Emily Thornberry

If Andy Burnham were to stand, which I doubt although I would hope he would, there would be some sweating opposition I think.

I don’t understand his popularity to be honest. I think it’s easier to be a popular mayor than an MP. I don’t like the way he snipes at Labour from the sidelines, either.

He did stand for leader of the Labour Party twice, against Miliband and against Corbyn,

MayBee70

I don’t understand his popularity to be honest. I think it’s easier to be a popular mayor than an MP. I don’t like the way he snipes at Labour from the sidelines, either.

You’ve missed the major factor if you don’t get it MayBee. He is engaging, and personable. There is no other factor more important when it comes to securing a good public opinion.

Casdon

MayBee70

I don’t understand his popularity to be honest. I think it’s easier to be a popular mayor than an MP. I don’t like the way he snipes at Labour from the sidelines, either.

You’ve missed the major factor if you don’t get it MayBee. He is engaging, and personable. There is no other factor more important when it comes to securing a good public opinion.

But what about his record when he was in government? I must admit to not knowing much about it but if he’d been that great why wasn’t he chosen to be leader? I agree he’s a good communicator but if it came to trusting someone I’d trust Starmer more than him. This is, however, just a gut feeling, although my partner also feels the same way.

MayBee, I saw Andy Burnham at the hustings during the leadership campaign won by Corbyn. IMO Andy Burnham has matured and grown in confidence since then. He was very active here in the Gtr Manchester area during the last election, supporting candidates. He’s an excellent mayor and has consistently said he prefers it to Westminster.
I haven’t been aware of him sniping at the government. The party needs him

MayBee70

Casdon

MayBee70

I don’t understand his popularity to be honest. I think it’s easier to be a popular mayor than an MP. I don’t like the way he snipes at Labour from the sidelines, either.

You’ve missed the major factor if you don’t get it MayBee. He is engaging, and personable. There is no other factor more important when it comes to securing a good public opinion.

But what about his record when he was in government? I must admit to not knowing much about it but if he’d been that great why wasn’t he chosen to be leader? I agree he’s a good communicator but if it came to trusting someone I’d trust Starmer more than him. This is, however, just a gut feeling, although my partner also feels the same way.

I remember him, he was young and impetuous, but he was the best Health Secretary the NHS ever had, he really got to grips with the brief, and was instrumental in a period of great achievement.

StripeyGran

I like the cut of her jib.

Any thoughts?

Kiss of death I'm afraid, OP

Maybe I could try it for a few other politicians, like a magic spell?

StripeyGran

Maybe I could try it for a few other politicians, like a magic spell?

Ooh yes!

Keep going 😁

Casdon, yes thanks for reminding us of Burnham and Health. He was also committed and successful in supporting the Hillsborough families

I’ve just seen a friend who is active in the LP. There’s a suggestion things may change and the next leader might nit need to be an M.P. I know nothing of this but …….

Casdon

MayBee70

Casdon

MayBee70

I don’t understand his popularity to be honest. I think it’s easier to be a popular mayor than an MP. I don’t like the way he snipes at Labour from the sidelines, either.

You’ve missed the major factor if you don’t get it MayBee. He is engaging, and personable. There is no other factor more important when it comes to securing a good public opinion.

But what about his record when he was in government? I must admit to not knowing much about it but if he’d been that great why wasn’t he chosen to be leader? I agree he’s a good communicator but if it came to trusting someone I’d trust Starmer more than him. This is, however, just a gut feeling, although my partner also feels the same way.

I remember him, he was young and impetuous, but he was the best Health Secretary the NHS ever had, he really got to grips with the brief, and was instrumental in a period of great achievement.

Sorry, but Andy Burnham was a Junior Health Minister then Health Secretary when the Stafford Hospital scandal was ongoing.
He did commission The Francis Report but said “I was worried that a full public inquiry would damage the trust beyond repair. Think that’s been borne out.”

Leigh MP Andy Burnham came under fire for insulting the victims of the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal in a heated Twitter exchange this weekend.

The shadow health secretary suggested it would have been better if the Francis report into 1,200 patient’s deaths due to neglect and poor care was never published.^

Some of us will never forget that.

There is no health minister who avoids the blame for failures in the NHS, or who handles all the anger and mistrust after they come to light, though those events often happened before they were in the role Allira. That does not mean that in terms of improvement to the throughput and standards provided by the NHS as a whole they are ineffective.

Some of his remarks were really unforgivable.

The people of the North West seem to rate him Allira, he is very popular, so maybe they are more forgiving.

The North West is not the Midlands.

However, I'm sure people in the Midlands are thoughtful enough to consider whether or not the good outweighs some of the mistakes made by politicians.

Certainly, for many people, compared with some of today's MPs, his failure was insignificant.
For others, who may have lost a loved one, perhaps not.

Allira

Casdon

MayBee70

Casdon

MayBee70

I don’t understand his popularity to be honest. I think it’s easier to be a popular mayor than an MP. I don’t like the way he snipes at Labour from the sidelines, either.

