Burnham

[Psamathe]

Reflecting on "the Burnham Bounce" I think he's had it pretty easy so far, maybe largely down to the time of year he took over. Easy to make lots of popular but actually fairly minor announcements eg Government going to clean-up the illegal dumps (without pointing out that public will be paying for cleaning the dump on land owned by the King and thus his responsibility).

The real challenges that largely caused Starmer's failure (other than himself) were the bigger issues like the economy, growth, welfare reforms, etc. and Burnham really hasn't started addressing those yet. And I wonder how well he'll cope given he's tied his own hands in the same way Starmer/Reeves did (no increases in "big" taxes, staying within the fiscal rules, etc.).

 

[AuroraSaab]

Yes, school's out and he's the equivalent of a headteacher sending out emails in the 6 weeks holiday. It'll be different once the kids are back.

 

[bobzmyunkle]

Bread and circuses. Well, not sure about the bread and, at the moment, only a faint promise of a circus.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/aug/22/andy-burnham-uk-host-mens-world-cup-football-2042

 

[Ian H]

Bread and circuses. Well, not sure about the bread and, at the moment, only a faint promise of a circus.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/aug/22/andy-burnham-uk-host-mens-world-cup-football-2042

He's after the FIFA peace prize, isn't he.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Bread and circuses. Well, not sure about the bread and, at the moment, only a faint promise of a circus.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/aug/22/andy-burnham-uk-host-mens-world-cup-football-2042

I doubt whether I'll even bother watching it.

 

[bobzmyunkle]

I doubt whether I'll even bother watching it.

16 years time, tickets cost a fortune and no free to view TV? Come on Burnham, is that the best you can do.

 

[Rusty Nails]

16 years time, tickets cost a fortune and no free to view TV? Come on Burnham, is that the best you can do.

I'll be 95, so if I'm still around perhaps it will be on Sky on the big screen TV in the care home. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[bobzmyunkle]

I'll be 95, so if I'm still around perhaps it will be on Sky on the big screen TV in the care home. I'm looking forward to it.

'Football's coming home' instead of 'White cliffs of Dover'.

 

[briantrumpet]

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyqypkrzq5o

 

[Beebo]

View attachment 16903

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyqypkrzq5o

School boy error. War is about profit.
We should make them ourselves and sell them to Ukraine.
Just giving away the data seems rather rash.

 

[briantrumpet]

Apologies - this was supposed to be in the Ukraine thread, so replying there...

 

[Psamathe]

I see Burnham already backtracking on recent pledges

Government lays out housing plans but Burnham backtracks on social renting pledge​

The government has set out its plans to spend an initial £10bn on a mix of subsidised housing in England, with a target of 60% being social renting.
...
He said when launching his campaign to become MP for Makerfield:

There’s £39bn allocated over a 10-year period … I’m saying that should be dedicated to council homes. Let’s not be coy any more … I’m saying council homes because control matters.
Under the plans announced on Monday, however, £10bn will be spent helping to build 70,000 homes outside London, about 60% of which will be social rented houses. The rest will be other types of accommodation such as shared ownership schemes and sheltered housing.

 

[Psamathe]

Another commitment from Labour going nowhere

... The demand comes after Labour appeared to have shelved targets for an increase in trips made by public transport and a reduction in trips using private vehicles.

Before the 2024 election, Labour had committed to setting goals for shifting travel habits away from private vehicles and towards public transport and active travel, such as cycling and walking.

But by this summer the government’s cycling and walking strategy had no broader targets to increase the percentage of total trips made by public transport or to reduce the percentage of total trips made by cars.
(from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/aug/26/heatwaves-uk-promote-cycling-walking)

 

[AuroraSaab]

Shared ownership schemes are often terrible long term value. I wish they wouldn't subsidise them.

 

[Psamathe]

Oh dear. Another broken promise and one for a reform that is long overdue

Burnham drops support for political funding cap aimed at curbing mega-donors​

PM said he would set bar at £500k, but trade unions say funding reforms could undermine their ability to donate to Labour

Stella Creasy, one of the Labour backbenchers who has tabled an amendment calling for a donations cap, said: “Millionaires are increasingly treating British politics as their plaything – splashing the cash to get the outcome they want and the next election as their cup final.

Shaun Bowler, the campaigner to whom Burnham promised his support in May, said: “Andy Burnham promised me a proper cap on political donations and a ‘wholesale culture change’ in Westminster. If his government now refuses to back a donations cap, then he has broken the promise he made to me – and to voters.
...
In May, Burnham signalled he would back a £500,000 cap, telling Bowler over email that he thought a donations cap “would guard against the perception of any one party being unduly influenced or swayed by one person or organisation”.

He added: “As to the level, I think that would have to be subject to wider review of political funding but my gut feeling would suggest somewhere in the region of £500k.”