Starmer may resign

Silvergirl

I hope Starmer and Burnham will give a joint statement tomorrow saying Starmer will continue to do the PM job in the interest of stability and continuity for the country. Burnham will be his assistant. In my view there is nothing to be gained in changing prime ministers yet again. The media would be disappointed but there you go!!

There’s no way that Burnham will do that. He’s already taking about what he intends to do as PM as if it’s a foregone conclusion. He’s so convinced that everybody loves him that I think he’s in for a shock when he realises how many people don’t. Wherever people are on the political spectrum I think a lot of the electorate think that something rather shabby has just taken place. Which it has.

Didn't Harold Wilson foster the picture of being a pipe and a pint of beer man when in fact he preferred a cigar and brandy? Nothing new in politics and in fact who cares.

I think Boris Johnson deliberately rumpled his hair to look a bit chaotic although of course he didnt really need much extra help in that score.

Silvergirl

I hope Starmer and Burnham will give a joint statement tomorrow saying Starmer will continue to do the PM job in the interest of stability and continuity for the country. Burnham will be his assistant. In my view there is nothing to be gained in changing prime ministers yet again. The media would be disappointed but there you go!!

I agree Silvergirl.

However, I don’t think Burnham’s the type who will be happy as an assistant … far too full of himself and his own importance for that.

Remember he’s the self styled ‘King of the North’!

That is very well stated Luckygirl. I've signed the petition and emailed my local MP.

Thanks TheatreLover.

It must have been uncomfortable to have your MP unfairly demonised by the media for 2 years, particularly when he’s well thought of by his constituents.

The picture was of him in a suit, at work, in a black shirt, but I don’t dispute him dressing more causally for work in his Mayor role, I just think, so what, the convention in all organisations is different - I once had a boss who refused to allow women to wear trousers for work, and it was the 1990s.
Burnham will no doubt wear a suit and tie for work as PM, but to be honest if he wore a black shirt again, who cares, certainly not me and as I said previously I’m not one of his biggest fans.

I hope Starmer and Burnham will give a joint statement tomorrow saying Starmer will continue to do the PM job in the interest of stability and continuity for the country. Burnham will be his assistant. In my view there is nothing to be gained in changing prime ministers yet again. The media would be disappointed but there you go!!

Casdon

He did you know, look back on Getty images. He always liked a black shirt. He wore a more conventional suit and tie for ministerial duties, obviously, but off duty, a T-shirt was always his thing.

I’m sure most MPs wear casual T-shirts etc when off duty. But we’re not talking about ‘off duty’ here.

The point of the analysis by the professor cited above is that Burnham now deliberately wears a more casual look than he previously did, even at formal occasions and when ‘on duty’, because he’s ‘manufactured’ an anti Westminster image eg. ‘man of the people’.

It’ll be interesting to see which persona he displays when he takes his seat in the HoC.

LizzieDrip

There’s currently an online petition in support of KS remaining as PM. It’s at holdtheline.org.uk

Here’s the link:
holdtheline.org.uk/petition

In the words of Joni Mitchell … ‘you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone’!

Signed, thank you. I live in Keir Starmer's constituency, and he is well thought of here.

I watched a two year-old 'Have I got news for you' recently and they were having such fun laughing at their own jokes about lettuces and mocking Sunak. Well, who is laughing now?
It isn't funny. it is painful.
Some people will lose their jobs through no fault of their own. I have no time for Starmer; he has lost control of his party and his MPs, but I do not like this coup where someone forces his way back into Parliament with intent to take over the government, and discusses what jobs the faithful will receive before the present incumbent has even agreed to go.And please don't tell me the Press are making it all up.

It is lauded as a great victory over Reform, which is of no particular consequence, but precious little is said about the real problems, spiralling debt, little growth, out-of-control welfare and no defence.
Very destabilising for the country and its inhabitants but obviously not a prime concern.

He did you know, look back on Getty images. He always liked a black shirt. He wore a more conventional suit and tie for ministerial duties, obviously, but off duty, a T-shirt was always his thing.

MayBee70

I’ve been told that he supports Everton but makes sure he is seen drinking out of a Liverpool mug. Which pretty much sums him up…

Everybody knows Burnham supports Everton and I doubt if drinking out of Liverpool mug would fool anyone. However, he did play a key part in getting justice for the Hillsborough fans.

