The media are already after Andy!

Cossy

M0nica

As they say in the bible. 'Let he/she who is without sin cast the first stone' .

Lots of people do one thing that is stupid. But go on to lead blameless lives and act with integrity.

I think people should be allowed to make an official declaration before taking office of any minor misdemeanours and then that should be the end of it. Louise Haigh is a classic example of the kind of thing I have in mind. She did something stupid when she was young and stupid, and one has no reason not to think that she learnt her lesson.

Yes! This seems fair and realistic.

Absolutely to the point, but I can help out here, as Louise Haigh did a recent 28 min interview on R4. she explains the event and the shenanigans that led to her leaving the cabinet. Just a couple of days old.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/m001wk5l/political-thinking-with-nick-robinson

Keir Starmer knew before he appointed her of the incident. it was to avoid press ho ha and she was actually a very good cabinet minister on Transport.

Its inevitable. but we dont have to drink the Coolaid.

Louise Haigh is a convicted fraudster not just 1 phone but 2 phones surely Labour can find someone better than her. Although out of all their MPs they couldn't find a new leader and had to parachute Burnham in. God help us. It works both ways digging the dirt.

I am afraid if you present yourselves as 'the adults in the room' and a change from the dodgyness of the tories under Johnson then yes of course people will highlight your failings.
I want the press to scrutinise the government, I was profoundly grateful for the work the press did on highlighting the Mandelsson scandal.

I hope no one digs up records re Andy Burnham’s connection with Joe Anderson et al - I’d say that may seriously damage his political reputation ☘️

Allusions without information are hardly informative, just stirring?

Sunshinegirls

Louise Haigh is a convicted fraudster not just 1 phone but 2 phones surely Labour can find someone better than her. Although out of all their MPs they couldn't find a new leader and had to parachute Burnham in. God help us. It works both ways digging the dirt.

Have you actually bothered to listen to the podcast or going by the pot stirring likes of the DM?

Fallingstar

Burnham will no doubt be subjected to the same lynch mob mentality of the press and social media as Starmer was.
And surprise surprise he and his cabinet ministers will have clay feet because most people have something that can be dug up and hurled at them even if it is only trivial it will be blown out of all proportion.
I agree that he should be held to account but not hung drawn and quartered in the public eye.

I agree 👏👏👏👏👏

Sunshinegirls

Louise Haigh is a convicted fraudster not just 1 phone but 2 phones surely Labour can find someone better than her. Although out of all their MPs they couldn't find a new leader and had to parachute Burnham in. God help us. It works both ways digging the dirt.

God help us, on her frankly!

*here not her

The only way Labour gets anything near a reasonable press is if they cosy up to the right wing press.

Remember Murdoch and Blair - in fact I think Blair still cosies up to the Murdoch empire.

Whitewavemark2

The only way Labour gets anything near a reasonable press is if they cosy up to the right wing press.

Remember Murdoch and Blair - in fact I think Blair still cosies up to the Murdoch empire.

Think I’d rather put up with the “bad” press!

M0nica

As they say in the bible. 'Let he/she who is without sin cast the first stone' .

Lots of people do one thing that is stupid. But go on to lead blameless lives and act with integrity.

I think people should be allowed to make an official declaration before taking office of any minor misdemeanours and then that should be the end of it. Louise Haigh is a classic example of the kind of thing I have in mind. She did something stupid when she was young and stupid, and one has no reason not to think that she learnt her lesson.

Yes, and if people have the life of a saint, then they can't accumulate the neccessary good and bad experiences to learn from.

Dad often quoted "the man who never made a mistake never made anything!"

Very, very convenient in his case........

Mollygo

Doodledog

An interesting choice of thread title, Molly . Is it the media who are already muckraking, or is it you?

You use the phrase 'convicted fraudster', which appears to make your position very clear - are you pretending that you think the media are to blame, or is it just an unfortunate choice of words on your part?

If you think the media should back off, then fair enough, but you might want to make that a bit clearer. If not, then why suggest that you are blaming the media?

I was merely pointing out that’s how the media put it this morning.
I wondered how long it would take before they found something against AB.
Not long.
In terms of second chances?

It’s evidently personal choice.

AB offering a post to someone who “agreed to resign over a fraudulent claim” fits in with what one senior Labour figure described it as a “good resignation” which may allow her to come back at a later date with a clean slate.

Not all the media- just one as far as I can see?

The Independent reported 2 hours ago- after your OP " High is set to land key policy control role in Burnham Government" no mention about spent conditional discharge.

The BBC on 9 July - an article about Burnham planning for No 10 that mentions Haigh but no mention of her spent 2015 conditional discharge.

The Guardian published an article specifically about Haigh on 9 July where Haigh accused some of Starmer's allies of briefing "consistently and viciously against her" after she resigned as transport secretary when she spoke openly about her departure from cabinet in 2024 a cabal of men mistreating women no mention of spent conditional discharge.

I can only find one media outlet this morning- The Telegraph- "How a convicted Fraudster became Andy Burnham's right- hand woman". Not unusual for the right wing Telegraph newspaper to brief against a Labour politician but this is quite old news about a historical spent conditional discharge in 2015. The Telegraph did not make it a front page story and it does not appear to have gained much traction across other media outlets.

I was more surprised in recent weeks when the Times and The telegraph briefed against Farage and made him subject to negative comments in front page stories. Thats is more unusual and about current issue of much higher political and democratic concern. Farage's investigation is current- suspended- due to how the Telegraph and many media outlets described as his "stunt" and we all await the results and whether he comes out with a 'clean slate'. Thats will be front page news no doubt.

Fallingstar Tue 14-Jul-26 14:10:49
Burnham will no doubt be subjected to the same lynch mob mentality of the press and social media as Starmer was.
And surprise surprise he and his cabinet ministers will have clay feet because most people have something that can be dug up and hurled at them even if it is only trivial it will be blown out of all proportion.
I agree that he should be held to account but not hung drawn and quartered in the public eye.

eazybee Tue 14-Jul-26 14:27:15
Oh, you mean a bit like Teresa May, Boris, Liz Truss, (particularly) and Sunak

I think you will see I am replying to FallingStar.

The school prefects are out in force today.

LemonJam
Not all the media- just one as far as I can see?
So sorry LemonJam, but I never mentioned all.
I used media are because media is is the preferred US style.

Burnham will get hounded by the press thats certain, what will make the difference is if his own MPs and Labour voters support him. Starmer and Reeves where abandoned by their own party within 6 months of election

Mollygo

LemonJam
Not all the media- just one as far as I can see?
So sorry LemonJam, but I never mentioned all.
I used media are because media is is the preferred US style.

You said I was merely pointing out that’s how the media put it this morning. I wondered how long it would take before they found something against AB.

And I replied not all the media- just one as far as I can see