He has done it! The toolmakers son has resigned!

PM's are also constituency MPs westendgirl. And Andy is genuinely local.

I think, westendgirl, that most of the people who contributed to Burnham’s landslide victory by voting for him were very well aware of ‘why’ he was putting himself forward. It had been very well publicised for months. He hasn’t duped a lot of innocent voters into thinking he’s going to devote himself to them alone in Parliament.

Rosie51

Why do some people seem to think Starmer will retire from politics and go back to the law? He's still an MP with a constituency to be represented. Do people think he will abandon his constituency and resign as an MP? That would be a pretty poor show in my opinion.

He'll stay. He's not the kind to take it out on his own people in a fit of pique.

I still think he may have bargained for a place in a new cabinet and I like foreign secretary. Thats where he was good and he has the contacts to do it well.

Susieq62

Hmm banana republic!!! Well well well 🍌 just about to have my breakfast in the sun and learn the rules of choosing a new leader! No! I do not belong to a political party but I was a young communist at the age of 14 😂😂😂

Well so was I Susieq62. My Mum and Dad were idealistic communists, ie from the 1930's, a very class ridden time and a genuine belief in the desire to "share things out more fairly".

So I was Highly Approved of for joining but actually we often just had a lot of fun at 14. I left, of course, it didn't take long to realise it was idealism almost like belonging to a narrow church: a belief system, that didn't match reality.

But it had good points: very early on I learned about the realities of "Empire" and its apparent marvels ha ha, about racism, about what still was a class structure, about international matters, the peace movement and so on.

It was a factory with employees. Tool making is complex and needs workers with specific skills.

Whoever takes over as PM, it should be only be one candidate....

Lord Larry, the Downing Street cat!

He's gorgeous, funny, highly intelligent, public and fan-friendly, and hard-working.

LORD LARRY FOR PM!

I haven't noticed that David49 but when I have commented on your posts it has nothing to do with your chosen username or perceived sex.

I had a PM conversation (several long messages to-and-fro) with someone not so long ago whose username was very female.
They told me eventually (because of the context and my suggestions I think) that they were a man.

Most people only know us and others on here by what we say.

Posters have the right to criticise Keir Starmer as much as they like, but why make such spiteful remarks about his (unelected) wife?

Rachel Reeves may be moved to a more junior role if Burnham becomes PM. BBC news.

I have posted elsewhere that this whole scenario leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. A sitting MP resigning so that Burnham could be parachuted in to win the seat in an unnecessary by-election and likely become Leader of the party and thus PM is not what I expect of the Labour party. Manchester will now have the unnecessary expense of a mayoral election. I won't be voting Labour again if this is an example of future practice. Incidentally he will still be the MP for his constituency as are all PMs no matter which party they represent

Agree 💯*Rosie*.

TheatreLover

Posters have the right to criticise Keir Starmer as much as they like, but why make such spiteful remarks about his (unelected) wife?

Where?

The toolmaker ensured his son had agood education and ambition, what most Dads want for their children. Im not a LP supporter but do feel sorry for KS--- to be dismissed in such a way is awful. My father was a tool maker who built tanks during WWII and had his own successful business afterwards, Im proud of him.

TheWeirdoAgain60

Whoever takes over as PM, it should be only be one candidate....

Lord Larry, the Downing Street cat!

He's gorgeous, funny, highly intelligent, public and fan-friendly, and hard-working.

LORD LARRY FOR PM!

And he deals with his adversaries in a most appropriate way! Ignore them and pad on or attack with claws. He would get my vote.

I shed a tear listening to him. A very decent man. He has achieved so much already, unfortunately his Comms let him down and Trump undermined him. He prevented us getting involved in WW3. Not sure Andy has much to admire apart from his sparkling eyes (my thoughts in 2010) when he came to Town. I fear a lot of fighting ahead, like the Tories, everyone wants a go at being PM!!

David49

NotSpaghetti

David49 I cannot believe you think that!

You are often (maybe deliberately) provocative.
Are you a man anyway?
How do we know?
Why would we care?

I believe at least most of us comment only on what you say.

I am accused of being a woman hater several times every week if I dare to criticize a woman, that's fine if others dont mind being called misandrists.

I particularly don't like the idea that more women in politics and business would improve society, it hasnt happened yet, how long are we expected to wait.

