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Politics
DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 07/09/2026 23:16

What have mayors got to do with a written constitution? Burnham’s talking gibberish.

I suppose the idea is that he sounds all grand and impressive to the gullible left with his talk of fundamental constitutional change, but it’s all nonsense.

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 08/09/2026 00:28

I’m in the countryside. We have a county council. I don’t want a mayor as well! Nor do I want Reform getting any control over spending. All this means is the city areas get the money and the countryside gets nothing. Like now!

patooties · 08/09/2026 00:42

I live in Manchester - we have had a combined authority under both a Tory and Labour government. Within the CA there were politicians and councils of every shade. It worked. 10/10 should do more of it.

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 08/09/2026 12:03

@patooties At what cost? Why did Manchester even need a mayor then if all these councillors are wonderful? Its jobs for the boys and rural areas are completely left behind as the cities get all the money! Our CC is very strapped for cash because it’s diverted away from rural areas.

BIossomtoes · 08/09/2026 12:16

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 08/09/2026 12:03

@patooties At what cost? Why did Manchester even need a mayor then if all these councillors are wonderful? Its jobs for the boys and rural areas are completely left behind as the cities get all the money! Our CC is very strapped for cash because it’s diverted away from rural areas.

I live in rural E Anglia. We have a mayor and are soon to have a combined authority. It makes very sound financial sense, why would you have six chief executives on six figure salaries when the whole thing could be run by one?

Woj · 08/09/2026 18:42

cricketnut77 · 07/09/2026 22:52

Yet more useless politicians. This time without mandates. Less than 1% of the East Midlands were consulted whether they wanted a mayor and a majority didn't want one. Yet they foisted one on us anyway. And that one barely anyone voted for. Thats not democracy

The UK has a useless election system, whereby a candidate needs merely 1 vote more than anyone else to win outright victory.

Every time someone gets elected it's with a "huge majority", but not a majority of the votes.

And it's hardly surprising that such a useless system encourages/promotes useless politicians, as they're more interested in how to keep themselves in power rather than to have the support of the people to ensure their re-election.

https://www.change.org/MakeVotingMeaningful

OP posts:
MeetMeOnTheCorner · 08/09/2026 23:13

@Woj Keeping yourself in power and getting support of the people are the same thing essentially. You have no power without support. FPTP can deliver big majorities when most people have voted for other parties. Or parties get a large % of the vote but next to no mps. Two parties stops that but we don’t have that, and won’t. The more parties that split the vote, the more FPTP won’t deliver anyone with a 50% share of the vote. So who is being represented in parliament? Around 1/3 of voters.

Many people who would be good politicians, and have well thought out ideas, don’t want to be politicians. For good reason. Most will be earning way more without the hassle and hatred faced by politicians. Women especially. It’s often a lot of travelling, little time off and no thanks for not much money. So we have people who haven’t done much of a job before they go into politics. This is evidenced by hardly any of them having worked in or run a business. Many appear bright but in some respects are ignorant. There’s too much bleating about constituents who might be a small minority but not enough effort put into policies the majority need.

celticnations · 14/09/2026 18:52

Good.

Management or Leadership #101.

Delegate.

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 14/09/2026 19:09

@celticnations Yes let’s give vast sums to people who get about a 30.% turnout to be voted in.

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