Andy Burnham has plan to return to Westminster ‘within weeks’. Allies sayGreater Manchester mayor said to have identified seats where MPs would step aside to allow leadership bid.

He would be the first Liverpudlian PM since Gladstone.

What an opportunist. He does not have the good of the country in mind, but simply bolstering his own ambition. Trying to trample his way to the top. A cynical man.

Luckygirl3

What an opportunist. He does not have the good of the country in mind, but simply bolstering his own ambition. Trying to trample his way to the top. A cynical man.

Agree. Have never thought him trustworthy, he bends with the wind.

Luckygirl3

What an opportunist. He does not have the good of the country in mind, but simply bolstering his own ambition. Trying to trample his way to the top. A cynical man.

All ambitious aspiring party leaders necessarily make and take their opportunities where they can- e.g. Farage, Badenoch, Polanski, Davey, Starmer, Sunak, Boris J, Truss, Teresa May etc. etc. Twas ever thus.

Basgetti

Luckygirl3

What an opportunist. He does not have the good of the country in mind, but simply bolstering his own ambition. Trying to trample his way to the top. A cynical man.

Agree. Have never thought him trustworthy, he bends with the wind.

I will believe it when I see it.

He does seem to change his mind quite often.

We need a period of stability in this shaky world at the moment with a maniac at the helm in the US. We do not need ruthless egos. This is why we need Starmer - keeps his head down and gets on with the job in a serious way. No flim-flam, just a steady hand, who has represented us well on the international stage.

Even if it happens, it won't work in terms of electoral success.

I'll just say as a LP insider I await events with interest! But I will say, getting the timing right is important. My local Labour MP would support such a bid, btw, she is to the left of Starmer, but not now.

I think I might but would like to know a lot more about it and him before I decided, and look at alternatives too.

By the way, the O/P is reporting on his laying out alternative policies, not a direct leadership bid.

Given that premise, its a bit "guessing forward" as to whether it precedes a leadership bid,

Or he is laying out alternative policies to make clear to people that we do not all think the same in the LP.

Its very opportunist timing, and I dislike that greatly:

Labour Party members are out campaigning on the doorstep to keep Reform out of key council seats: and it's hardly time to take on the important issue of deciding "which direction and who".

Basgetti

Luckygirl3

What an opportunist. He does not have the good of the country in mind, but simply bolstering his own ambition. Trying to trample his way to the top. A cynical man.

Agree. Have never thought him trustworthy, he bends with the wind.

Basgetti - indeed!
this very morning the political pundit
in our house described him as ‘that Willow’

A silly thing to do if he really means it.

Starmer would still be able to represent the UK well on the world stage as Foreign Secretary.

Starmer himself has demonstrated his own ruthless ego on many occasions. Most, if not all, politicians at the top of their party and in key leadership roles necessarily do in order to get there and then to do the job and survive.

The past 2 weeks has been very damaging for Starmer. He has not been found to have mis lead parliament but his poor judgement has been brought into question. It is predicted that the May elections will further damage Stamer's position.

Luckygirl3

What an opportunist. He does not have the good of the country in mind, but simply bolstering his own ambition. Trying to trample his way to the top. A cynical man.

How do you know his thought patterns?

As I see it, most career-driven people will take opportunities as they find them, so if he does make a move now it's no different from people in less public roles doing the same. I can't see how he wouldn't have the good of the country in mind - more that he thinks his way of doing things is better for the country than the way others do them. Like all politicians, in other words.

I would like to see him as PM, but agree with those who say that this is not the time. Let's get the elections over - although maybe the thinking is that some who have turned their backs on Labour might change their minds if AB were in charge? Again, it's impossible to see into the minds of others.

Luckygirl3

What an opportunist. He does not have the good of the country in mind, but simply bolstering his own ambition. Trying to trample his way to the top. A cynical man.

So he'll fit right in, sadly.

Thirty minutes ago it was Wes Streeting, who apparently has sufficient numbers of MPs to force a leadership challenge.

