The obvious question to ask this morning is, will Burnham be a better prime minister than Starmer?
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Meet the new neoliberal boss, same as the old neoliberal boss.
We still have two more months of Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister.
What will he do to try and leave a legacy is an interesting question. He can’t declare net zero, May did that, but he could perhaps declare it very bad to be far right or divisive or say “this is who we are” or know who Amelia is. He’ll think of something to smash our freedoms and bind his successor imv.
What’s the point of Burnham?
What critically undermined Starmer’s government was his total lack of any coherent vision for the country and society. I don’t see any clear vision, big idea or conviction from Burnham either.
It’s like Labour are 3-0 down at half time and they’ve asked the coach driver if he fancies a go at managing.
🙂
I went with Yes, purely because Starmer set an extremely low bar. I don’t expect a great deal of change.
Wishing you and Thomas speedy recoveries.
I was coming here to say the exact same thing: The bar is set so low that anything will be an improvement.
However, giving Andy credit where credit is due; Andy is a much better communicator.
Best wishes
Hope all goes well for you both.
I voted yes, but only because I reckon that unless Mr Burnham takes up limbo dancing the bar is so low that he can hardly fail to clear it.
On the one hand, Burnham has said neoliberalism needs to end. On the other, he will be surrounded by bankers, free market champions, and general bad economic advice. We know how it works. Labour is captured, and Burnham is showing every sign that he is too.
How about less bad?
As you know I have an interest in farming
Good grief, take it easy – I didn’t expect you to be posting in your condition, hope you are well soon!
Burnham – am hopeful he will be better.
This is a massive opportunity.
He will need to do something as soon as, a positive statement of intent to get everyone inside.
I really really hope it’s not more of the same.
I really really hope he is better. We can hope.
Many people are sceptical because, they say, he has neoliberal roots. I’m doubt he really has neoliberal roots though I would certainly oppose many of his earlier positions. When Owen Jones is sceptical we should take note (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/may/19/painful-starmerism-left-cautious-andy-burnham-greens-labour).
However, his recent comments, excepting accepting fiscal rules, are headed in the right direction. Perhaps his comments on fiscal rules are just a ruse to avoid the ire of the rightwing press. I hope not because I prefer honesty in a politician. But, even if he hasn’t understood economics well, there is a lot of fat to cut from taxing the wealthy (e.g. £70billion for pension tax relief and £20 billion from ISA tax relief), so there’s a lot he can do even if he accepts ludicrous financial constraints. And fairer, more progressive, tax is needed anyway. Furthermore there’s some low hanging fruit, like reforming electricity pricing.
It is probably good that there is scepticism, then he has to prove himself. But there is room for hope.
Even in the run-up to the by-election Burnham was pushing the anti-social neoliberal agenda by cutting benefits for disabled folk. We disablies have been in the firing-line for nearly two decades. 100,000s killed by austerity measures and 100,000s more by our treatment during and since the covid crisis. Our social-security benefits have been cut and cut. All neoliberal parties lie in Parliament and the media about an alleged massive increase in benefit-payments – untrue. Ditto re fraudsters – when DWP’s own stats show almost zero fraud, and massive underpayments via UKGov to those in need. Burham is disablist / ableist. I have been in the same room as him, and my impression is that he was smarmy and disingenuous. Of course, I could be completely wrong.
I voted yes. I think Starmer had good and bad policies. Some of the welfare reform, cutting Universal Credit for new disabled claimants in particular, is damaging to those who can afford it least, and not in line with traditional Labour policies.
However, they did also have policies like increasing the minimum wage that I generally support, and improving employment rights such as access to an Employment Tribunal – I’ve seen multiple times amongst friends and family how necessary that can be and how without reform many were left with effective at-will employment.
However, change can only happen when you can get people behind you. Starmer I think was well-meaning, but lacked that ability. Burnham I think will does have that charisma and presence to be able to achieve more.
I worry that his policies will be too constrained by wealthy influence and may amount to tinkering at the edges, but he has the support, the number of MPs (currently), will have the platform, and has the personality to be able to achieve more.
For that reason, I think he will move the needle a little more, and generally towards the left rather than the right. Of course, Reform and Farage and their supporting media representatives will suggest he’s killing the country, but hopefully the UK population can look at the dumpster fire that is MAGA over in the US, and realise that maybe a more compassionate, supportive approach to things is what we really need right now, not more division.
David
“However, they did also have policies like increasing the minimum wage”. Labour introduced the Minimum Wage. Every government since then has implemented the increase proposed ny the Minimum Wage Commission. Not increasing the minimum wage would have been immediate political suicide.
I don’t hold out much hope, unless Burnham can realise MMT isn’t a radical left-wing theory but is a practical tool for statecraft. The exact framework he needs to stop begging Westminster for money and finally “rewire” the country from the ground up, which is what he’s said he wants to do.
