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Politics

Would you vote for Andy Burnham in the by-election?

35 replies

Sid2024 · 15/05/2026 08:35

People of Makerfield - would you vote for Andy Burnham? Anyone else - thoughts?

OP posts:
Maddy70 · 15/05/2026 08:40

He is a great mayor and had been elected to run Manchester which he isdoung a great job. How dare he now let the people ofsnchester down and try to unseat Keir Starmer who I voted to elect as leader. He had his chance at leader was failed , why does he think that had changed ?

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 15/05/2026 08:53

It seems to me that the voters are being coerced into voting for Burnham, if he’s selected. They are being told they must do this for the country. It stinks. It’s manipulative and has nothing to do with local issues. It’s all about personal ambition. So no, had a I got a vote there, I would not vote for Burnham. However if constituents feel like me, they need to vote in large numbers for another candidate. Not split the vote by a scattergun approach. That’s up to the voters of course but they did just vote in Reform councillors so I expect Reform to make a bold show.

Overall though - the local mp had no backbone, has moaned about not securing money for pet projects (every single mp would say this) and threw his job overboard as a result. Young and stupid too. Voters deserve MPs who have a grasp of reality.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 15/05/2026 08:59

I think it’s breathtakingly arrogant, and that if I was a constituent, I wouldn’t vote for Burnham. And I’d be pissed off that the local authorities had to pick up the tab for a parliamentary and mayoral by election because of his political ambition. If he wanted to be an MP he shouldn’t have stood for reelection in 2024 and tried to get a seat in the general election. Reform will throw everything at the seat.

Erin1975 · 15/05/2026 09:05

If I lived there I would. Nobody is perfect but based on his past record as a politician I think he has done a better job than most.

Pinribbons · 15/05/2026 09:10

If he was standing in the usual course of business, at a GE, after seeing out his term as Mayor, yes.

Not as a result of the senangians to undermine the PM (and the country) and abandon Manchester, all for the sake of personal ambition.

mumonthehill · 15/05/2026 09:13

This all feels very manipulative and self serving. I am not in the constituency but if he becomes leader of labour then they have lost my vote in the next GE. I really feel uncomfortable about how this is being done. I really do not want Reform to gain another MP but this is a high chance they will here.

Pinribbons · 15/05/2026 09:16

I'm really worried that the Leadership campaign will be delayed for him. If there's going to be one, it needs to be soon. We can't wait 6/8(?) weeks to find out if he can run.

The whole thing is ridiculously damaging to the country, the government and the party. He should be ashamed of himself IMO.

Bridgertonisbest · 15/05/2026 09:20

I don’t live in the area but if he became an mp I might well rejoin the Labour Party so I could vote him in as pm.

Pinribbons · 15/05/2026 09:25

Bridgertonisbest · 15/05/2026 09:20

I don’t live in the area but if he became an mp I might well rejoin the Labour Party so I could vote him in as pm.

I think what he's doing currently is appalling, but I agree if we have to have one of those currently in the frame, I'd rather have him for PM than any of the others.

What I'd really like to happen is a quick campaign, which he wouldn't be part of, and based in the current field, I think Starmer would win.

EveryKneeShallBow · 15/05/2026 09:30

Not anywhere near the area, and not a labour voter, but this is a terrible thing for the country and I hope he gets a good kicking from the electorate.

1dayatatime · 15/05/2026 09:33

The cost to the taxpayers of the Manchester Mayoral by election and the Makerfield is estimated to be £5 million.

What happened to putting country before Party or in this case personal political ambition?

Whataflippincircus · 15/05/2026 09:37

Here’s the thing, the great British public can always be relied upon to do the unexpected. Remember Boaty Mcboatface?

climbintheback · 15/05/2026 09:37

Job swaps for pals - nah!

InLoveWithAI · 15/05/2026 09:38

I would vote for him. Yes.

Westfacing · 15/05/2026 09:43

Maddy70 · 15/05/2026 08:40

He is a great mayor and had been elected to run Manchester which he isdoung a great job. How dare he now let the people ofsnchester down and try to unseat Keir Starmer who I voted to elect as leader. He had his chance at leader was failed , why does he think that had changed ?

He had his chance at leader was failed , why does he think that had changed?

What has changed is that Starmer has turned out to be the biggest disappointment as a PM, to put it mildly, and the government needs to turn things around before the next GE to avoid a Reform victory

I'm no particular fan of Burnham but honestly can't think of anyone else who comes near his public persona, recognised achievements as mayor, and general oomph

Labour's last chance IMO

EricTheHalfASleeve · 15/05/2026 10:42

Keir is rubbish but why would Andy Burnham be any better? I know nothing about him & would love someone to summarise why he'd be an effective PM. I'm not keen on having another unelected PM (as in a PM who didn't win a general election as party leader)

The cost of the by-elections alone would annoy me too much to vote for him.

