I think Starmer will come to regret this decision by the NEC. It makes him look weak and makes a leadership contest this year look more likely. As for Andy Burnham the nicest thing you can say is his candidacy lasted longer than the Anglo-Zanzibar war. The King of the North, like another Andrew, has relinquished a title he can never get back. TSE
The Gorton & Denton by-election might be the most momentous by-election since the Kinross and Western Perthshire by-election of 1963. By-elections seldom have the direct ability to see either the current or likely next Prime Minister being ousted at the ballot box but this one might. In early 2024 George Galloway, standing under the banner of the Workers Party, won a North West seat from Labour in a by-election, could he achieve the same in Gorton & Denton. I don’t…
TSE
Once upon a time in the North West there was a by-election, you have to admire with the speed Labour are displaying with the candidate selection of this by-election. Andy Burnham might need to display some true grit if he decides to sacrifice the Greater Manchester mayoralty to become an MP again or will he get the hell out of dodge city? We might see the the good, the bad, and the ugly if Sir Keir Starmer blocks Burnham from…
Donald Trump is a transformative politician, he’s influenced elections in Canada and Australia in 2025 when the 1/10 favourite Conservatives lost the general election thanks to Donald Trump’s actions, it got so bad their leader Pierre Poilievre lost his seat, in Australia Trump’s interventions were felt to be a gamechanger. The next Danish general election has to be held no later than the 31st of October of this year and it is no surprise that Trump’s behaviour has shifted votes….
Other than a small bet on the Greens I will be avoid betting much on this by-election until I know who the Labour candidate is and if it isn’t Andy Burnham then why isn’t Andy Bunrham. Was it a decision made by himself or down to some lawyerly chicanery by Sir Keir Starmer to prevent Burnham from standing? Plus the winner might not be listed by Ladbrokes at the moment. Ironically both a Burnham victory or a Polanski victory would…
This story from Politics Home is interesting simply because the desperation of Sir Keir Starmer and his allies. They really do fear being ousted if Andy Burnham becomes an MP as evidenced by hyperbole in the final line in the third Tweet. I’d remind everybody that Andy Burnham has run for the Labour leadership twice and lost both times, first time he finished behind both Miliband brothers which does not imply a brilliant leader in waiting. Let him stand I…
I have been advising laying Andy Burnham to succeed Sir Keir Starmer mostly on the grounds that he’s not an MP and he cannot double job as Mayor of Greater Manchester, and that there’s no certainty he’d win a by-election. It is expected this by-election will take place to coincide with the locals in May. I still think there’s also the chance that Sir Keir Starmer insists that the by-election has an all-women shortlist. But right now I would advise…