Where’s Nigel?

Maybe Mr. Farage should donate his Parliamentary pay to charity like Mr Rupert Lowe does!!

Yes, Sally Nugent was very incisive on her interview with Farage. He didn’t like being pressed about the £5million.
I couldn’t believe that when talking about his needs for security, which I can quite accept, he talked about being the most attacked, threatened MP for a decade. Haven’t we just commemorated ten years since Jo Cox was killed and only six since David Amess was killed?

Cossy

Maremia

Yes, I think Kemi B is starting to get into her stride a bit better now.

Not my party, but strong challenge is crucial in opposition and she really is stepping up to this plate!

Yes, I feel the same.

I'm not a Tory voter, but I'd really like to see them build a strong party in opposition; I think it's essential for a functioning democracy.

The party needs those who are committed to the traditional values of Conservative principles and ideology - as opposed to chancers and opportunists who jump ship...

gwyneth28

Maybe Mr. Farage should donate his Parliamentary pay to charity like Mr Rupert Lowe does!!

Well he’s certainly not earning it, he could donate it to both Clacton and Jaywick!

Mind you, I simply cannot bring myself to say well done Lowe. Even though it’ll do lots of good in Great Yarmouth, Lowe himself makes me feel quite unwell 🙄🤮🤮🤮🤮

Nandalot

Yes, Sally Nugent was very incisive on her interview with Farage. He didn’t like being pressed about the £5million.
I couldn’t believe that when talking about his needs for security, which I can quite accept, he talked about being the most attacked, threatened MP for a decade. Haven’t we just commemorated ten years since Jo Cox was killed and only six since David Amess was killed?

Madly both their successors run regular surgeries?

nanna8

If Andy Burnham turns out to be popular and rules wisely Nigel will be history. He was doing very well because Starmer wasn’t and people were desperate for an alternative. He also now has a genuine far right opponent in that rather ghastly Rupert Lowe.

Oooh I like it!

mokryna

He should give up the EMP £73,000 he has.

Just give up would be ok with me!

Farage can call as much and as often as he likes for a GE but he's whistling in the wind. He's very obviously a very biased political commentator so I would take what he says with a pinch of salt.

Whether you know or don't know what Burnham stands for does not change the fact that the country voted for a Labour government in 2024 and the LP will stay in government until the next election.

That was to Eazybee...

Don't think he'd do too well in a GE at the moment anyway.

Reform split the Tory vote last time out ( to not much benefit to themselves) & Restore will split the Reform this time. & with Andy Burnham running as Labour leader, they could have a credible appeal to those who want "change", & if they push the strides they're making on getting immigration down, think Labour would get most seats again at a GE.

LemonJam

Farage can call as much and as often as he likes for a GE but he's whistling in the wind. He's very obviously a very biased political commentator so I would take what he says with a pinch of salt.

Whether you know or don't know what Burnham stands for does not change the fact that the country voted for a Labour government in 2024 and the LP will stay in government until the next election.

Doesn’t take away that fact that it’s wrong for someone who wasn’t even an MP last week to just be given the job of Prime Minister with no vote from MP’s party members or the electorate. No scrutiny of his policies whatsoever. Even if, in theory there’s legally no reason why they can’t.

Unelected Prime Ministers are actually more common than ones who were already a party leader before an election. I found a FullFact with the details.

fullfact.org/news/unelected-prime-ministers-common-or-not/

There can only be a competition for the leadership if two or more people stand, the last time there was only one candidate for the role was Rishi Sunak, so no long ago, and not the same party.

Burnham won’t have his own policies MayBee70, policies are agreed for the party as a whole, not by a PM. Priorities, yes.

The electorate don’t choose the PM ! They are elected by party members to lead their party! Then whichever party wins a GE , it is the leader of said party who becomes PM!
If you want a say in it, join a political party !!

Susieq62

The electorate don’t choose the PM ! They are elected by party members to lead their party! Then whichever party wins a GE , it is the leader of said party who becomes PM!
If you want a say in it, join a political party !!

I am in the Labour party. And I have had no say in Burnhams possible coronation...

How does he think he would find suitable candidates to stand if there was an election soon? Look at the quality of some of the newly elected Reform councillors, for example Sarah Wood of Kirklees who said she didn’t understand the constitution. I am not sure even in three years there would be enough experienced candidates, or candidates who have been involved in politics for more than a couple of years to govern sensibly. Reform’s policies frighten me, but the thought a government of such limited experience frightens me even more.

Susieq62

The electorate don’t choose the PM ! They are elected by party members to lead their party! Then whichever party wins a GE , it is the leader of said party who becomes PM!
If you want a say in it, join a political party !!

If there are no other MP standing against AB there will be no vote for LP members!

