YESTERDAY, I joined presenter Ian Collins on TalkTV to discuss Andy Burnham’s attempted return to parliament and the possibility of his dethroning Sir Keir Starmer.
Burnham for me is tainted with being in charge as mayor during the race gang atrocities that were and are still being perpetrated in largely if not entirely Labour Council towns and cities and has been the subject of much speculation as to how involved he has been involved in the blatant cover ups by a myriad of northern labour councils.
He was hardly effective in his last spell at Westminster.
Paul, the Labour Party of today is a shadow of what it used to be when many of its MP's genuinely and truly stood up for and fought for the fundamental interests and needs of the hard-working man and woman. My fear is that the essence and spirit of that Party has slipped by. Thanks for trying to keep it alive.
Am I wrong in thinking A. Burnham was aware of those awful rape gangs and did nothing about them? I believe he is implicated somewhere along the line. Anyway not everyone has been thrilled with his Mayorship.
Hilarious! The party/ government who waste £bns every day, decide to not support Burnham’s candidate because it would, err, waste money. Pull the other one Keir. Running very scared.
I wonder how Burnham will possibly be selected in Gorton given that Starmer controls the NEC which approves candidates and the fact that they have an all women shortlists policy.
Is Burnham and his left Labour supporters really going to go against a policy designed to enable more women Labour MPs?
Your thoughts Paul?
Women only shortlists.
Labour's all-women shortlists (AWS) are a controversial but long-standing policy, introduced in 1993 and legally enabled by a 2002 Act, to boost female representation by reserving winnable seats for women, leading to more women MPs, though facing internal opposition and legal challenges, and remaining in place until at least 2030 under the Equality Act, with usage varying depending on gender balance in existing seats.
How They Work
Purpose: To address the historical underrepresentation of women in Parliament by ensuring female candidates are selected in designated safe seats.
Mechanism: In certain constituencies, particularly when a sitting male MP retires, the selection process requires the shortlist of potential candidates to be exclusively female.
Implementation: First approved at the 1993 Labour Party Conference, the policy was formalized and made legal by the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002, later extended by the Equality Act 2010 until 2030.
I'd very much like to see Andy Burnham back in Parliament, for all of the reasons you've outlined there and more besides - he's done an excellent job in Manchester and he has some positive ideas for national policy going forward.
I would also, however, like to see him complete his term of office as Manchester Mayor, a position he decided to stand for and was elected to, in 2024. It's a four-year term and it completes in 2028.
So I think the Labour National Committee (NEC) made the right decision yesterday insisting that he must complete that mayoral term.
I would hope that the NEC would also promise to support Andy Burnham returning to Parliament after 2028 and to approve his candidacy in a Parliamentary Seat.
You are right that Labour does not have a history of deposing leaders, particularly given that our current leader, Keir Starmer, is in his first term as Prime Minister and is one of only four Labour leaders to have won a House of Commons majority. (The other three being Clement Attlee, Harold Wilson and Tony Blair).
So we need to rally round and support our current leader in the run-up to the next election, which we have every chance of winning if we unite.
Great interview Paul.
Burnham for me is tainted with being in charge as mayor during the race gang atrocities that were and are still being perpetrated in largely if not entirely Labour Council towns and cities and has been the subject of much speculation as to how involved he has been involved in the blatant cover ups by a myriad of northern labour councils.
He was hardly effective in his last spell at Westminster.
Reform for the win.
As ever a very honest and balanced perspective. You are a rare voice, Paul.
Paul, the Labour Party of today is a shadow of what it used to be when many of its MP's genuinely and truly stood up for and fought for the fundamental interests and needs of the hard-working man and woman. My fear is that the essence and spirit of that Party has slipped by. Thanks for trying to keep it alive.
Am I wrong in thinking A. Burnham was aware of those awful rape gangs and did nothing about them? I believe he is implicated somewhere along the line. Anyway not everyone has been thrilled with his Mayorship.
Hilarious! The party/ government who waste £bns every day, decide to not support Burnham’s candidate because it would, err, waste money. Pull the other one Keir. Running very scared.
I wonder how Burnham will possibly be selected in Gorton given that Starmer controls the NEC which approves candidates and the fact that they have an all women shortlists policy.
Is Burnham and his left Labour supporters really going to go against a policy designed to enable more women Labour MPs?
Your thoughts Paul?
Women only shortlists.
Labour's all-women shortlists (AWS) are a controversial but long-standing policy, introduced in 1993 and legally enabled by a 2002 Act, to boost female representation by reserving winnable seats for women, leading to more women MPs, though facing internal opposition and legal challenges, and remaining in place until at least 2030 under the Equality Act, with usage varying depending on gender balance in existing seats.
How They Work
Purpose: To address the historical underrepresentation of women in Parliament by ensuring female candidates are selected in designated safe seats.
Mechanism: In certain constituencies, particularly when a sitting male MP retires, the selection process requires the shortlist of potential candidates to be exclusively female.
Implementation: First approved at the 1993 Labour Party Conference, the policy was formalized and made legal by the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002, later extended by the Equality Act 2010 until 2030.
Get the popcorn in !
I'd very much like to see Andy Burnham back in Parliament, for all of the reasons you've outlined there and more besides - he's done an excellent job in Manchester and he has some positive ideas for national policy going forward.
I would also, however, like to see him complete his term of office as Manchester Mayor, a position he decided to stand for and was elected to, in 2024. It's a four-year term and it completes in 2028.
So I think the Labour National Committee (NEC) made the right decision yesterday insisting that he must complete that mayoral term.
I would hope that the NEC would also promise to support Andy Burnham returning to Parliament after 2028 and to approve his candidacy in a Parliamentary Seat.
You are right that Labour does not have a history of deposing leaders, particularly given that our current leader, Keir Starmer, is in his first term as Prime Minister and is one of only four Labour leaders to have won a House of Commons majority. (The other three being Clement Attlee, Harold Wilson and Tony Blair).
So we need to rally round and support our current leader in the run-up to the next election, which we have every chance of winning if we unite.