You’ve missed the major factor if you don’t get it MayBee. He is engaging, and personable. There is no other factor more important when it comes to securing a good public opinion.

But what about his record when he was in government? I must admit to not knowing much about it but if he’d been that great why wasn’t he chosen to be leader? I agree he’s a good communicator but if it came to trusting someone I’d trust Starmer more than him. This is, however, just a gut feeling, although my partner also feels the same way.

I remember him, he was young and impetuous, but he was the best Health Secretary the NHS ever had, he really got to grips with the brief, and was instrumental in a period of great achievement.

Sorry, but Andy Burnham was a Junior Health Minister then Health Secretary when the Stafford Hospital scandal was ongoing.
He did commission The Francis Report but said “I was worried that a full public inquiry would damage the trust beyond repair. Think that’s been borne out.”

Leigh MP Andy Burnham came under fire for insulting the victims of the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal in a heated Twitter exchange this weekend.

The shadow health secretary suggested it would have been better if the Francis report into 1,200 patient’s deaths due to neglect and poor care was never published.^

Some of us will never forget that.

I think that is what is at the back of my mind. Some MP’s seem to be involved in certain political events but their association with it disappears and yet eg Thornberrys white van man comment overshadows everything else they ever say or do. Then again I’m probably at fault myself for remembering some things and forgetting other. But as a pretty devout Labour supporter and Burnham being a Labour MP I would have thought my rather erratic memory would look on him in a better light? Maybe he’s just very good at constructing his own narrative; a superhero skill when it comes to politics!

Maybe he’s just very good at constructing his own narrative; a superhero skill when it comes to politics!
Possibly.

It's interesting that some remarks by politicians are never forgotten eg Emily Thornberry and white van man which really hurt no-one and nothing except feelings, whereas Andy Burnham saying “I was worried that a full public inquiry would damage the trust beyond repair. Think that’s been borne out regarding the unnecessary deaths at Stafford Hospital has been largely forgotten.

Allira

The North West is not the Midlands.

However, I'm sure people in the Midlands are thoughtful enough to consider whether or not the good outweighs some of the mistakes made by politicians.

Certainly, for many people, compared with some of today's MPs, his failure was insignificant.
For others, who may have lost a loved one, perhaps not.

I do know that, I’ve worked in both regions. I think you’re overestimating peoples interest in what happened twenty years ago, when his record as mayor is excellent. However, as I said previously, I’m not convinced he will even stand.

Casdon

Allira

The North West is not the Midlands.

However, I'm sure people in the Midlands are thoughtful enough to consider whether or not the good outweighs some of the mistakes made by politicians.

Certainly, for many people, compared with some of today's MPs, his failure was insignificant.
For others, who may have lost a loved one, perhaps not.

I do know that, I’ve worked in both regions. I think you’re overestimating peoples interest in what happened twenty years ago, when his record as mayor is excellent. However, as I said previously, I’m not convinced he will even stand.

I don't think people in the Midlands would be too interested in his reputation as a mayor in the North-West.
They might, however, remember if they lost a loved one in Stafford Hospital and the events surrounding that.

The Midlands is a big place though. Of course those who were living near Stafford and were affected will remember, but I doubt those living in Nottingham, or Boston, or Sheffield for example, would remember that above the real benefits he spearheaded in improving service provision. I’m a cynic, there have been multiple NHS inquiries over the years, and I don’t believe the public think about them much subsequently.

I doubt that people in Nottingham, Boston or Sheffield (which is in the North) know or care too much about his reputation as Mayor of Greater Manchester either.

It's some years, too, since he ran for leadership and lost out to Corbyn.

Allira

She wouldn't be my choice.
She wouldn't automatically become Deputy Prime Minister anyway; are any other posts vacant?

It's sad that she says she had a poor upbringing after her parents divorced. Her father can't have been very responsible to leave them impoverished when he was under-secretary-general of the United Nations.
She has done well despite all that.

Ed Miliband must have been annoyed by her tweet because he agreed she should resign. She did apologise and said "People should fly the England flag with pride!".

I find it hard to understand her poor upbringing. Her father was a professor at the LSE before his UN appointment and her mother was a teacher. It doesn't seem very poor to me. Maybe 'poor' is relative.

Maybe 'poor' is relative.

I think so, Janlara
She always comes across as relatively well-to-do. She says she went to a secondary modern school, presumably a good one, and then on to university.

She claims that, when her mother left her father and took the children, they were so poor she relied on free school meals and food parcels, and her cats were euthanised to save money.
However, she went to live with her father at age 15 until he upped and left two years later.
He doesn't sound very responsible at all.

Allira

I doubt that people in Nottingham, Boston or Sheffield (which is in the North) know or care too much about his reputation as Mayor of Greater Manchester either.

It's some years, too, since he ran for leadership and lost out to Corbyn.

When Andy Burnham was Health Secretary, Sheffield was in Trent Regional Health Board, which covered the East Midlands and South Yorkshire. Doncaster and Rotherham were also in Trent. As I said, I worked there. It was reorganised in 2012.

We’ll have to wait and see, but if he wants to stand, he may well be successful, and I think he will win votes.