Andy Burnham won Makerfield

Me, too. Can't wait.

mokryna

It is similar to the television game shows, viewers get bored after a few weeks so want to vote a contestant off.

Personally, like both Starmer and Burnham.

People say Starmer has lied, but circumstances around the world have changed. Nobody knew the true deficit in the public finances until Labour came into power, so naturally these, promises/policies, had to change.

The newspapers mainly focus on his mistakes, glasses and football places, corruption, to Mandelson. Compared to a previous minster, to advise the queen to prorogue parliament that parliament would still have “ample time” to debate Brexit, Dominic Cummings, Number 10 breaking of lockdown rules and bodies to pile in the streets, wallpapergate.

Living in the EU what I see is a solid law abiding Starmer giving, a steady hand to lead the UK on the world stage.

The deficit after 14 years of C rule left nothing in the kitty.

Nobody talks about the good he has done. His Chancellor tried to start balancing the books by stopping the winter fuel payments but he listened to the public concern and changed course, now it seems to his detriment.

He is helping larger families with child allowance, school meals, clubs and nurseries but there is no money.

Even the figures of migration are falling people and the NHS had figures of improvement in some places last week, lists falling and more appointments but they don’t hit the headlines.

So Burnham has won this election should, he is a charismatic talker but what can he do differently with no money available and a looming war?

Starmer was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t from day 1.

I hope whatever happens, it’s quick and as painless as possible and I feel, quite frankly, whatever any one else thinks, Starmer has really had a rough ride.

Criticised whether he acts or doesn’t act, insulted by the way he looks and speaks and frankly ridiculed at times.

He’s a highly educated and calm thoughtful man, who like every one of us, is human and flawed and makes mistakes.

Whoever our next PM is needs to understand this and that it’s a poisoned chalice they are being handed (or taking)

David I think you do the majority of people in our country a massive disservice.

Far more people do paid work, than don’t work, far more people work really long hours in low paid jobs and without whom both our economy and health would suffer.

Where would we be with our public sector staff, shop staff, road cleaners. rubbish removal bin staff, those at the lower end of our employment without whom our “high flyers” wouldn’t be able to function, their lowly admin staff and their domestic staff.

Most people in our country, within all generations are not freeloaders. Those with the least financially are often those who give the most, most of their time, most of their empathy and think of others far more often than they think of themselves.

As for pensioners being greedy and selfish, that’s utterly hilarious!

The pensioners that I know do voluntary work, they provide free childcare to their own grandchildren, they look after elderly parents.

They are extremely valuable members of their communities and society and have worked all their lives, paid their correct taxes and brought their children up to be useful members of society.

Cossy I agree totally about Starmer being vilified from day 1
To get this far it has taken a lot of courage and stamina ! I do admire his stubbornness and he has put the country first as far as I am concerned !

Thank you Cossy.
I think he's done a lot of good things and had no credit for them.
I think he's honest and trustworthy.

(Just saying. Not challenging anyone.)

NotSpaghetti

Thank you Cossy.
I think he's done a lot of good things and had no credit for them.
I think he's honest and trustworthy.

(Just saying. Not challenging anyone.)

The PM doesn’t do all these ‘good things’ single handedly.

Ministers in charge of departments are not there to carry out the PM’s instructions. They have policies from the party’s manifesto, which is a collaborative effort, to implement and may have their own ideas on ways to improve the work and purpose of their department. They will have ideas of their own which they seek to have implemented but government is far too complex for one person to be directing every little detail.

The problem with Starmer is that he seems to have been badly advised by McSweeney and spent far too much time chasing Reform voters, who were highly unlikely to vote Labour at the next GE and alienating the ‘soft left’ of the LP membership and the PLP. He also, as many Gnetters have pointed out, had dreadful comms. So many achievements have been barely noticed. who, for instance, has noticed this news? www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jun/02/uk-green-economy-worth-more-than-100bn-a-year-net-zero

I don’t dislike Starmer but he really hasn’t proved to be competent in the PM role. Like others here, I think he’d be a good Foreign Secretary.

No he doesn't do anything single-handedly.
Nor does anyone else.

And some of us had seen that news. But thanks anyway because probably lots haven't.

I meant to post the net zero article when I first saw it but never got round to it. Something for the Ed Milliband haters to reflect on 😆