So it begins….. Streeting resigns

Luckygirl3

LizzieDrip

This is what worries me. I think the "sod it" factor will take over with the electorate who will just say "don't use us as pawns in your power games" and vote Reform

And who could blame them?

Oh I would not blame them at all. They are being taken for a ride.

They are being used.
No-one likes that.

LizzieDrip

^This is what worries me. I think the "sod it" factor will take over with the electorate who will just say "don't use us as pawns in your power games" and vote Reform^

And who could blame them?

Oh I would not blame them at all. They are being taken for a ride.

Somehow Farage popped up on my FB feed today. Why? He was complaining about a Guardian journalist outside his house and saying this is why he needs a protection officer.
He courts publicity then complains when he gets some.

Be careful, posters, he's getting in everywhere. Is it because I sometimes look at the Guardian online?

petra

sixandahalf

Perhaps KS actually believes it is better if he stays put? Belligerent, I'm not sure.

What a mess. the rest of the the world must think we are daft.

I would imagine the rest of the world have far more important issues to worry about, the price of oil, fertiliser, medicine etc etc etc, all stuck in the strait of Hormuz.

Yes, I'm entirely sure you are absolutely correct.

This is what worries me. I think the "sod it" factor will take over with the electorate who will just say "don't use us as pawns in your power games" and vote Reform

And who could blame them?

Indeed, people don't generally like being used in a political game.

Whitewavemark2

There is a huge risk that Reform will win the seat in any case. And then what?

This is what worries me. I think the "sod it" factor will take over with the electorate who will just say "don't use us as pawns in your power games" and vote Reform.

What a cussed mess this all is.

Cossy

fancythat

Is that a joke, or did it really?

No it didn’t, my understanding is it came from various central government grants, which have to be applied for, he was a great Mayor but the 3mil he served now have to elect a new mayor and I wonder who’ll have their eye on this!

He may find out it was better to be a big fish in a small pond than to be left floundering on the edges of the pond.

The timing of all of this is terrible.

If Andy Burnham becomes the next PM, I hope he does something to resolve the North - South divide and the wealth inequality between the two regions.

Perhaps make Manchester a rival city to London and link Manchester to the northern cities with good and affordable transport links. So that the wealth from Manchester can spread to the Northern cities and towns, the way the immense wealth of London spreads to the South East and home counties.

That is the reason why so many in the North living in deprived areas vote for Reform. They were hoping under Labour, their lives will get better, instead there is no change, in fact their lives are getting much worse because of the rising cost of living.

Instead of listening to their concerns, Keir Starmer call them racists and tell everyone his Chancellor Rachel Reeves is doing a very good job.

There is a huge risk that Reform will win the seat in any case. And then what?

Despite all his ‘best efforts’ Burnham, after almost 10 years as mayor, hasn’t managed to overcome these issues.

It's really not surprising as the source of these issues is how the national economy works. Unless the direction of the national economy is changed stark inequality will always exist.

Whether or not Burnham is the man to re-embrace a more Keynesian approach to employment, state investment and wealth regulation remains to be seen. I have my doubts, even though I think he's likely to be the best alternative to Starmer should he clear the hurdles...

I agree that the issues facing Burnham’s Manchester mirror those facing the entire country; just one example … inequality:

“The city is highly unequal, with extreme disparities between its most and least deprived areas, frequently described as a divide between "have-nots" and "haves".

Despite all his ‘best efforts’ Burnham, after almost 10 years as mayor, hasn’t managed to overcome these issues.

So why is the Labour Party tearing itself (and potentially the country) apart to clear a path for him to Number 10?

We are now a very divided country, no thank in no small part to Farage, who must be laughing all the way to the bank.

Whoever is PM next I truly hope a Bill is passed to 1) limit the amount of time an MP can spend in a second, third, fourth job! And 2) ban serving MPs from actually working in media, ie GB News.

I have no issue with those who need to keep up training/registration etc in their former careers, after all being an MP is hardly a job for life and they will need an income should they lose their seats.

Also this whole donation thing needs exploring and better regulated, those I believe this is in hand?

Ilovecheese

Burnham and Manchester Council, are trying very hard to reduce homelessness. We have a "bed everynight" scheme, which helps. An inovation project to turn disused railway arches into small homes, flats being built to house womenfleeing domestic violence. Burnham donated a percentage of his salary to help.
Every large city is going to have drug problems and vulnerable people gravitate to large cities.
I am proud of my city.

