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

Recollections may vary.

I'm going to make this clear. I dont want you quoting me anymore. I don't want to engage with you. I'm sure I've said this to you before so I am repeating it here.

Funny that.

Hate to tell you this but MN doesn’t work like that however much you channel the late Queen.

Where did you say this to me before?

Happy to disengage. Best wishes to you.

And I realise that some on MN either wish AI didn’t exist or fail to acknowledge its impact, but it’s here and it’s leaving very real consequences, right now

Labour will shortly lose control of jobs, tax and welfare, if it’s not already too late

Glad to see the dire predictions are getting a revamp. The IMF and civil unrest versions were wearing a bit thin.

Oh well, guess I will have to do the ignoring. I've managed fairly well.

The PP has confirmed that they will no longer engage, so your post is academic, and unhelpful.

Genuinely, you have no idea.

Your reply to me was not very Christian or charitable. But good luck to you, and take care.

I'm used to batting off unwanted attention in its numbers. Thank you anyway.

Interesting to see some believe AI won’t impact jobs. Labour MPs and unions might be thinking similarly.

The PP says this to posters on the regular. But then engages with them.

Although IIRC someone did once get banned for not complying with requests from MNHQ to cease engagement with a particular poster, so best to tread carefully I suppose.

You don’t get to control who replies to which post on MN. People will post as they see fit. They are free to ignore if they choose to do so, and others will draw their own conclusions about that.

Anyone in their right mind knows AI will affect jobs, but pp's apocalyptic scenario seems a little over wrought.

Yes, best to.

Of course AI impacts jobs. A child of ten could understand that. It’s why we’re going to see a complete upheaval in the labour market with work that can only be done by a human being highly prized. Something acknowledged by Burnham in creating apprenticeships and future proofing work for young people.

I bloody hope so.

I think I do 🙂

I often try to post on what I know, as in real world experience, current or historic.

Not necessarily the world as I would wish it.

They do

I think most people are happy to see Reform slide, something we can agree on?

Then tell me - what are the number of job losses attributable to AI, just in the UK to date.

And what’s the current forecast total as a %?

Not really. They are the least of my worries.

Odd that you’re so fixated on an early election then.

I can definitely agree with you, I’m very happy to see Reform’s support slide. I hope it slides into oblivion.