I have not found Gransnet to be misandrist. We would only ever know whether the poster is a man or a woman if they choose to disclose or choose a handle with a male name such as David49. Even your male gransnet name would still not in itself be evidence- just inference- but you have told us you are a man.

Posters views are often criticised, particularly on N and P forum- it comes with the territory though I feel that has nothing to do with the poster being male or female. Just that each forms their views from a position of difference. A man would have grown up as a man seeing the world through a male gaze and from a male experience. Females similarly through a female gaze and female experience. Difference is great and healthy- it provokes discussion and aligned with respect difference is positive .

More women in politics and business and indeed any positions of power would more accurately reflect demographics, even up power balance and demonstrate equality. You may think that would not improve society but others, particularly women perhaps think that it would. I view women as equal to men in value so can't see how it would be a bad thing to have more women in politics, business and positions of power, they are not lesser in any way.

Women have made strides in that direction- but as you agree there is not yet a balance. It's a direction of travel that can be hastened or slowed. How long are we expected to wait? Do you have a preferred timescale in mind? Or would you prefer the pendulum to swing and we have less women in politics and business?

I would boldly suggest that if anyone continually and quite deliberately posts controversial posts and opinions, as you happily admit you do David, and then to accuse those who challenge you of being “misandrists”.

I don’t think you’re a woman hater, nor do I think anyone in here is a man hater.

However, if you will insist of posting your outdated and sexist remarks about professional woman, what on earth do you expect from us?

Many many women on this site, and in real life, did/do extremely high level jobs in business and within parliament there are/ have been some extremely competent, highly educated, great female politicians.

We represent approx 50% of our population, so it’s not unreasonable to expect this representation within business, the public sector and parliament.

I cannot take you seriously when you make ridiculous and unfounded comments, most of us have moved on from Victorian times.

Totally agree . What chance did he have against the media ,they were never off his back . People need to start voting for this country and not what they get for themselves . I believe he is a good man and did what he could with the time he had .

Thank you Rosie, You and I are of the same mind.

Cossy

I would boldly suggest that if anyone continually and quite deliberately posts controversial posts and opinions, as you happily admit you do David, and then to accuse those who challenge you of being “misandrists”.

I don’t think you’re a woman hater, nor do I think anyone in here is a man hater.

However, if you will insist of posting your outdated and sexist remarks about professional woman, what on earth do you expect from us?

Many many women on this site, and in real life, did/do extremely high level jobs in business and within parliament there are/ have been some extremely competent, highly educated, great female politicians.

We represent approx 50% of our population, so it’s not unreasonable to expect this representation within business, the public sector and parliament.

I cannot take you seriously when you make ridiculous and unfounded comments, most of us have moved on from Victorian times.

👏👏 I agree Cossy.

David49 I do hope you come back to explain to us the reasons you particularly don't like the idea that more women in politics and business would improve society. Plus if any posters respond and you feel their response comes from a place of misandry you highlight and similarly explain your reasons why you deem such responses misandrist. You say it happens.

You say I am accused of being a woman hater several times every week if I dare to criticize a woman but thats pretty frequent and I have not seen evidence of that......

David49 please do point it out if it happens again.
Some of us (arguably most) don't like to see nasty posts, whoever they are directed at.

NotSpaghetti

David49 please do point it out if it happens again.
Some of us (arguably most) don't like to see nasty posts, whoever they are directed at.

I can't say I've seen you being accused of being a woman hater, David. I have seen you regularly being very dismissive of young people, of education beyond what you see as necessary for the benefit of employers, and make old-fashioned comments about women on a female-dominated forum. IMO, posters are usually very patient with you.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Willow3 my uncles secretary of the communist party and wrote for the Morning Star! I gave up my allegiance when I went on a school trip to Russia in 1966, a real eye opener but I loved it when I went shopping with my mum and told her “there’s one of my comrades!” 😄

Seriously, I am accused of being a misogynist several times a week by the feminists on GN, I've been called worse and am not especially bothered but you can expect a come back.l

David49

Seriously, I am accused of being a misogynist several times a week by the feminists on GN, I've been called worse and am not especially bothered but you can expect a come back.l

Where are these accusing posts, David, because I’ll be blowed if I’ve seen it happening with such frequency on the N & P threads.

This claim, though, reminds me strangely of the Farage claim of being more subject to attack than other politicians which is being discussed elsewhere. It has the same ultra hyperbolic feel…

I seem to recall that when I called you out for misogyny I got deleted