Has Andy Burnham ended up as PM somewhat under false pretences?

[Imdunfer]

Please note that this is from a left wing Labour supporting paper.

It turns out that the marvellous redevelopment of Manchester that was the central plank of his credibility to become PM was triggered by the fall of Mubarak in Egypt in 2011 and what were effectively, or previously close to, bribes set up by the then Tory government to retain our massive defence contracts with the Middle East.

The owners of Man City, recently found guilty of breaking well over 100 financial football rules, are heavily involved. UK developers were excluded from access to large development contracts. Man City was sold a deal including the naming rights to the stadium, owned by the council, for £750k a year when professional rights brokers estimate the market value to be between £10m and £15m a year for the name alone.

The question is, did a local Mayor with no experience outside politics and only a tiny amount of experience of cabinet roles, (3 jobs in 3 years), get to be Prime Minister without a challenge on the strength of the development of the centre of his city that he actually only had a small part in creating?

https://www.theguardian.com/news/ng-interactive/2026/oct/25/thats-the-way-the-city-works-how-the-uae-changed-the-face-of-andy-burnhams-manchester

OK, so what would you like to do with investment banking/bankers? Today.

Nothing in particular. I've already said that I would like to see more people from a range of professions in Parliament. That includes investment and other bankers, obviously. I just don't think investment banks are the saints and saviour you seem to think they are.

I'm also not opposed to loosening the post GFC regulations. It's time to see whether banks have learned their lesson around responsible lending, and they can only do that if they're let off the leash a little.

I would actually slightly disagree with this, I think the fact that they’re both refreshingly natural and conversational in interviews is actually part of what people are responding to well.

And I wouldn’t even categorise the clarifications as backtracking per se, they’re often additional statements adding nuance and context. Personally, I think that’s a small price to pay for having politicians who talk like human beings rather than spouting out endless soundbites that sound like they’ve been focus grouped to death.

‘Breathing space’. They still rely on soundbites.

Every political party uses catchphrases - sound bites are a different thing. Remember Get Brexit Done and Stop the Boats?

I like Andy but I was dismayed when the role of UAE in Manchester came up. That’s a trick I hope he won’t replicate elsewhere. And I agree it damages his credentials as someone who can do regional development.

And the current Tory one "The Right Way".

Of course, they’re both very experienced politicians and using political slogans that have genuine cut through is part of that skill set. But what I think they’re both also able to do is expand on those soundbites in ways which sound like - and I think are - genuinely expressed ideas and opinions. I knew Andy Burnham was skilled at that, but I didn’t know all that much about Healey and I’ve been genuinely impressed by how engagingly he communicates.

TBH I was quite underwhelmed by the budget itself, but I think the communication around it has been very strong - which is I think why it seems to have landed fairly well with the public.

Particularly ‘Get Brexit Done’! It worked as a soundbite because the public was exhausted from the Brexit debates. It earned the Tory Party a comprehensive victory in 2019.

Too bad it was based on the lie that there was an ‘oven ready’ deal on the table.

Ok ik you do like them. I’d say the £100 to the majority of households probably helped it go down, otherwise it really would just be gherkins.

I remember "Smash the Gangs"- what happened to that one ?!

And now we have "Hope in every heart and growth in every postcode".

There certainly isn't much growth in this postcode except to the benefits bill, as the town fills up with migrants in HMOs.

How much growth did you expect in 100 days?

Any growth would be welcome but it won't happen while they are putting yet more costs onto small businesses.
The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s latest Quarterly Economic Survey found that 90 per cent of London businesses had not attempted to recruit for two consecutive quarters.
Among those that tried to hire, 55 per cent faced difficulties.
When businesses are already holding back from recruitment, increasing the cost of taking on staff risks making a difficult situation worse.
John Healey had an opportunity to reverse the damage inflicted by his predecessor.
Reversing the employer National Insurance increase should have been a priority if the Government wanted businesses to start hiring again.
Employers cannot be expected to create jobs, invest in their workforce and drive economic growth while facing higher costs every time they take someone on.

Tax cuts were never going to happen. There’s no money.

Well, yes, and I know you don’t like them. But actually my post was less about the fact I like them, and more about my contemplating why - despite the budget actually being quite underwhelming IMO - it seems to have been fairly warmly received by the public.

You’re right, distributing the energy relief through council tax bands so a majority of people get it probably isn’t just a pragmatic way to distribute the money, it is also smart politics in terms of perceived fairness.

But I don’t think that’s the only reason, I think it’s also that their communication style is resonating.

Why is there no money?

You can only bung people £100 at one time. And bills will go up by more so yes they can enjoy it for now.

War in the Middle East and Ukraine leading to sky high oil prices which have a knock on effect on everything. An insane amount of national debt at high interest. You must know this if you ever read any news.

Because we have a bunch of tossers in charge who couldn't run a bath never mind a country.
None of the present Front Bench have ever run a business, and it shows.

His inexperience is shining through daily. 🙄

Why are we borrowing so much then?

Where does it all go?

We borrowed most of it during Covid.

https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/334/uk-economy/uk-national-debt/

That first budget was £70bn tax and borrowing.

To pay the benefits bill and fund illegal immigrants who break into our country and then get everything for free.
Labour used to be the party of workers - now it's the party of work-shy.