Andy Burnham has plan to return to Westminster ‘within weeks’. Allies sayGreater Manchester mayor said to have identified seats where MPs would step aside to allow leadership bid.

Public control is not the same as renationalisation. We are still at the mercy of the private finance market and shareholders.. It smacks somewhat of PFI

Thames Water is in a uniquely awful mess though, I wouldn’t read too much into what’s happening there. I think until any person or party is actually in government they can’t know the full extent of what they are facing, so I’m always wary of big promises. Burnham needs to play a straight bat and not promise things he can’t deliver, because if does become PM they will bite him on the bum.

Tis the case for all - that any promises made not fulfilled come back to bite PMs.

But he's not MP yet never mid about PM just a hopeful contender. As far as I'm aware all Burnham's saying at the moment is that Labour must put energy and water under public control- utilyweek.co.uk 4 days ago plus Guardian 16 May.

It is the same for all, you’re right.
Despite all the mistakes and negative publicity though, Labour are actually delivering already on most of their Manifesto, I think they need now to make sure what they are doing is publicised better, rather than add more things into this parliament.

I'm with you and agree Casdon.

LemonJam

Tis the case for all - that any promises made not fulfilled come back to bite PMs.

But he's not MP yet never mid about PM just a hopeful contender. As far as I'm aware all Burnham's saying at the moment is that Labour must put energy and water under public control- utilyweek.co.uk 4 days ago plus Guardian 16 May.

From what I can see he assumes that, if he becomes an MP again the leadership slot is just a formality.

LemonJam

Maybee70.

There is no need for Burnham or anyone else to have a U turn on the personal position regarding the tensions between trans critical views versus human rights as the subsequent 2025 legal case and national guidance issued May 2026 has clarified the single sex toilet issue. The guidance set out that safe toilet space rights of all people- men, women and transgender people. The guidance is clear that women must have access to single sex toilets and gender neutral toilets must also be made available so all have access to safe toilet spaces.

Eh up LemonJam, don’t be coming in here with your usual voice of well informed calm contributions

Currently, only Outrage based on not a lot (and the daily mail) is dominating news n politics

NotSpaghetti, I enjoyed working my ex mining community, it was heart breaking and life enhancing simultaneously. Those grans and aunties, devastated by seeing their once proud boys sinking into addiction, all to often taking their children’s mum with them

One positive was Tony Blair’s SureStart centres. Ours had a community school, library, midwives, social workers drug team etc under one new roof. People felt noticed cared about and engaged with servuces, David Cameron’s ludicrous austerity policy killed so much

I think there's a few of us here who really felt good about SureStart. Our local one didn't have a library but did have the travelling one and a toy library. The next town had a bigger one.
It was so short sighted to cut it.

I was skeptical at first inspite of being involved in a pilot study but I was won over when we could see it in action. Some great parenting and empowering work- and young dads too... as well as many of the things you mentioned.

My home isn't in a mining area but I did work in one... and all my father's family were from the Rhondda so strong ties there.

First poll prediction I’ve seen, Mark Pack comments on the Sunday Times poll.
www.markpack.org.uk/176871/makerfield-by-election-opinion-poll/

Sure Start centres were reduced from over 3,000 to just over 2,000.

The one near here is in danger of closing due to under use 🤷‍♀️

GrannyGravy13

Sure Start centres were reduced from over 3,000 to just over 2,000.

The one near here is in danger of closing due to under use 🤷‍♀️

Too many middle class families or not enough funding?

David Cameron announced many Sure Start centres were to close because they weren’t reaching families who needed the but being used by families like his

I’m still cross about this nonsense. Another conservative mp during that timescale referred to all those dreadful places in the north beginning with B. Burnley, Bury! Bolton, Blackpool you could add Rochdale, Oldham. Accrington and more to the list. If Mr Cameron had thought to visit, to see the excellent work going on, often with hard to reach families, with fear of social workers but not of family centre workers, and they didn’t feel stigmatised
Austerity and Thatcher, what legacies

MaizieD

GrannyGravy13

Sure Start centres were reduced from over 3,000 to just over 2,000.

The one near here is in danger of closing due to under use 🤷‍♀️

Too many middle class families or not enough funding?

It’s attached to a popular primary school, centre of the village.

Recently been done up, used as an antenatal facility, day nursery which has free places as well as paid. Good sized building, central room with tea/coffee, toys etc.

Never seen it busy whenever I have been there 🤷‍♀️

GrannyGravy, I expect if you visited sure start or other family centres in many of our highly deprived areas you’d find then busy

Sure Start, in its original state was brilliant.The one to one help given by mainly older women to Mums who for various reasons weren’t coping was invaluable.

Oreo, many offered baby massage, toddler tanning /parenting skills groups, budgeting, cooking. Etc

Iam64

GrannyGravy, I expect if you visited sure start or other family centres in many of our highly deprived areas you’d find then busy

Maybe the sighting of the new ones will be given a lot of consideration as to the needs of the area.

Well let’s hope so. My village doesn’t need one we have playgroups, private nursery provision, stable communities
Three miles away it’s a totally different picture

Iam64

LemonJam

Maybee70.

There is no need for Burnham or anyone else to have a U turn on the personal position regarding the tensions between trans critical views versus human rights as the subsequent 2025 legal case and national guidance issued May 2026 has clarified the single sex toilet issue. The guidance set out that safe toilet space rights of all people- men, women and transgender people. The guidance is clear that women must have access to single sex toilets and gender neutral toilets must also be made available so all have access to safe toilet spaces.

Eh up LemonJam, don’t be coming in here with your usual voice of well informed calm contributions

Currently, only Outrage based on not a lot (and the daily mail) is dominating news n politics

Now back home after a few days spent with my Mancunian relatives Iam64. "Eh up" is ringing in my ears- haven't heard for a while 😂

I agree with others- Sure Start was absolutely brilliant when it was introduced in 1999.

Health Visitors in our NHS organisation at the time really valued it and it also enhanced Safegaurding.

Safeguarding

It enhanced safeguarding my because agencies worked together. Appreciated each others different roles, sought advice from each other

I posted this on another thread, that was really about Carole Vorderman. So to give CV her post focus- bringing here.

It's in response to a comment relating to the loss of Burnham as GM Mayor, or loss of Labour MP in Makerfield etc. My post:

On the other hand:

1) Reform may loose Makerfield
2) A Burnham win will demonstrate that Burnham has the pulling power to resist everything Farage/Reform UK threw at Makerfield
3) Burnham may go on to bring new ideas for change for the Labour Party as well as serve Makerfield
4) Burnham may go on to become PM in a leadership challenge- he is the favoured candidate of Labour members and the Unions
5) Burnham may go on to change the fortunes and direction of travel for the Labour Party for the next 2-3 years of government
6) The Labour Party may go on to win a second term with Starmer gone (recent by election results were dire for Starmer) and stop a Farage/Reform UK winning the next election
7) If Burnham wins Makerfield the statutory Deputy Mayor will stand into the Mayor vacancy until a by election within 35 days
8) A Labour Mayor may be elected for Greater Manchester in that by election- campaigning to continue the good work that Burnham has done over the past 10 years
9) If, by some chance a Reform Mayor wins that by election and does not perform as well as Burnham has, and is viewed less favourably that would be adverse for Reform UK and lower their chances at the next GE.

That really shines a light on our biased press - run by rich manipulators of the UK who are rarely citizens, and rarely live here. Thank you LemonJam.