We do understand how the UK political system operates.

Nandalot

How does he think he would find suitable candidates to stand if there was an election soon? Look at the quality of some of the newly elected Reform councillors, for example Sarah Wood of Kirklees who said she didn’t understand the constitution. I am not sure even in three years there would be enough experienced candidates, or candidates who have been involved in politics for more than a couple of years to govern sensibly. Reform’s policies frighten me, but the thought a government of such limited experience frightens me even more.

I don’t think that even crosses the mind of Reform voters. Apologies if I’m repeating myself but there was an article in the Times about a British couple that left Spain because of Brexit. Desperately want to go back but can’t because of the 90 day rule and are planning to vote Reform. Totally ignoring the fact that Farage is the instigator of the problem.

Exactly, Nandalot. The quality of people standing for Reform is very poor, many of them with connections to far right parties.

Look at Mark Pack’s list of councillors who have departed for one reason or another. 33 gone since last month’s local elections on top of the 73 since May 2025. Quite a rate of attrition.

www.markpack.org.uk/176783/how-many-councillors-has-reform-uk-lost-since-the-may-2026-elections/

Was Robert Kenyon really the best they could do in Makerfield to stand against Burnham, one of the most important by-elections in recent history? The constituency was Reform’s sixth best win in the 2024 GE and voted solidly (65%) for Brexit. Reform swept the local council elections the month before. Even against a powerhouse like Burnham, they should have done far better.

What would Reform do in a snap election? How would they find 650 candidates who could pass proper vetting? If they could win a majority they would have 149 ministerial positions to fill including 23 cabinet positions.

Polling suggests that Braverman, Jenrick and Kruger could all lose their seats. Their constituents are not happen they defected and did not submit to by-elections. Pochin only won the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by 6 votes and could easily lose her seat.

In that event, there’d only be Farage, with his contempt for Parliament and the threat of a suspension and recall hanging over him anyway, Anderson, Rosindell and Tice - not one of them with any experience of governing (the Tories never knew what to do with Anderson either) plus over 322 brand new MPs with no experience at all. Tory defectors like Zahawi and Dorries might stand but neither were glowing successes under the Tories. Zahawi lasted two months as Chancellor and will never live down his major tax fiddling with an HMRC settlement equal to Farage's Harborne bung. Dorries was only appointed minister due to her passion for Johnson. It certainly wasn't to do with competency. Both Zahawi and Dorries had spent most of their Parliamentary careers on the back benches. It would be an unmitigated disaster.

We know that PMs do bring in people to take on specific roles, e.g. Starmer appointing Hermer (Attorney General) Timpson (Prisons) and Vallance (Science) and Sunak appointing Cameron as Foreign Secretary but it does present issues of democracy as unelected ministers cannot speak in the House of Commons so cannot makes statements or answer questions.

Whatever people think of Labour, they came to power with a lot of MPs with ministerial and shadow ministerial experience and over 180 experienced MPs.

Susieq62

The electorate don’t choose the PM ! They are elected by party members to lead their party! Then whichever party wins a GE , it is the leader of said party who becomes PM!
If you want a say in it, join a political party !!

I’m a member of the LP and have had no say in AB becoming leader of the party. That’s why I’m hoping for a leadership contest so, I would at least have a vote.

Cossy I beg to disagree as I know of many many folk all ages, genders, sizes, backgrounds who have no idea how our political system works! This is often very obvious within successions on GN!
I would expect LP members to demand input on choosing their next leader 🤷‍♀️

Discussion not succession !!

Susieq62

Cossy I beg to disagree as I know of many many folk all ages, genders, sizes, backgrounds who have no idea how our political system works! This is often very obvious within successions on GN!
I would expect LP members to demand input on choosing their next leader 🤷‍♀️

Yes, you’re right, I should have said I understand, not we or many. I am doing the very thing I accuse others of doing, putting words in peoples mouths.

I’m not really sure how LP members can challenge as it’s not “breaking the rules” however I just feel it’s not democracy as I understand it.

Graphite great post 22:08

Cossy thanks!!

Cossy & Susieq62 as a LP member, I find the current situation extremely frustrating. However, it isn’t breaking any LP rules.

Once a leadership election has been triggered, if only one name appears on the ballot sheet, there is no contest and therefore no vote.

Currently, the only name ‘in the hat’ is Andy Burnham. We need at least one other Labour MP to declare their intention to stand, although they would have to get the support of 80 MPs in order to do so.

Nominations close on 9th July - I’m hoping against hope that someone else will stand. Then, at least, we would have a democratic vote by the party members.

I believe this would be better for all concerned. Better for democracy; better for the LP; better for the winner of the contest because he / she would have the democratic mandate of party members.