Yesterday and the day before it was Angela Rayner, plus Andy Burnham.

Entertaining but not edifying.

eazybee

Thirty minutes ago it was Wes Streeting, who apparently has sufficient numbers of MPs to force a leadership challenge.

Yesterday and the day before it was Angela Rayner, plus Andy Burnham.

Entertaining but not edifying.

They seem determined to destroy themselves.

You can’t blame the Labour politicians for wanting to replace a lame duck as PM, if they don’t do it soon they have no chance of even power sharing at the next GE.

Word is that despite the excellent Green candidate who now represents Denton and Gorton, had Andy Burnham stood he’d have won the seat.

If he tries for leadership, it will be his third attempt. I voted Yvette Cooper then but would vote Andy now. He’s grown in his role as our Mayor. I like Starmer, he’s great on the international stage, he inherited a nightmare but even for me such poor political judgement

LemonJam. You should give your sources and say this was lifted straight from the Guardian.

... is understood to have … is said to be … believed to have been … strong possibilities of …

Sounds like more clickbait from mates of Crerar.

If people decide, next Thursday, that they want to have their local councils descend into racist-lead chaos*, so be it but I don’t see that as an excuse for another attempted coup.

*The counties of Essex, Hampshire Norfolk and Suffolk are to be reorganised into unitary authorities but 2028. Farage has spoken against this so can you see a bunch of new Reform-lead councils cooperating let alone leading the work that needs to be done?

Personally, I prefer Burnham’s politics to Labour under Starmer (and would certainly welcome radical changes to our electoral system and am disappointed that Labour is doing nothing about PR) but the former hasn’t been in Westminster for nine years and it’s sixteen years since he served as as a Minister under Brown.

As I wrote on another thread, Labour is doing very well on its manifesto promises with two thirds of them already achieved or on track. That’s impressive in under two years in such challenging times.

No matter who serves as Labour Prime Minister, the press will hound him or her. It’s been going on since 5 July 2024. It will continue for the life of this government and won’t rest until, heaven help us, Badenoch or Farage is in No.10.

A day after the press was silenced over Mandelson and that whole story was proved to be based on press fabrication, it started in on Rayner. Starmer has shown he can withstand the pressure. Party infighting would be just more manna for the media.

Labour should at least wait for conference. There was a purported challenged from Burnham last year but it came to nothing.

Although he’s on the right, I’m rather keen on Darren Jones as future leader.

Galaxy

Even if it happens, it won't work in terms of electoral success.

Why do you think that, Galaxy?

What do you think the electorate actually wants?

Looking at Burnham's career he looks to be quite solid in terms of parliamentary and ministerial experience and he has demonstrated his ability as a political leader during his Mayoralty.

I have my doubts on his understanding of how a national economy works and him embracing the current, very damaging, economic orthodoxy, but that, for me, would apply to any aspirant to the Labour leadership.

Good and thoughtful post there, Graphite.

The leadership issue is one that affects all parties and clearly has done so in recent years. Politicians will be politicians whatever their party.

No, I don't see it as a course of destruction at all, it's par for the course in a large long established party when they hit the realities of government, especially these days. I think there have been changes in the political winds as regards very long standing and serving politicians all over Europe and most definitely in the USA!

I think Labour are in too much trouble and I think there comes a stage where that isn't reversible. I also suspect we are witnessing a complete reconfiguration in politics, in terms of the influence of the two major parties.

Have received from Burnham a ‘vote Labour in Welsh election’,
I so wishhe hadn’t asked me, seems his daughter is studying in Wales.

Galaxy

I think Labour are in too much trouble and I think there comes a stage where that isn't reversible. I also suspect we are witnessing a complete reconfiguration in politics, in terms of the influence of the two major parties.

I agree about Labour being in (too much) trouble but I can only see Starmer making it worse. Better to replace him and let a new leader have a stab at pulling them round than to limp through another two years to inevitable wipeout.