… on a quiet day, I can hear her breathing

Category: Andy Burnham

  • Burnham’s popularity wanes as by-election nears, polls find

    Spread the love

    https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/burnhams-popularity-wanes-election-nears-polls-find

     Andy Burnham makes a speech surrounded by supporters at the launch of his campaign as Labour’s candidate for the Makerfield by-election in Ashton-in-Makerfield, Greater Manchester, May 22, 2026

    ANDY BURNHAM’S popularity is on the slide with the public, according to two different opinion polls.

    In the week that Makerfield is poised to send the Manchester Mayor back to the Commons with a platform to challenge Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for the premiership, Mr Burnham’s previously positive ratings have turned sour.

    YouGov, which previously made him the only politician in the country with a net favourability rating, now has him down 11 per cent, with 30 per cent of the public liking him against 41 per cent negative.

    An Ipsos poll had similar findings, although both surveys still make Mr Burnham less unpopular than any other politician and notably more popular than potential leadership rival Wes Streeting.

    Since starting his by-election campaign in Makerfield, which votes on Thursday, Mr Burnham has flip-flopped on a range of policy issues, from the bond market to justice for the Waspi women.

    Leading figures on the Labour left are also privately expressing doubts and warning that, if Mr Burnham does ascend to Downing Street, continuing pressure will be needed to ensure he steers a different course than Sir Keir.

    …

    Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/burnhams-popularity-wanes-election-nears-polls-find

    Vote Labour for Genocide.
    Vote Labour for Genocide.

  • I refuse to endorse a shit for Makerfield election

    Spread the love

    And my endorsement is instead for Raving Loony Party candidate Alan “Howlin” Laud Hope.

    Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
    Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
    Nigel Farage objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
    Nigel Farage objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
    Vote Labour for Genocide.
    Vote Labour for Genocide.

    ed: It’s even coming from usually respected sources. I’m not doing Labourism – the idea that Labour is better despite all it’s flaws than anything else. No, Labour supports and is complicit in genocide and has instrumented – what is the appropriate word? done? what they’ve done is directed the state’s monopoly of the law in Fascist support for Neo-Fascist genocidal Israel. Despite other left commentators proposing support for the Labour candidate Andy Burnham, from here the message is “No Parasan” – opposition to Fascists under all circumstances.

    From my perspective, so what if Reform gets elected instead of Reform in a Red rosette?

    14/6/26 4.10pm ed: I regret not promoting this position earlier but that’s life. Should Burnham not make it and doesn’t contest the Labour leadership as a consequence, so what? Should he get elected Labour leader it will be the same with no meaningful change. He’s a reliable Labour party politician.

  • Andy Burnham Declines to Call Israel’s Mass Killings in Gaza a Genocide

    Spread the love

    https://novaramedia.com/2026/06/05/andy-burnham-declines-to-call-israels-mass-killings-in-gaza-a-genocide/

    Temilade Adelaja/Reuters

    ‘I can’t judge things of that enormity.’

    Labour leadership hopeful Andy Burnham has refused to call the Israeli military’s actions in Gaza a genocide.

    Asked about the violence in an interview with the Guardian, he said: “I can’t judge things of that enormity from where I am as mayor of Greater Manchester.”

    He added: “But I do have concerns about the disproportionate nature of what has happened in terms of the destruction, and there has to be a full process of investigation and accountability.”

    The world-leading International Association of Genocide Scholars last year declared that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

    ​Israel has killed at least 72,000 Palestinians there since 7 October 2023 and experts  quoted by the BMJ say the actual toll is far higher.

    Burnham became a member of Labour Friends of Israel in 2015 and during a Labour leadership bid the same year described the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel as “spiteful”.

    He also promised to make Israel his first state visit if he won – calling the country a “democracy that has a long history of protecting minorities and promoting civil rights”.

    …

    https://novaramedia.com/2026/06/05/andy-burnham-declines-to-call-israels-mass-killings-in-gaza-a-genocide/

    Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
    Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
    Vote Labour for Genocide.
    Vote Labour for Genocide.

  • By-election in Makerfield

    Spread the love

    https://www.loonyparty.com/4717/9491/forthcoming-by-election-in-makerfield

    We can confirm that our glorious leader Alan ‘Howlin’ Laud Hope with selected agents will be standing against Andy Burnham in the forthcoming election in Makerfield. We can also confirm that there is no intention to launch a leadership bid to replace our leader. We can also confirm that we will be making every effort to win this seat and will be throwing everything at it. This election has come about so that Andy Burnham will be eligible to mount a leadership bid against Sir Keir Starmer. However with the help of the voters in Makerfield we can cause a major upset in Labour’s plans.

    Lets be honest, this election has nothing to do with the aspirations of the voters. They are being used as  pawns to change the Labour leadership, not to raise issues of importance to the constituents of Makerfield.

    Josh Simmons said in his election speech ‘I will be your MP, your voice, and your advocate. My door will always be open. Tonight is the beginning of a mission’.

    He didn’t say ‘except if someone else comes along who needs my seat.’

    Not to mention the people of Manchester who now will need a new mayor, so this exercise in ‘Game of Thrones’ will cost the people of Manchester and Makerfield a lot of upset. . watch this space!!

    https://www.loonyparty.com/4717/9491/forthcoming-by-election-in-makerfield

    This blog is considering supporting Alan ‘Howlin’ Laud Hope, Monster Raving Loony Party as candidate for the Makerfield by-election.

  • Greens select nurse and ‘committed local campaigner’ as Makerfield byelection candidate

    Spread the love

    https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/21/greens-select-nurse-chris-kennedy-makerfield-byelection-candidate

    Chris Kennedy was chosen to stand for the Makerfield byelection after a Green party hustings. Photograph: @chris_green_party

    Chris Kennedy chosen amid reports Greens do not want to be blamed for splitting progressive vote and allowing Reform to win

    The Green party has chosen “a committed local campaigner” as its candidate in the Makerfield byelection on 18 June.

    Chris Kennedy, a nurse and children’s safeguarding specialist, was chosen after a hustings on Wednesday amid reports that the party was proposing to hold back from investing significant resources in the byelection.

    The Financial Times reported that party members were wary of being blamed for splitting the progressive vote and allowing Reform to win. Because of that, senior party figures wanted to help clear the path for Labour’s Andy Burnham.

    One senior party figure told the FT: “We do not want this one to go to Reform, and to be quite frank, we do not want Labour to turn around and say, ‘If you vote Green, you’re actually voting Reform’, because that will be used for the next three years.”

    …

    Continues at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/21/greens-select-nurse-chris-kennedy-makerfield-byelection-candidate