No one reads or believes them because generally they’re bullshit
Ii think that’s unkind - but they have a much shorter “best before” date than people realise. Reality and external events tend to intervene, priorities shift etc.
Which is why I no longer think that the whole process is fit for purpose.
I just haven’t decided how you might fix it - what I’ve suggested previously might be a basis for a form of government I’d support or, dare I say it, something more like the EU with divisions for defining direction and policy (which might or might not be elected) and then a legislature to enact it. But probably with more input from the public and less focus on big bang elections where a bunch of people make promises they won’t or can’t keep and everything changes based on who has the nicest smile and makes the best promises.
I think Burnham is/was a supporter of something more like a PR system, maybe he would make changes if he became PM but saying and doing are very different things.
Just point to the number of Reform MPs who defected from the Tories without a by-election.
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This is interesting and, arguably, a game changer with no chance of losing both the parliamentary seat and the mayoralty. At least in the short term.
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Starmer made noises but it wasn’t going in any manifesto - labour got in with 140 majority on 33% vote - here’s a table from the electoral society (note reform’s place):
Full Results
| Party | Votes % | Votes | MPs | MPs % | Votes per Seat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | 33.7 | 9,708,816 | 411 | 63.2 | 23,622 |
| Conservative | 23.7 | 6,828,726 | 121 | 18.6 | 56,435 |
| Liberal Democrat | 12.2 | 3,519,214 | 72 | 11.1 | 48,877 |
| Reform UK | 14.3 | 4,117,610 | 5 | 0.8 | 823,522 |
Here’s Starmers ‘for’ -
and an article about his refusal - and note the author is from Compass, an organisation supporting Andy Burnham.
I wouldn’t like this thread to drop out, seeing there’s the by-election for Andy which will undoubtedly raise some comments, (read that there’s 60% for him to win on polymarket) - so here’s a Martin Rowson cartoon from a little while ago.
@DrMarkH The drawing reminds me a little of the front cover / photo of ‘Living with Picasso’ ?
Some commentators wondered if the plant was a triffid…
I recognise Starmer, Streeting, Rayner and Miliband, but who’s the little guy wearing shorts?
Could he be Burnham…?
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Just sort of clicked. I think he’s the other Miliband, but can’t say for sure!
I thought that was Tony Blair. But hard to tell.
A Blairite, a Brownite and a Corbynite walk into a bar.
The barman says, ‘What are you drinking, Andy?’”
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I’m still spitting tacks at this whole issue.
Not the gaffs, not the poor performance in the local elections but the fact that no-one is talking about the fact that Labour is getting on with the job of governing (64 bills receiving Royal Ascent in less than two years) which the Tories pretty much ignored largely due to Cameron’s vanity project on the top of Tory driven austerity measures (the polar opposite of what was needed at the time).
We do not need a Labour leadership battle. We do not need Labour engaging this by announcing prospective candidates to oust Starmer which just sends out vibes that they agree with the narrative that he is “not up to the job” rather than that he is “getting on with the job”, we are not talking about what they have achieved - hardly surprising when the media agenda is mainly driven by foreign billionaires who are happy to distract the UK populace from them.
Reform is not the answer - we have seen how catastrophic their performance has been when actually tasked with running local councils. Can you believe that running the country would be any better? The Tories, at least in their current form, are not the answer either. Nor the Greens, maybe the lib Dems though they haven’t had their hands on the levers of power for so long that in practice any Lib Dem government will be stuffed with MPs who have very little experience.
I hate myself for looking at all the choices and going “none of the above” - disinterest in politics is a big problem, low turnouts give fringe parties a distinct advantage, cheap promises made with no intention of keeping them attract voters who think “well maybe we should give them a chance” because they have been brainwashed into thinking “all politicians are the same set of corrupt liars” but to be honest I’m at the point of just descending into “the country is f**ked” and not bothering (not helped by the vitriol spat out by RW supporters on social media).
But I genuinely think that Reform will win in '29 (if it is even that long before a GE) and there is sod all I can do about it. I’d claim asylum in France but it’s not clear that’s (going to be) much better.
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According to Google’s AI - "Andy Burnham is the other prominent political figure depicted alongside Starmer, Streeting, Rayner, and Miliband in the May 15, 2026 cartoon by Martin Rowson. The visual specifically centers around speculation of Burnham returning to Westminster to challenge the Labour leadership. "
Don’t look him to me. I wasn’t aware that Burnham’s ears were as large as depicted. The shorts though. I did see him in the media jogging, I think!
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I share your pain, Burnham does at least say Britain should take back ownership of our utilities, Starmer serms disintetested apart from Tata British Steel the loss making enterprise being propped up. It seems doing that to prove public ownership is bad? Silly plan if it is, these are the riddles many folk would like answers to.
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We should certainly take back water - though that does mean the types that want to privatise the profit and nationalise the loss have won.
I believe its inevitable we will pay the bailout of £14b whether it stays in private hands or not, so not much to lose? The circa £10b the shareholders have had whilst we the UK public have suffered.
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He has transformed Manchester
Is that a yes?
I agree that the present system of government is no longer fit for purpose. Although I’ll probably be shot down in flames, I do favour the structure of Chinese government. Note, I say the structure, not the policies. The Chinese have a pyramid system where Ping is at the top and there’s a committee of 7 below him. Below the 7 there’s another committee of 50 and below them is the rest of the government of maybe 2 thousand. Ideas and policies flow up and down the pyramid for approval. All members of the 2 thousand are elected by the population in the cities, towns and villages and the upper tiers are elected by the lower tiers. Ping does not have the authority to create policy that is not approved by the tier below him, and so on. I may not have the structure exactly correct and am open to correction as well as being shot down in flames, but to me this system appears to be more constructive and functional than the constant bickering between parties that we see in parliament at present.
I’d love to see that - home town (Stretford End '66, Whalley Range, Hacienda, etc.), but doubt I’ll visit the UK again.