Wonder if he’ll get the same kicking if Manchester mayor goes to Reform as Stephen Flynn got when the SNP lost Aberdeen South?
The Greens are going heavily for the Manchester mayoralty and could do well.
Yes, but he could not be much worse. Or so we think.
The Labour Party has been captured by the money men. Burnham would not have been enabled to re-enter parliament if he were not acceptable to the Simons / Blair / Mandelson / Ellison puppet masters, and the financiers they serve.
(Exclusively masculine nouns and names unavoidable I’m afraid).
The Labour government is the pig.
Mr Burnham is the lipstick (Northern Neoliberal Zionist Gloss – because we aren’t worth it).
Cosmetics are not the answer.
If he has no political conviction, he will be eaten up by the media and the opposition. If he does have it, he must be prepared to defend stoutly what he believes in and slug it out, toe to toe, with the corrupt media and defenders of a failing economic system.
I note today’s Mail suggested he has a ‘messiah complex’ because he wears sandals. Such a ridiculous remark deserves to be lashed over the boundary for six. Politics today in the western world. Gosh.
https://youtu.be/sHRJjQ6PJX4?is=pLSpwhCAtvLkFlka
A great dive into who Burnham is. Do not get your hopes up, this the the single transferable party system rearranging chairs.
Andy Burnham has insisted that he will stick to the Chancellor’s fiscal rules; unfortunately that means he has already shot himself through both kneecaps and will be unable to move anywhere significant without excruciating pain. Although he should be a far better communicator than his predecessor, he will nevertheless only be able to fiddle around the edges.
I am in Aldenurgh for the Festival and enjoying the music at Snape Maltings, Orford and Blythburgh but I got stung at a late night jazz do and have developed cellulitis – so a ‘quiet’ (?) day – so all the best to you and Thomas – do what you are told and speedy recovery. Meanwhile Manchester is only a small part of this country. Mayor of Greater Manchester is very different to being Prime Minister. Get well greetings to you and Thomas. I find sitting and watching the breeze across the marshes very relaxing.
Enjoy, and thank you.
That sounds a lot better than hospital.
Yes – except I’m now on antibiotics for cellulitis in my shoulder – something stung me!!! The music and welcome is/are incredible but not the stinging insects.
Me no turn-um to Burnham.
🙂
I voted yes because he cannot possibly be worse.
I went with ‘no’.  If there had been an ‘only marginally’ I’d have gone with that.  Better is a very low bar.
Hope you are doing better.
As the saying goes, “Go big or go home”.
I’d hope that the cautious part of Burnham has seen how catastrophic indecision has been for Starmer and will realise that he needs to be a bit more pro-active and make some meaningful changes if he’s got any chance of remaining in power following the next election.
The hope then is that any meaningful changes made will be good ones…
Getting rid of the appalling Mahmood would be a great start. I’d hope he will have a successor for Reeves in mind already, not least because her reputation goes hand in glove with that of Starmer. She’s a dead man walking, so to speak and I’d hope any replacement might be a bit less catastrophic. It is only a hope, unfortunately. I think it unlikely that he will get rid of her too quickly in order to avoid spooking the markets.
It’s the hope that kills you…
I’m very saddened to hear of your and Thomas’s hospitalisations and wish you both a very speedy recovery.
My view on the ‘Burnham Ascendacy’ is that his adherence to neo-liberal economics destroys any likelihood of sensible economic management across the UK, so no change there, just more shuffling of the deckchairs. As for his views on the devolved nations and their right to a less colonial attitude by the UK ruling party, I doubt if that will be considered soon or ever, so the same indifference and further extractionism are likely. Same-old same-old, so whether Starmer or Burnham is PM is more “foreign news” for the Celtic nations.
Now please get some rest!
Thanks and heard.
Apparently, Burnham is a big fan of the book ‘The Social Distance Between Us’ by Darren McGarvey – anyone read it?
No
It looks like waffle
I voted Yes. Mainly in hope!
Yes , I think andy burnham will be better than starmer. I appreciate all the issues around his traditional view of economics and not embracing MMT. However, I do think he has a vision and a plan, and he has laid that out quite clearly. To take all the utilities back into public ownership and also transport as well. That’s a major bonus. And to bring back industrialization, which I think would be a real benefit for the U.K and for jobs up north.
And also , i’m very hopeful that he will take the labour party back to the more left and progressive and caring side of politics and welcome back all the progressive MPs who were expelled when Starmer came in.
If the Labour Party doesn’t go back to its more working class roots then we really are stuffed because all we’ve got is neoliberal conservative parties, except for the Green Party.  And we really need a major party that can start to push politics to the left again.
