Andrew Gwynne, Labour MP for Gorton and Denton is standing down because of ill health. Thus provoking a great deal of speculation as to who will stand in his place.

The NEC decision to block Durham could prove a huge mistake, that could further have adverse repercussions on May local elections.

There's going to be a strong backlash against the NEC and Starmer's judgement being brought into question for the decision. Also may be an adverse impact on bye election result and union relations if Unison's recent new leader voices her concerns further.

Arguably Burnham was a strong candidate, well regarded in Manchester area. Reform and the Green Party will throw everything they've got at this bye election now. Labour has until next weekend I understand to name bye election candidate- wonder who Reform will field?

I expect Wes Streeting, Zack Polanski and Farage will be relieved.

Surprise surprise (not) - Burnham's been blocked.

Jenrick, Burnham, Miliband, Khan, Streeting. Whatever happened to party loyalty?

I expect people would say that about Republicans who voted against the Trump ‘line’…

There is speculation that candidates for the proposed election for Gorton and Denton will only be allowed from women and ethnic minorities. Decision today, apparently.
Really.
At a time when politics here and internationally are approaching chaos stout -hearted men leap into the breach and do what ever they can do widen it.Kruger, Jenrick, Burnham, Miliband, Khan, Streeting. Whatever happened to party loyalty?

Casdon

I hope he doesn’t stand. I’ve got reservations following his ill judged self promotion last year. He’s a good mayor, but I don’t think he would be right for PM.

I agree.

I think I probably agree with Casdon. If I am being honest I think it is too late whoever is leader, however the Tories defecting to Reform is a massive error by Reform in my view so perhaps that may change things.

I don’t think Burnham will have the level of support though. He has prematurely shot his mouth off, and alienated a lot of people. He’s the great hope of the left, but that is not the whole party, or the whole tranche of current MPs, or of Labour voters. I just have a bad feeling about it, whereas I think he is a square peg in a square hole in his current job.

If Labour doesn't get rid of Sweeney and start acting like a Labour government instead of lurching rightwards and chasing =after Reform voters it is going to lose the next General Election. I think that Burnham thinks he might as well go for it now, with still a couple of years to go and se if he could turn it around.

eazybee, you spin a personal political theory as though it’s a fact. Never a hint of ‘I think’, or ‘in my opinion’. The world of politics is never black and white like that in my view.

Starmer had Corbyn completely out of his Party. That was poor. He can't work with difficult people, he simply removes the whip.
Now he has Andy Burnham snapping at his heels, pretending it is for the good of the country.
Nothing but venal self-interest.
Sunak made a mess of his premiership because he was used to succeeding in everything he did, (by his own efforts) but suddenly he wasn't, and he didn't know how to cope with failure. So he pitchforked the party into an election without sufficient preparation, and took a lot of good MPs down with him.
More chaos ahead.

Sorry Maizie, cross posted.

Well Burnham is going for it.
Casdon I agree conpletely about Sunak, although I worry that my standards may have just lowered.

Well, Burnham has put himself forward for election.

He has published his letter to the NEC on social media.

bsky.app/profile/andyburnham.bsky.social/post/3md6oxtrtck2u

I can't understand why Burnam isn't fighting for a reduced (and less expensive) House of Lord possibly meeting less frequently and a new House of Mayors, feeding into government and the pushing the equality of all areas.

MayBee70

I don’t think Starmer undermined Corbyn. Corbyn lost two elections for the party so how could he continue as leader. At least Starmer shows that he can work with difficult people.

Neither do I. Perhaps you can explain what you meant by that eazybee.

I also think that some of the Tory leaders were rightly briefed against by their own party, imagine Liz Truss remaining in post for a long period for example. However I felt very sorry for Rishi Sunak, he didn’t deserve it in my opinion, he was the best Tory leader since 2010.

MaizieD

kittylester

I think Andy Burnham seems like a brilliant mayor. PM is a whole different kettle of fish.

Starmer was a Human Rights barrister and a good Director of Public Prosecutions. Look where that has got us…

Nobody who has become a PM has ever had the experience and obvious skill set. We take a chance on them being effective at the job every single time.

How true!

I don’t think Starmer undermined Corbyn. Corbyn lost two elections for the party so how could he continue as leader. At least Starmer shows that he can work with difficult people.

The Tories were rightly castigated for their constant briefing against their current leader leading to frequent changes and ultimately disaster. Jenrick is following the same route.

Now Labour is doing exactly the same. Starmer would have done better to remain a lawyer, but instead he worked with Corbyn, then undermined him and is now experiencing the same treatment, from the very ambitious Andy Burnham, self-styled 'King of the North.'
For the good of the country, my foot.

Thank you for watching Maizie it's always good to have other views.

Ilovecheese

Anniebach

Burnham failed twice to be leader of the Labour Party, will he risk giving up his present position?

It would be quite a big risk as well. He is doing a really good job here in Manchester and is highly thought of by a lot of people.
He might not wish to risk failure, but on the other hand, he thinks he has a better idea of how to help the country and might like to give it a go, even at the risk of damaging his reputation for competence.
Manchester is a growing economy, which he would like to replicate over the country.

He’s not doing it for the good of the country. He’s doing it out of personal ambition and probably a disgruntlement about not being chosen as party leader twice. Starmer gave up a pretty good career in law to become a politician, united the party and won a general election. Maybe he deserves a bit of loyalty.

I’ve watched Phil. I don’t think he’s saying anything different from other left - centre left commentators that I’ve read. Although I wouldn’t say that it is a vanity project on Burnham’s part. I suspect he just thinks he could do a better job. Is that vanity or is it ambition?

If, very big if, if he did become PM he has the advantage of having been an MP, so knows how Parliament works ,and having been a government Minister, so is experienced at working with the civil service and how to achieve his objectives.

He has also exercised his leadership skills in a .quite major political role as Mayor of Manchester, where he has needed to get agreement and co-operation to implement his policies across the political spectrum. He would come to the PM role better prepared than many past PMS.

I do agree with a number of Phil’s commenters who said that if Starmer were to get rid of McSweeny he might fare better…

The politically knowledgeable Phil Moorhouse (with his own bias).

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw9PABBaDGM

eazybee

^he thinks he has a better idea of how to help the country^

Oh per-lease?

I didn’t realise you were in his head eazybee, reading his very thoughts. Are you actually him?

eazybee

^he thinks he has a better idea of how to help the country^

Oh per-lease?

eh?