I hope that someone with gravitas puts themselves forward to stand against Burnham. I've said previously what I think of him, and I also think it is dangerous for the Party to allow a coronation rather than a contest. Burnham is untested as a potential PM. Being Mayor of Manchester does not mean he would make a good PM. Having the support of MPs does not mean he would be a good PM. He needs to be challenged and show what he will bring to the Party and the role of PM.
I hope that there is someone with the courage to stand against him, and at least 81 MPs opposed to Burnham who will step up to nominate that person. It's not about whether they win, it's about making sure there's a contest and members get to choose, not just MPs.
I hope the my proposal will not undermine anyone wanting to do that. I think it's a practical solution to a current problem. If there isn't a challenger, they should just get on with it.
If there isn't a challenger, then Party rules state that the person is elected unopposed and becomes Leader of the Labour Party. I would like the opportunity to vote 'no' if there is no challenge, but I won't get that chance.
One of the many things about this that makes me furious is how no-one is at all interested in what the membership think. Not the party, not the PLP, not commentators and not journalists. It's like we don't exist, unless of course we are being asked to donate money or time.
The membership is incredibly angry or at least the Starmer supporting element which is still very large. Furious with the PLP for not having the guts to back Starmer so that he could go back to the membership in a contest. The arrogance of Burnham using the cabinet to bully but he says jump and they say how high.
We are disgusted by the behaviour of Burnham and now it appears several MP's, who according to the New Statesman and the Guardian, have been collaborating with the Ego since before May 2025 and plotting his path to Downing Street. Being part of the Cabinet and at the same time helping destabilise the government and laying the ground work for the coup. Why isn't all the media talking about this?
The treachery is breathtaking and the final straw for many was that tone-deaf selfie of the Ego's groupies, taken and published, within hours of Keir's heartfelt resignation. So many members have already resigned in disgust and many more, including myself, are only waiting to see if anyone challenges. We won't stay in a Burnham led labour party.
The PLP, it is quite clear to see, are intent on sidelining the membership. These videos, the media appearances, the social media comments, all cut and paste jobs, are purely designed to try and make dissenting voices shut up and toe the Andy line. Well we see what they are up to, we rejected Burnham on two previous occasions and they don't want to risk that again with their pet project. These ministers and MP's coming out and talking about how the party is unified behind Burnham, they are fooling themselves. The party is deeply divided. The Starmer loyalists - Anyone But Burnham, who will probably all quit the party rather than support the coup that is unfolding. The Starmer loyalists that are staying in order to vote for the next leader when Burnham fails. The ones who support Burnham but feel that a coronation is not the right way to get legitimacy and those who hate Starmer and don't care about how immoral this has been.
When the media turn on Burnham for his inevitable u-turns and policy disasters, his brittle and defensive personality will be a gift to them. They will have much more material to work with than with Starmer and they will have installed an inferior politician, less able to cope and for what? His and the government's legitimacy will be hard to defend and the inevitable general election will see Labour return to oblivion.
The membership can see this, are talking about the risks openly on every social media platform. Are challenging every Labour MP posting but only a handful of MP's have engaged and shown any interest in our concerns. This is a perilous path that we are on.
I hope that someone with gravitas puts themselves forward to stand against Burnham. I've said previously what I think of him, and I also think it is dangerous for the Party to allow a coronation rather than a contest. Burnham is untested as a potential PM. Being Mayor of Manchester does not mean he would make a good PM. Having the support of MPs does not mean he would be a good PM. He needs to be challenged and show what he will bring to the Party and the role of PM.
I hope that there is someone with the courage to stand against him, and at least 81 MPs opposed to Burnham who will step up to nominate that person. It's not about whether they win, it's about making sure there's a contest and members get to choose, not just MPs.
I hope the my proposal will not undermine anyone wanting to do that. I think it's a practical solution to a current problem. If there isn't a challenger, they should just get on with it.
If there isn't a challenger, then Party rules state that the person is elected unopposed and becomes Leader of the Labour Party. I would like the opportunity to vote 'no' if there is no challenge, but I won't get that chance.
One of the many things about this that makes me furious is how no-one is at all interested in what the membership think. Not the party, not the PLP, not commentators and not journalists. It's like we don't exist, unless of course we are being asked to donate money or time.
The membership is incredibly angry or at least the Starmer supporting element which is still very large. Furious with the PLP for not having the guts to back Starmer so that he could go back to the membership in a contest. The arrogance of Burnham using the cabinet to bully but he says jump and they say how high.
We are disgusted by the behaviour of Burnham and now it appears several MP's, who according to the New Statesman and the Guardian, have been collaborating with the Ego since before May 2025 and plotting his path to Downing Street. Being part of the Cabinet and at the same time helping destabilise the government and laying the ground work for the coup. Why isn't all the media talking about this?
The treachery is breathtaking and the final straw for many was that tone-deaf selfie of the Ego's groupies, taken and published, within hours of Keir's heartfelt resignation. So many members have already resigned in disgust and many more, including myself, are only waiting to see if anyone challenges. We won't stay in a Burnham led labour party.
The PLP, it is quite clear to see, are intent on sidelining the membership. These videos, the media appearances, the social media comments, all cut and paste jobs, are purely designed to try and make dissenting voices shut up and toe the Andy line. Well we see what they are up to, we rejected Burnham on two previous occasions and they don't want to risk that again with their pet project. These ministers and MP's coming out and talking about how the party is unified behind Burnham, they are fooling themselves. The party is deeply divided. The Starmer loyalists - Anyone But Burnham, who will probably all quit the party rather than support the coup that is unfolding. The Starmer loyalists that are staying in order to vote for the next leader when Burnham fails. The ones who support Burnham but feel that a coronation is not the right way to get legitimacy and those who hate Starmer and don't care about how immoral this has been.
When the media turn on Burnham for his inevitable u-turns and policy disasters, his brittle and defensive personality will be a gift to them. They will have much more material to work with than with Starmer and they will have installed an inferior politician, less able to cope and for what? His and the government's legitimacy will be hard to defend and the inevitable general election will see Labour return to oblivion.
The membership can see this, are talking about the risks openly on every social media platform. Are challenging every Labour MP posting but only a handful of MP's have engaged and shown any interest in our concerns. This is a perilous path that we are on.