So\n I don’t think he’s radical enough, but I don’t think anyone radical would survive at the moment. And anyone to push things back to the left and show the benefits of politics that actually works for ordinary people would just be a bonus.
Also , the major plus for andy burnham is that a lot of people up north , I think will trust him. And a lot of people up north vote for reform, so those voters are key to get away from reform.  If we don’t want a reform government , and that’s crucial.
Your idea of a plan and mine are obviously very different.
“To take all the utilities back into public ownership and also transport as well.”
That’s not how I read the current evidence of Burnham’s intentions Beth, sorry.
When Starmer was asked about public ownership in a hustings type interview, in 2020, he put his hand up. He was lying. He also made 10 infamous pledges – he was lying.
Burnham tacked right on these issues while campaigning for Makerfield. He will stay right to keep his LFI/donors/press/rebranded Labour Together FRAUD, now ThinkLabour  https://thinklabour.co.uk/ sponsors onside, unless there is a leadership election, when he will appear to tack left temporarily without actually committing to anything radical, that would “spook the markets” (ie: upset the rich).
We’ve been here before. Let’s not be taken for a ride again.
Mickey mouse would be a better P.M. than starmer. He has dragged his feet for TWO YEARS when he should, by now have taken back ALL our public services and public utilities, and WITHOUT compensation for the greed merchants that now own them. If Burnham doesn’t do so, he will be out on his ear, toot sweet. He must also stop ALL assistance with the Israeli TERRORISM in Gaza and tell trumpty dumpty that he is NOT welcome in the U.K. because of his ILLEGAL terrorist attack on Iran and his support for Israeli TERRORISM as well as his state sponsored MURDERS in the Caribbean and his ILLEGAL attack on Venezuela ! He also needs to tax the GREEDY rich properly – we should NOT be subsidising these greedy PARASITES, none of whom do ANYTHING to actually CREATE the wealth. We need a SOCIALIST government with a SOCIALIST ethic. We also need P.R. for ALL elections and we need it now or we could see farrago’s NAZIS running the country !
You forgot to add: Repeal the anti-protest laws, pardon those protestors imprisoned or in the court system for protesting against Israel on behalf of the Palestinians, denounce and end digital – etc ID, remove Palantir from ALL government departments (especially the NHS), etc.
Oh, and change the law making neoliberalism a terrorist ideology – see how they like it for a change
Good addition
I’ve gone for a yes. Quite simply because surely he MUST realise that to not start the process of making life more comfortable for the vast majority is going to pave the way for Reform. The question in my mind though is will he disappoint? And the answer I’m afraid is a resounding yes
Hope you can get out soon Richard.
It’s difficult to imagine the Burnham would be worse than Starmer.
I couldn’t help thinking of you Richard, when a financial analyst got pretty hysterical on Channel 4 news, shrilling that Burnham has a £3 trillion national debt to deal with as soon as he gets to No 10…
I saw that. It was drivel.
And please don’t anyone forget Labour Friends of Israel have warmly congratulated Burnham. I understand ( but am prepared to be wrong) that he is a member of this select group of which Starmer is also a member…..
I think he will be better but that’s more because I’m not sure he will do worse unless some unforseen economic collapse happens that may be the consequences of an orange maniac closing a vital shipping lane.
We will know soon enough, if he doesn’t completely clear out the cabinet then he’s a dead duck. If he clears it out it’ll depend on who he puts in, if Wes Streeting is in the cabinet then it’s cooked.
While I have been scouring the net tonight, I came across James Obriens podcast, full disclosure. He did and interview with Mr Burnham in 2022 and for obvious reasons, just reposted it.
It was an hour of my time, but worth a listen.
Be interesting what other people make of it.
It will be an improvement if he is not a Friend of Israel and actually stops selling arms to them against the wishes of the majority.
That’s a challenging question.
Here is some reading:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=is+burnham+an+israel+supporter%3F&t=fpas&ia=web
Surprised to see a new video this morning, you just can’t keep these Murphy’s down! Also good to see that Sir Kier Starmer has finally seen sense.
I will not have any faith in Andy Burnham’s ability to change things for the better until and unless he has the sense to visit Richard in his sick bed.
To be honest, I am more interested in who the next Chancellor of the Exchequer is. Reeves’s time us up. If Burnham must know anything, it is that this key position needs to help him achieve anything at all. Reeves is an obstacle that has to be removed.
The rumour is Wes Streeting, who wrote a letter yesterday confirming his commitment to capitalism.
It seems that anyone with a chance at power is already captured by the hegemonic elite. Â Who else would have a chance? Â I think we knew the champagne was brought out prematurely when Josh Simmons gave up his seat and Wes Streeting backed him. Â Sadly, he is their man.