Part of the problem with anywhere that tries to deal with homelessness is that it becomes a magnet for the surrounding areas. If you're homeless in the north west, it doesn't take much to work out that if you go to Manchester, something might be offered. The same thing happens in Cambridge.

nanna8

You know what ? I agree with you, Cossy. Is that a first ?

Maybe, but I hope not a last x

Ilovecheese

Burnham and Manchester Council, are trying very hard to reduce homelessness. We have a "bed everynight" scheme, which helps. An inovation project to turn disused railway arches into small homes, flats being built to house womenfleeing domestic violence. Burnham donated a percentage of his salary to help.
Every large city is going to have drug problems and vulnerable people gravitate to large cities.
I am proud of my city.

And rightly so!

sixandahalf

Perhaps KS actually believes it is better if he stays put? Belligerent, I'm not sure.

What a mess. the rest of the the world must think we are daft.

I would imagine the rest of the world have far more important issues to worry about, the price of oil, fertiliser, medicine etc etc etc, all stuck in the strait of Hormuz.

Galaxy

I have just had a look at those figures Lizzie, so thanks. That's interesting. As I think I have probably made clear, I don't support Starmer but I am also wary of the 'new shiny thing' who will solve all our problems.

I don’t think anyone needs to be a Starmer fan to sensibly think that, no one leader of ANY party will be able to “make our country great again”! IMO it’s a poison chalice.

Burnham and Manchester Council, are trying very hard to reduce homelessness. We have a "bed everynight" scheme, which helps. An inovation project to turn disused railway arches into small homes, flats being built to house womenfleeing domestic violence. Burnham donated a percentage of his salary to help.
Every large city is going to have drug problems and vulnerable people gravitate to large cities.
I am proud of my city.

eazybee

If Keir Starmer had an ounce of integrity he would have stepped down after the dire local election results, which were the people speaking. Instead he chooses deliberately to plunge his party and the government into chaos.

The much maligned Liz Truss went after seven weeks; Starmer has proved during the past two years that he is an incompetent PM but refuses to accept the inevitable. His intention to forge much closer links within the EU, without even the courtesy of discussing it in Parliament, show where his personal priorities lie.

Starmer and Truss are/were two completely different situations.

Starmer doesn’t need to resign (yet), now is definitely not the time for cockfighting within the party, not right for them, their supporters nor the country.

To be fair LizzieDrip Burnham has created the Embassy Village at Castlefields which is significantly more than anyone else has ever done for the homeless in any major city. And the ever increasing drug abuse problems in Manchester is the same as in any other city in the UK now so I don't think I can blame that on Burnham. But I agree with you in that I don't think he's PM material; too egotistical in my opinion.

I have just had a look at those figures Lizzie, so thanks. That's interesting. As I think I have probably made clear, I don't support Starmer but I am also wary of the 'new shiny thing' who will solve all our problems.

LizzieDrip

Burnham is constantly being hailed as some sort of ‘saviour’. We’re constantly being told ‘he’s done great things in Manchester’.

Here’s a reality check from Burnham’s Manchester:

Widespread illegal drug problem. Deaths from drug poisoning above the national average.

High level of homelessness. Per Capita, roughly 1 in every 61 people in the city living without a permanent home—the worst rate across the entire North West region.

I could go on.

If Burnham can’t deal with these serious issues in his own city, how the hell is he going to ‘transform’ the entire country, as well as handling a very difficult geopolitical landscape.

He may have ‘cleaned up’ Manchester for some with showy apartment blocks and shiny trams … but the poorest underbelly of the city remains.

That’s what needs fixing in this country and I see no evidence that Burnham being parachuted in will make any difference … apart from opening the door further for Reform.

I’m done with the Labour Party, and it hurts.

My thoughts exactly.

Burnham is constantly being hailed as some sort of ‘saviour’. We’re constantly being told ‘he’s done great things in Manchester’.

Here’s a reality check from Burnham’s Manchester:

Widespread illegal drug problem. Deaths from drug poisoning above the national average.

High level of homelessness. Per Capita, roughly 1 in every 61 people in the city living without a permanent home—the worst rate across the entire North West region.

I could go on.

If Burnham can’t deal with these serious issues in his own city, how the hell is he going to ‘transform’ the entire country, as well as handling a very difficult geopolitical landscape.

He may have ‘cleaned up’ Manchester for some with showy apartment blocks and shiny trams … but the poorest underbelly of the city remains.

That’s what needs fixing in this country and I see no evidence that Burnham being parachuted in will make any difference … apart from opening the door further for Reform.

I’m done with the Labour Party, and it hurts.

What he said about Starmer is correct, but they all seem to have the same vision for this country so changing the Prime Minister is pretty pointless.