So it begins….. Streeting resigns

Allira

Well, we certainly didn't expect this nearly two years ago when we were glad to see the back of the Tories, were we!

Be careful what you wish for.

Indeed ☹️😢

I’m a true blue Conservative,but I am saddened by the state of affairs.The Labour Party should have soldiered on.Reform will only lose if the others stand firm.

It's an absolute mess. It would have been preferable if Starmer had stood down. The electorate just don't like him and that's not going to change.

Now we're stuck with the chaos he claimed he wanted to avoid.

Burnham cannot be totally confident to win. Maybe the Tories won't stand in order to help Reform. And if Burnham doesn't win, then what?

Burnham has been a fantastic mayor for Manchester; he's transformed what was once a dirty, neglected city, stuck in the 1960s, to a vibrant, modern hub with a huge cultural development, beautiful buildings, and a fast, cheap transport system. Manchester is now a very young, modern, sleek place to live, work and visit. Much as I admire his successes in Manchester, I have my doubts that he can transfer those skills nationally.

Hmmm. Let's not catastrophise. a period of uncertainty is better than seizing on a figure like Liz Truss turned out to be in the need for speed.

Thats what the press is encouraging and delighting in whilst some eagerly gather round the popcorn cheering on for the most dramatic outcome.

We don't know what going on in the inner circles and are not likely to find out easily however much speculation there is, for a candidate's election doesn't always throw up that which is predictable and currently much will be uncertain for the actors in the drama itself.

Cardamom

Burnham has been a fantastic mayor for Manchester; he's transformed what was once a dirty, neglected city, stuck in the 1960s, to a vibrant, modern hub with a huge cultural development, beautiful buildings, and a fast, cheap transport system. Manchester is now a very young, modern, sleek place to live, work and visit. Much as I admire his successes in Manchester, I have my doubts that he can transfer those skills nationally.

Boris was (although always Marmite) quite a success as major of London. (I did live there then) Pretty awful PM though...

That's what I'm thinking too valdali; not all skills are transferable. But, if push comes to shove, I'd rather have Burnham than Rayner. She's deeply unpopular in these parts.

I don't know where she is popular?

Not here, it will be Burnham in my constituency L Party. it was discussed before any my MP I know was rooting for him months ago.

midgey

I wonder if they have any idea of how angry their behaviour makes the country. It’s also sad as Streeting was doing a good job of the NHS.

Depends on whether you’ve seen any benefit.
Shorter waiting lists? Is 18 months just for an appointment to get a referral short?
Is being triaged from pillar to post an improvement, so you end up going to A&E and waiting . . .

Are Streeting and Burnham working together.

Cardamom

Burnham has been a fantastic mayor for Manchester; he's transformed what was once a dirty, neglected city, stuck in the 1960s, to a vibrant, modern hub with a huge cultural development, beautiful buildings, and a fast, cheap transport system. Manchester is now a very young, modern, sleek place to live, work and visit. Much as I admire his successes in Manchester, I have my doubts that he can transfer those skills nationally.

Where did the money come from?

fancythat

Manchester has financed its massive redevelopment through a, roughly £2 billion, public-private, "Good Growth Fund" led by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). This strategy combines central government grants, National Wealth Fund partnerships, and Local Government Pension Fund investments. Key projects are supported by loans that are recycled back into new developments, enabling ongoing transformation.

Fallingstar

I just wonder - what next?
Whoever succeeds Starmer will face the same uphill battle, and when he/she can’t deliver as soon as the electorate demand it, will there be another leadership battle?
And when another party win at the next election, inheriting the same poisoned chalice, will that leader face the same skullduggery.
It feels as if we are standing on shifting sands. There is no consistency, and am not sure what is to blame, the media, interfering outside agencies trying to manipulate our politics, or electorate fatigue, but is a malaise that is damaging this country beyond repair imho.

Whoever succeeds Starmer will face the same uphill battle, and when he/she can’t deliver as soon as the electorate demand it, will there be another leadership battle?

My thoughts also.

And when another party win at the next election, inheriting the same poisoned chalice, will that leader face the same skullduggery.

I believe that any party/PM who genuinely attempted to disrupt the status quo to bring about a fundamental shift in the political/economic life of this country that might benefit the electorate as a whole, would have his (her) card marked and be doomed to failure. Those who hold the power, the wealth, are not going to allow any incursion into their stronghold and the method they use to make certain this never happens is to divide the country by finding popular scapegoats to take the focus away from them. Divide and rule.

It works, every time. And the unfortunate aspect of this is that the 'scapegoat' might well be of legitimate concern, which muddies the water even more.

As for Starmer, I had the feeling right from the beginning of his Premiership that he was destined for failure (and said so, here on GN) - because he attempted to placate both the hare and the hounds, and satisfied neither. "Make Brexit work" did not kid the Leavers, and annoyed Remainers - for example.

I understand the impetus to "unite the country" - but that assumes we have a common goal, and I'm not sure we do have that.

So yes, holding power is a poisoned chalice and if Starmer is replaced, his replacement will be left holding it facing the same problems and, possibly, the same end to their reign, ultimately,

Oreo

Flippin2

I didn't vote for Starmer but the situation is ridiculous,can't we have a PM complete a full term..I like Andy Burnham but is he PM material? Angela Rayner,not at all and Wes Streeting reminds me of an ex boss of mine,little bit too full of himself

Is the present PM PM material?

That is the point. To me, and I expect to many others, Starmer comes across as wooden, lacklustre, and uninspiring. I am sure he’s a good man and means well, but it’s not enough - not enough to keep Farage out of Number Ten at the next GE.

Farage will never be PM.

Never mind Farage, it’s the loopy, frankly dangerous Greens I fear.

So what is the definition of PM material? Why is being good and well meaning not enough to defeat a racist tax dodging snake oil salesman of a man? If that’s true what has this country come to?

It's a useful distraction, I suppose, and gives the knobs in Westminster an opportunity to say "look over there - don't look over here!"

And they can pretend not to notice Other Business such as one of our local foodbanks shutting up shop due to over-demand.

It's come to something when foodbanks are now accepted as a vital prop to modern life but our elected reps give the impression of wandering around saying "cost-of-living-crisis? What's that?"

JPB123

I’m a true blue Conservative,but I am saddened by the state of affairs.The Labour Party should have soldiered on.Reform will only lose if the others stand firm.

I’ve always been Labour but it has saddened me to see what has happened to your party. I hated seeing Tobias Ellwood lose his seat at the last election. Along with all the ones that Johnson threw out.Maybe it foretold what was to come. Both parties, from what I was told, had respect for each other. I doubt if it’s like that now. How did it come to this .

What’s wrong with them ? Why don’t they just get on with running the country, boring so and sos. I can’t stand Starmer but I am not sure any of these would-be leaders would be an improvement. They can’t even agree which one to follow, either. Bye bye Labour Party 👋

Maybe so many people banging on about how they can’t stand Starmer right from when he first won the election is part of the problem #just saying

Sorry, can’t help it. I am a rusted on Starmer disliker. Right from the start ,not swayed by others as some seem to be. As a man maybe he is ok but not as a PM. Just not.

MayBee70

So what is the definition of PM material? Why is being good and well meaning not enough to defeat a racist tax dodging snake oil salesman of a man? If that’s true what has this country come to?

The only logical answer to that is that we, the people, have become racists with no respect for the laws of the land - or at least people prepared to turn a blind eye to people who are.

Que ? I don’t understand that post at all .

Nor me nanna8; completely left field.