Andy Burnham is standing!

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This is the first time in ages I've felt excited and hopeful about our politics. Will he be blocked by Starmer's allies?

That’s my theory. Let’s face it who’d voluntarily deal with Trump! I think if he’s elected, he’ll bide his time for a couple of years, be a good loyal back bencher, garnering support. Then go for it.

Cue stupid Reform voters adding their two Penney. Did Trump impress you lately.? You know Farage is a Trump supporting grifter, right?

I'm not keen on any turbulence at the moment. I think starmer is actually holding his own quite well against trump.

Oh god, no thank you!

Quite.

Reform called Trump out as wrong very early on .

So why is Farage so friendly with him?

Ego . He likes to tell people he mixes with the ‘ top’ players . He didn’t get an audience in Davos , unusual for a ‘ good friend ‘

Agree. What the fuck is he thinking? We had enough of the revolving door with the Tories leadership, I hoped for better from labour. Smh 🤦

It's either very brave or very stupid. Presumably they have some good data leading him to believe he'll actually win the seat against a targeted Reform campaign.

I think Starmer will say bring it on, and if a change of leader is best for the party/country so be it.

I think Starmer's done well all round. There's a lot of noise from people who just don't like anything slightly left wing, but they can't really give examples.

I don't hate the Uturns either tbh, listening is OK.

And the climb down from Trump today 😮

He was much more measured abiut it than the other leaders though, and he could hardly stay quiet when his whole act is around patriotism.

But surely doing so publicly was a deliberate decisiom. If Starmer says no he looks scared.

I really really hope this doesn’t help Reform in any way! This is very worrying.

Things are looking pretty positive for Reform already. I think anyone who can turn the tide is very welcome on the scene.

I like Andy Burnham. He's a great mayor so would be sad to see him leave that behind. But life moves on, and he's got a whole wealth of experience behind him now. Still sad.

Being a Mayor is very different to being a PM.

His history does not indicate which wing of the party he will be in future. Does anyone have a better feel for it than I do?

You dont own someone's soul "as their wife"

He's a male chauvinist pig and misogynist bigot who is vehemently against womens rights to single sex spaces. This is the worse fucking decision Labour can make! They'll never learn. Maybe when Reform wins they will. Maybe.... When (not if) Reform wins against Burnham, it will serve themselves right. Labour are determined, absolutely determined, not to listen to women and learn. The bloodbath will be epic, and thoroughly deserved. And that goes for the next GE.

Yes another one who should be all systems go but doesn't care about womens rights. Its awful.

YouGov have them on 24%, Lab 19% and the Cons 18%

Support for Reform is falling across all polling.
An Andy Burnham circus is the last think Labour or the country needs..

Anyway, he was pretty poor in Govt & the media will big him up, then should he become PM, dig up all the dirt they have on him, same as they did with Starmer.

The press are always against Labour. It's really depressing.

Edit - I mean it's depressing that they don't play on the same playing field as the Tories. But saying that, they've also given the press a lot of ammunition.

Exactly this. Im not sure why the Left see him as their great saviour when he was an arch Blairite. Sounds like whoever is backing him or has persuaded him to come back just wants someone who has a chance of launching a leadership bid. I wonder if the Hard Left have flattered his ego, persuaded him to stand, challenge for the leadership, then they will put someone like Richard Burgeon up against him 'for balance' and vote for him? They have form for that with both Ed Milliband and Jeremy Corbyn. It wouldnt surprise me.

The Labour Party’s ability to shoot itself in the foot has been depressing its supporters for many, many years.