Andy Burnham won Makerfield

CatsWhiskas

Galaxy

I saw a vaguely funny post that Burnham should focus on his northerness rather than his left wing credentials .
Turn all empty shops into Greggs.
Compulsory talking to strangers on public transport.
No coats allowed on nights out.
And so on.

As a northerner, I don't find that funny. It's deeply patronising and part of the reason why northerners don't feel they're represented.

Galaxy is a northerner too, you know.

I’m just an honorary one by 50 years residence in Yorkshire and Durham; I find the ignorance of my fellow southerners a bit sad.

And Greggs sausage rolls are the best 😆

Galaxy

I saw a vaguely funny post that Burnham should focus on his northerness rather than his left wing credentials .
Turn all empty shops into Greggs.
Compulsory talking to strangers on public transport.
No coats allowed on nights out.
And so on.

As a northerner, I don't find that funny. It's deeply patronising and part of the reason why northerners don't feel they're represented.

But David - my impression is that the majority DO like him.

I don't think he's disliked.
The (cartoon) presentation of him isn't liked of course.
I haven't actually heard of anyone who knows him, to not like him.

Very interesting TRIP on this especially at 33 minutes:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQTo7-bmAWg

Parliament goes into recess on 16 July 2026 less than a month away and doesn’t return until 1 September 2026, soon after which, conference season starts.

As Campbell points out, processes will already be in hand for the Autumn Statement in November 2026. If Burnham is planning on a major cabinet reshuffle which he would be likely to do, possibly making Ed Miliband Chancellor, it doesn’t leave a great deal of time for any major change in economic policy.

52 questions Richard Murphy has posed to Burnham … starts:

If Andy Burnham is serious about becoming prime minister, then there are a series of questions he needs to answer before anyone can sensibly judge whether he offers a genuine alternative to the current government, or merely a different personality pursuing much the same agenda. The questions need to go beyond personality, competence, or electability. They need to establish what he believes, what he would do, and how he understands the challenges the UK faces.

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2026/06/21/fifty-two-questions-for-andy-burnham/

Ronib I agree 100%
It was totally the right call by Starmer who recognised the folly of Trump’s decision! Now Trump is denigrating Starmer 😤

But it was right for the UK to stay out of Iran - we have very limited capability for war and if Trump wanted a war, he needed to take full responsibility for waging it.

And now Trump is braying for Starmer to go mainly because he would not endorse his foray into Iran! If only the orange idiot would keep to his own back yard!

Dr Watson - you made me smile, thank you

Yes, Burnham won. And Farrago was quick to defend their crushing loss (in a seat they'd expressed great confidence in winning!!), as "anti-Starmer" (sooooo, a great potential PM like Nigel couldn't have guessed that?).

So, great 'spin' from Farrago and his team. But, he doubtless doesn't want to admit that voters may just, belatedly, have started to see him as an anti-Semitic and racist bigot? Nor would he likely want to admit - could be just a day or two away -- that their candidate, in several unfortunate TV i'views, compared less than favourably with the famous 3 short planks, and voters didn't want HIM as an MP?!

Thx GrannyGravy, so, "should have kept the Tories"???

That puts you in favour of the corruption and self-interest that was a key to BoJo's spell in charge (your family got some good contracts?), and you REALLY want to hand the country over to a party that chose Liz Truss as leader/PM, arguably THE most incompetent & charisma-free in the UK's history (& some strong competition)?

You do like to make some odd comments?! (& for maybe the 100th time, I have no especial party loyalty -- I suggested back in about the 80s that we subcontract out our Parliament to somebody sensible like Denmark or Holland, they could do a better job for less on about 2 days a week).

valdali

I agree with David, having to keep the triple lock because pensioners' votes are so important, is one of the reasons why personal allowance stays at £1257.
It lowers the fiscal impact ot the triple lock.

In a more sane world the pension would be higher and the personal allowances would be higher.

When it comes down to it, for a pensioner existing solely on a state pension the 'triple lock' in real terms ends up being a small percentage of not very much.

Casdon

I suppose in that respect her public persona is similar to that of Boris Johnson.

Except that she did actually do a lot of work when she was in office.

I agree with David, having to keep the triple lock because pensioners' votes are so important, is one of the reasons why personal allowance stays at £1257.
It lowers the fiscal impact ot the triple lock.

Galaxy

It will be no different to the current government, he will have a six month popularity bounce and that will be it. Same as most prime ministers in the last few years ( except truss who had no popularity whatsoever) .
Dh works in housing/ regeneration, deals with local authorities across the country, he has nothing but praise for Rayner when she was in that role.
I have very little time for Nandy, I am afraid she is one of those cabinet ministers who make me worry about the calibre of current politicians.

I agree that the government will be no different to the current government whether Burnham is PM or not.
Whilst we live in an economy run on neoliberal lines, where “the markets” are in charge, we do have a true democracy. Any attempt to change will be firmly quashed by those with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. ie the rich and powerful.

And a whippet Galaxy?
Gentle nudge to ‘some posters’ , Andy isn’t only the King of Manchester, he’s the King of the North.

He stressed during his campaign in Makerfield that Westminster politics isn’t working for the north. He’s right it isn’t and hasn’t for a long time .
I share the concerns about the fact we have a leadership crisis in our government. I hope Andy becomes leader and puts his heart and soul into it

I saw a vaguely funny post that Burnham should focus on his northerness rather than his left wing credentials .
Turn all empty shops into Greggs.
Compulsory talking to strangers on public transport.
No coats allowed on nights out.
And so on.

I suppose in that respect her public persona is similar to that of Boris Johnson.

MaizieD

^I’d like to see the return of Lisa Nandy and my favourite redhead, Ms Rayner.^

I'd like to see her back, too, Cossy, she's another one like Milliband who gets things done.

When she's not recovering from last night.

It will be no different to the current government, he will have a six month popularity bounce and that will be it. Same as most prime ministers in the last few years ( except truss who had no popularity whatsoever) .
Dh works in housing/ regeneration, deals with local authorities across the country, he has nothing but praise for Rayner when she was in that role.
I have very little time for Nandy, I am afraid she is one of those cabinet ministers who make me worry about the calibre of current politicians.

He's not stupid, David. He must be very well aware of what Starmer has had to face.

I don't know why he is being talked of as if he is a political innocent. He's far more experienced than Starmer was.

That’s not accurate David49, as plenty of PMs have been popular enough to secure a second term in office? Of course, ultimately they fall, that’s the nature of politics, but some have sustained periods of personal popularity.

I do hope AB, “King of Manchester” is fully prepared for the vitriol which may be directed at him from all sides, the opposition, the general public, his colleagues and the media, once his honeymoon period is over.

He thinks he is better than previous PMs, all of whom ultimately failed, maybe he is a magician, ask again after a year, if he can secure a majority at the next GE will be the ultimate test.

His ambition should be to deliver on the Labour Party Manifesto for this parliament. That’s the basis on which they were elected, not a dreamed up wish list by any of us part way through a term of office.

I’d like to see the return of Lisa Nandy and my favourite redhead, Ms Rayner.

I'd like to see her back, too, Cossy, she's another one like Milliband who gets things done.

ronib

Truss wanted to move too fast.
So what exactly are Burnham’s burning ambitions for our country? Don’t we deserve to know?

Exactly!