of your brief if you never have long enough to learn it?

At least Mahmood is staying as home secretary.

Or do they? Is the reason that we’re a failing nation partly down to this crazy system of governance where, for example, you can have a former fireplace salesman suddenly acting as education secretary?

The size of the majority is not a problem - it's much tougher with a small majority. Burnham is going to do what Blair did I assume - ignore the 20 serial rebels. Starmer's error was picking a pointless fight over a policy that wasn't in the manifesto.
I'm sure Burnham will try harder to engage with backbenchers in a productive way.

Yes, Mahmood and Healey will be inspiring but But Burnham's about to undo a smart cabinet by bringing Rayner in. Need to see the full suit though.

He's got a few more starmer loyalist BBs to deal with now.

Blair didn’t make so many internal enemies from day one. Things will really kick off when Burnham starts actually coming up with some policies. At that point he can no longer be all things to all people

How do you know? Blair maintained iron party discipline, none of his backbenchers dared step out of line. I suspect Burnham will achieve the same result with charm.

Right, shall we start some odds on which of the new ministers is going to fuck up/get fired/step down first?

See, he's winning you over already! We'll have you in a red rosette by Christmas!
(Seriously, fair play to you for being fair)

He will get co-operation because he's as far left as they are.

😆 🤣 that was funny x

Blair was leader for years before delivering a landslide election victory. Burnham has failed twice to be elected to leadership and only got to his current position by stabbing Starmer in the back. He is nothing but a grubby opportunist with an astonishing sense of entitlement and a giant ego. I can’t wait for the party and the public to turn on him and send him packing.

🤣🤣