| MP resigning so Burnham can stand 17:21 - May 14 with 11537 views | NthQldITFC | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/liv Labour MP says he's resigning so Andy Burnham can stand Labour MP Josh Simons has just issued a statement: "Today, I am putting the people I represent and the country I love first and will be resigning as MP for Makerfield. I am standing aside so that Andy Burnham can return to his home." |  |
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| I wouldn't risk more than.... on 17:23 - May 14 with 3406 views | Bloots | ....a tenner on Labour holding onto that seat. Could be funny. |  |
| "....a smegma of a man” - TWTD User (Apr 2026) |
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:25 - May 14 with 3387 views | EastTownBlue | A very risky seat that can easily be lost to Reform. |  | |  |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:26 - May 14 with 3378 views | ThisIsMyUsername | What are AB's views on overturning Brexit/getting FoM back in some guise ASAP? ChatGPT suggests: strongly anti-hard-Brexit, pro-European, and open to rebuilding mobility with Europe — but politically aware that simply restoring 2015-style FoM remains controversial. The sort of arrangements he appears most politically comfortable with are: youth mobility schemes, easier EU work visas, mutual recognition of qualifications, regional labour mobility, student exchanges, closer single-market alignment, potentially a Norway/Swiss-style softer border regime eventually. What he generally hasn’t done is say: “Britain should immediately restore full EU freedom of movement.” So if you’re asking: “Is Burnham philosophically hostile to FoM?” Probably not anymore. But if you’re asking: “Would he openly campaign tomorrow to restore 2015-style EU FoM?” Also probably no — at least not yet. [Post edited 14 May 17:29]
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:26 - May 14 with 3370 views | Leaky | Be interesting if Reform won the byelection. |  | |  |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:27 - May 14 with 3360 views | Guthrum | So what happens when the central party prevent Burnham from standing (like last time)? |  |
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:28 - May 14 with 3353 views | redrickstuhaart |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:26 - May 14 by Leaky | Be interesting if Reform won the byelection. |
A real prospect I would suggest. Also, no guarantee that the exec committee allow Burnham on the ballot... |  |
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| I wouldn't risk more than.... on 17:28 - May 14 with 3351 views | wrightsrightglove |
| I wouldn't risk more than.... on 17:23 - May 14 by Bloots | ....a tenner on Labour holding onto that seat. Could be funny. |
Yep, every other party will be throwing everything they can at the byelection! I would imagine it’ll be more brutal than Gorton and Denton |  | |  |
| I wouldn't risk more than.... on 17:29 - May 14 with 3334 views | GlasgowBlue |
| I wouldn't risk more than.... on 17:23 - May 14 by Bloots | ....a tenner on Labour holding onto that seat. Could be funny. |
Majority of just over 5000. Very risky unless the Greens and Liberals stand down. But why would they do that? Then there is the possibility of losing the Manchester Mayoralty to Reform. |  |
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:36 - May 14 with 3285 views | SitfcB | So if Burnham gets it it’ll be him v Streeting to be PM? Burnham wins that easily surely. |  |
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:40 - May 14 with 3239 views | SitfcB | |  |
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:42 - May 14 with 3228 views | Pinewoodblue |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:25 - May 14 by EastTownBlue | A very risky seat that can easily be lost to Reform. |
They are putting an awful amount of trust in the electorate. If this was happening in your constituency and you had no intention of voting Labour you would presumably vote for the candidate most likely to defeat him. |  |
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:43 - May 14 with 3195 views | itfcjoe | Going to be a brutal by election |  |
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:45 - May 14 with 3159 views | Mullet |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:27 - May 14 by Guthrum | So what happens when the central party prevent Burnham from standing (like last time)? |
I don’t think Starmer will allow that to happen this time somehow. He basically has this attitude of step in beat me man to man. I think the Gorton stuff damaged Labour massively internally and externally, and it gave the greens a huge foothold they might not have without it. I’ll be sad to lose him as mayor as he’s done a lot here. |  |
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| I wouldn't risk more than.... on 17:48 - May 14 with 3074 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
| I wouldn't risk more than.... on 17:29 - May 14 by GlasgowBlue | Majority of just over 5000. Very risky unless the Greens and Liberals stand down. But why would they do that? Then there is the possibility of losing the Manchester Mayoralty to Reform. |
I think they probably should stand aside as a gesture of anti Reform unity and in the national interest.....but will they? |  |
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:48 - May 14 with 3083 views | GlasgowBlue |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:43 - May 14 by itfcjoe | Going to be a brutal by election |
Reform will have to take more care in selecting a candidate than they did Gorton and Denton. |  |
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:49 - May 14 with 3062 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:36 - May 14 by SitfcB | So if Burnham gets it it’ll be him v Streeting to be PM? Burnham wins that easily surely. |
He wins that in his sleep. |  |
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:51 - May 14 with 3054 views | BloomBlue | So... Streeting becomes PM for 3 - 4 months and then Burnham becomes PM? Labour shooting self in foot. |  | |  |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:52 - May 14 with 3033 views | SitfcB |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:45 - May 14 by Mullet | I don’t think Starmer will allow that to happen this time somehow. He basically has this attitude of step in beat me man to man. I think the Gorton stuff damaged Labour massively internally and externally, and it gave the greens a huge foothold they might not have without it. I’ll be sad to lose him as mayor as he’s done a lot here. |
Hopefully he can be good for the country, seems decent enough. What’s his view on immigration…? |  |
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:52 - May 14 with 3040 views | BlueBadger |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:48 - May 14 by GlasgowBlue | Reform will have to take more care in selecting a candidate than they did Gorton and Denton. |
They'll have to find one who either just dim, wildly bigoted or openly corrupt rather than the usual combination of all 3. [Post edited 14 May 18:16]
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:56 - May 14 with 3004 views | Guthrum |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:45 - May 14 by Mullet | I don’t think Starmer will allow that to happen this time somehow. He basically has this attitude of step in beat me man to man. I think the Gorton stuff damaged Labour massively internally and externally, and it gave the greens a huge foothold they might not have without it. I’ll be sad to lose him as mayor as he’s done a lot here. |
I don't trust Starmer's authoritarian streak (when it comes to party discipline and conformity). |  |
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| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:57 - May 14 with 3000 views | oldbeardy | I don't like it that Burnham is only doing this to be PM - he isn't interested in anything other than that. So he uses Makerfield to become an MP (assuming he's allowed, and wins) then what if he doesn't win the PM job - he'll be off again at the earliest opportunity I imagine. Doesn't fill me with confidence that he's the right person whatever his other qualities. |  | |  |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 18:03 - May 14 with 2942 views | surreyblue |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:42 - May 14 by Pinewoodblue | They are putting an awful amount of trust in the electorate. If this was happening in your constituency and you had no intention of voting Labour you would presumably vote for the candidate most likely to defeat him. |
This is my concern. It feels like a staggering gamble, not just for Burnham but for the Labour Party and the whole of the country. If Burnham gets elected the path is pretty clear. If he doesn’t, streeting vs Starmer vs Rayner is a bloodbath that rips the governing party in three and probably leaves whoever ends up in power with a barely functioning government. Cue votes of no confidence and early elections, with a cast of candidates for our next Pm that is horrifying across every level. The country and its people are not your plaything. We do not exist for your power or to boost your ego and bank balance. Grow up and do the job you were elected to do. |  | |  |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 18:10 - May 14 with 2884 views | vapour_trail |
| MP resigning so Burnham can stand on 17:26 - May 14 by Leaky | Be interesting if Reform won the byelection. |
Got to be the most likely outcome. |  |
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