I’ve been told that he supports Everton but makes sure he is seen drinking out of a Liverpool mug. Which pretty much sums him up…

Casdon

Andy Burnham has always dressed like that watermeadow, black or white t shirts, and dark shirts are his thing. When he wears a suit it’s invariably black too. Why would he change what he wears?

Burham hasn’t always dressed as he currently does. When he was an MP he wore a suit, shirt & tie, as is convention (many images available).

When he left Westminster to become Mayor of Manchester, 10 years ago, he began to change his attire - deliberately and consciously - to ‘suit’ his new audience.

This ‘metamorphosis’ is analysed in a Guardian article:

“Andrew Groves, a professor of fashion design and director of the Westminster Menswear Archive, says Burnham’s “all-black workwear look is as calculated as any Westminster suit, just aimed at a different audience”. Its casualness is loaded. As Groves puts it: “It rejects parliamentary polish and signals Mancunian proximity: practical, ordinary, and deliberately outside London political dress codes.”

Burnham is a shape shifter; not all he seems to be.

Oreo

But we do know what we’ve got LizzieDrip that’s the problem.
He has to go, and allow Burnham to guide the LP through the next three years.
Burnham has shown he can beat Reform.

He beat Reform in a safe Labour seat in an unnecessary by election. Helped by the fact that the Greens and LibDems didn’t campaign and voted tactically ( did he thank them for that…I doubt it). Reform lost votes to Restore and imo put up a candidate that was unelectable because they wanted the disruption a Burnham win would cause (including the electorate who are not going to be happy for someone to just become PM). So the media will be calling for an election. My MP has had non Labour voters contacting her to say that they want Starmer to stay.

Yeah I was horrified when Mandelson was chosen, with his known links to Epstein and dodgy financial past. Starmer panicked because he desperately needed someone who could handle Trump and Mandelson could. Big mistake.

There will be no end to this - up and down on the roller-coaster.

So this is the prelude to more in fighting like rats in a sack..

Greenywitch
Gran22boys
I agree. I think some of the policies were not well thought out such as the minimum wage increase for youngsters which has prevented some from getting their first job or holiday work.
But he gets a thumbs up from me for not dragging us into Trump’s stupid war.
He is calm and steady and I felt we were in safe hands generally.
It will be interesting to see who can do any better.
I do agree with this very much.

Luckygirl3

And so do I ......

And so do I actually. . .

Although I’d add the cutting of the WFP, as not well thought out either.

I think it’s a shame. He seems a nice man, his wife doesn’t court publicity like Cherie Blair and Sarah Brown, in fact, we don’t really know what she thinks. I don’t think he’s been that bad in all honesty. Better than some we’ve had. I think he should have moved Rachel Reeves long ago and Yvette Cooper who both seem ineffective. But again, who is available who’d be any better.

Mandelson has been around longer than most prime ministers.

I just hope that Burnham hasn't got any skeletons in his cupboard otherwise we will be back on the right wing press press merry go round again.

I think in the public's eye the Mandelson fiasco was a big turning point and I don't think KS will ever get past that or be allowed to get past that..

I will be sad to see him go. He's a decent man who is not driven by personal ambition and should have a longer term...and publicise what has been achieved so far.

Of course there will be another cabinet reshuffle just as I was getting used to ministers' names.

Greenywitch

Gran22boys

I agree. I think some of the policies were not well thought out such as the minimum wage increase for youngsters which has prevented some from getting their first job or holiday work.
But he gets a thumbs up from me for not dragging us into Trump’s stupid war.
He is calm and steady and I felt we were in safe hands generally.
It will be interesting to see who can do any better.

I do agree with this very much.

And so do I ......

No wonder governments can't embed good policies and practice. There's no time. - exactly - and now we have this pointless hiatus.

Everybody seems to be assuming that if Starmer does resign, it will be with immediate effect. It might not be, it might be from after the summer recess, which will keep the balls in the air while Burnham sorts out his plans.

Well said Cossy & winterwhite. Whilst the speculation and potential leadership battle continues, the government will be in a state of inactivity with running the country.They will all be in a state of frenzy over who should they back and how to retain their position in the government. Then newbies and shuffles will all have to learn their new roles. No wonder governments can't embed good policies and practice. There's no time. Still it's popular with football managers! Maybe don't be surprised when Burnham doesn't live up to the rapid overhaul that is expected by many. Wasn't anything learnt from the Tory circus?