MiaKulper · 15/05/2026 10:44

The by-election will go to Deform Reform. The job AB is vacating will go to Reform.

Sewciopath · 15/05/2026 10:53

1dayatatime · 15/05/2026 09:33

The cost to the taxpayers of the Manchester Mayoral by election and the Makerfield is estimated to be £5 million.

What happened to putting country before Party or in this case personal political ambition?

Thats our council tax going up again then and bin collections going from 3 weekly to 4 weekly

1dayatatime · 15/05/2026 17:32

Sewciopath · 15/05/2026 10:53

Thats our council tax going up again then and bin collections going from 3 weekly to 4 weekly

But it puts Makerfield in the news a lot - bargain for £2.5 million 🤨

survivingoutofspite · 16/05/2026 04:44

I would vote for him if i could

I would definitely vote labour again if he was leader.

HappiestSleeping · 16/05/2026 05:09

MiaKulper · 15/05/2026 10:44

The by-election will go to Deform Reform. The job AB is vacating will go to Reform.

He only needs to vacate the mayoral role if he gets elected as an MP.

So if Reform do win, then the good people of Manchester will know that their mayor would rather be an MP / PM than their mayor. That will start to undermine any achievements past, present and future.

asillysausage · 16/05/2026 05:14

As a constituent, I am beyond angry! Josh has been a great local MP. He has been very proactive. Andy is using us as a stepping stone to become PM. Our town will be abandoned if he wins. He does not care about us, and as Mayor, he’s been great for Manchester, but not for towns like ours. His arrogance is breathtaking. Moreover, he believes TWAW! I think he has really underestimated just how pissed off he has made us locals feel. I will not be voting for him, and everyone I have spoken to will not either. I think Reform will win the seat

Noras · 16/05/2026 05:44

The country needs stability and that was the ticket on which Labour was elected.

Many people feel hugely let down and any lurch left will make people feel even more disheartened. Everything needs to be paid for and all we seem to have had is one tax rise after another and another. In the meantime, before even increasing productivity and the country’s wealth they got out the cheque book and raised the 2 child cap ( a kick in the teeth for those who make challenging decisions to stick to 2 eg I have 2 and one is disabled). They are not reading the room and will hand the country to Reform because they are doing a Left Wong Liz Truss. She gave away money to the wealthy and spooked the bond market leading to higher government borrowing/ more costs/ more tax. The Left are doing the same with a socialist money give away leading to more borrowing/ higher interest rates and for what? Has productivity gone up? Are we more competitive?

The best Government would actually do nothing and give industry / business th3 chance to plan and plot a future so it can invest. My husband is self employed and they are constantly fighting choppy waters first with the conservatives and now Labour. If Keir stays and they stop back stabbing at least he can keep things stable then businesses might have a chance to plan, invest and grow rather than contract and be risk adverse.

So saying, I really don’t think that Labour is reading the room at all.Their ideology has detached from what they were originally about. They don’t reward aspiration or ambition and use monies generated to help those more needy. Instead they just raise taxes ( in an ideologically driven way] to redistribute as welfare.

Also I am a carer ( by definition I have worked hard doing that) and now I face higher taxes on my only projected extra pension income of a house I rent out bought with an inheritance. I regret that and wish I offshored the monies and bought in an allowable income tax free - I think it’s 5%. I am limited in what it could put into a pension as I don’t work but I tried to go back to work and a lengthy argument with social services about provision for my son ( which actually made me ill as in on blood tests) scuppered that. I don’t know what the Government expects me to do for income in old age. The worse thing is that I will still care even when over aged 67 and lose my carers allowance as I claim a state pension. That’s all rubbish. This week it has been endless calls, emails p, messages and organisation etc. My son relies entirely on someone running his life. The house as rent out is lovely and with a B EPC.I would live there myself. The rent is the same as it was 5 years ago when I bought it. The tenants love it a lot. Now I am also burdened in a few years time with the whole concept of digital tax every 3 months.

Imdunfer · 16/05/2026 07:48

Manchester joke:

A Blairite, a Brownite, a Corbynite and a Starmermite walked into a bar.

The barman said "Hi Andy, how are you today?"

keepswimming38 · 16/05/2026 07:59

It’s all a farce. I vote Labour but I’m not happy about this coup. They need to put their egos away and do their jobs!

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