The Burnham Years - Can the new(ish) broom sweep clean?

[ecuk268]

"THE UK has confirmed it is ready to loathe freeloading pensioners bleeding us dry with their f**king triple locks the moment they are given the word. "

As even Tories begin to doubt the wisdom of making the least productive sector of UK society the richest, the country is preparing for a hate campaign against these beige leeches from which they will never recover.

Hannah Tomlinson of Hitchin said: “As a millennial, I’ve already spent years whipping up online mobs against anyone older than me with incorrect opinions. I couldn’t be readier.

“And these grey-haired f**ks, squatting in their big houses squandering NHS resources while lapping up racist AI content and voting as far right as they’re physically able? They’ve had it coming for a long f**king time.

“They make me sick with their their winter fuel payments and their uncritical adoration of Richard Osman. Our country’s going bankrupt so they can go to over-60s Aquafit and buy bedding plants? F**king boomers. Kill them all and cancel Call The Midwife.”

22-year-old Jordan Gardner agreed: “They’re dead weight, and now we’re introducing a new tax just for their care? Bollocks to that. Instead of bringing their care workers over here, how about we ship the lot of them to Rwanda? And further.”

Prime minister Andy Burnham said: “Well, this is most fortuitous in terms of budgets for the next three years.”

Read more on smry.ai

[Baird of the land]

Hmm.. so people suggest keeping the triple lock is too expensive, so labour plans to replace it with something even more expensive. 

[Farmer Saint]

2 hours ago, Baird of the land said:

Hmm.. so people suggest keeping the triple lock is too expensive, so labour plans to replace it with something even more expensive. 

Yes, but something that will take a lot of load and pressure off the NHS, whilst creating jobs and a better level of overall care. Unless you think the care system and NHS is up to scratch at the moment, which you may do.

Edited 18 hours ago by Farmer Saint

[Farmer Saint]

And now discussions around closer ties with the EU, including going back into the EU.

[badgerx16]

20 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

And now discussions around closer ties with the EU, including going back into the EU.

Good. Won't happen for a few years, but good that it is being discussed.

[egg]

20 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

And now discussions around closer ties with the EU, including going back into the EU.

Good. Long overdue. He'll need to get the message across that Brexit has weakened our borders, but will people listen. 

[Farmer Saint]

3 minutes ago, egg said:

Good. Long overdue. He'll need to get the message across that Brexit has weakened our borders, but will people listen. 

I think people will listen tbh. FTSE is up nearly 1% already this morning...wonder why?

Turns out it's for better than expected growth. But I thought we is failing business business economics GB News Chat GPT tells me.

Edited 7 hours ago by Farmer Saint

[iansums]

1 hour ago, Farmer Saint said:

And now discussions around closer ties with the EU, including going back into the EU.

Bad IMO. It’s done, we’re out, let’s get on with it. We are doing better than the three main countries in the EU anyway so I don’t see the benefit in rejoining.

[The Kraken]

Irrelevant, anyone called Brexit Ian doesn’t get a vote on such matters.

[iansums]

58 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

I think people will listen tbh. FTSE is up nearly 1% already this morning...wonder why?

Turns out it's for better than expected growth. But I thought we is failing business business economics GB News Chat GPT tells me.

FTSE is generally affected more by global stocks and events, to suggest it has risen because of a few vague words about us moving closer to the EU is a little tenuous.

[egg]

5 minutes ago, iansums said:

Bad IMO. It’s done, we’re out, let’s get on with it. We are doing better than the three main countries in the EU anyway so I don’t see the benefit in rejoining.

What's going well? 

What's your metric for us doing better? Our inflation is higher, ditto interest rates, our gilt yields much higher, and quality of life lower. 

I voted leave and acknowledge it was a terrible choice. We've not seen a single benefit from Brexit, not one. 

[iansums]

Just now, The Kraken said:

Irrelevant, anyone called Brexit Ian doesn’t get a vote on such matters.

Perhaps you should all put me on ignore, although I’m sure Ralph will keep quoting me 😜

[iansums]

3 minutes ago, egg said:

What's going well? 

What's your metric for us doing better? Our inflation is higher, ditto interest rates, our gilt yields much higher, and quality of life lower. 

I voted leave and acknowledge it was a terrible choice. We've not seen a single benefit from Brexit, not one. 

In terms of GDP, I should have added this. I voted remain, funny how things work out.

Edited 6 hours ago by iansums
extra detail

[egg]

Just now, iansums said:

GDP

Hmm...one metric whilst ignoring inflation, borrowing costs and the quality of life....our debt, it's cost, our tax burden...

The average person doesn't give a monkeys about GDP when their cost of living and mortgages payments are going through the roof 

GDP alone is not the metric to use to support an argument that we're doing better, particularly given that we're barely growing. If we were growing at 4-5% you'd have a point, but we're not.

[Turkish]

1 hour ago, egg said:

Good. Long overdue. He'll need to get the message across that Brexit has weakened our borders, but will people listen. 

If he can make a compelling case that returning will "stop the boats" then he'll instantly get a few million on board. Whatever anyone says immigration was the biggest vote swinger in Brexit. No that doesn't mean everyone who voted to leave is a thick racist.

[iansums]

3 minutes ago, egg said:

Hmm...one metric whilst ignoring inflation, borrowing costs and the quality of life....our debt, it's cost, our tax burden...

The average person doesn't give a monkeys about GDP when their cost of living and mortgages payments are going through the roof 

GDP alone is not the metric to use to support an argument that we're doing better, particularly given that we're barely growing. If we were growing at 4-5% you'd have a point, but we're not.

Fair enough, but you think all of these will be resolved by rejoining? We’d go through all the upheaval of negotiating a new deal just like last time. All to rejoin an EU which is not like the one we left. Working with AFD would be fun.

[egg]

3 minutes ago, Turkish said:

If he can make a compelling case that returning will "stop the boats" then he'll instantly get a few million on board. Whatever anyone says immigration was the biggest vote swinger in Brexit. No that doesn't mean everyone who voted to leave is a thick racist.

I'm not sure that immigration was the Brexit vote swinger. I think it was more about national autonomy, and a misguided belief we'd do better alone than as part of a collective. 

People will always want to leave a life without hope seeking a better life, and as long as there's a stretch of water between us and Europe, people will come here on boats.

What we can do is make ourselves less attractive, thus making that boat journey not worth the risk.  

[Turkish]

Whatever people might think about Labour Andy Burnham is probably the most likeable Prime minister we've had for decades. Hope he does well.

[Farmer Saint]

42 minutes ago, iansums said:

FTSE is generally affected more by global stocks and events, to suggest it has risen because of a few vague words about us moving closer to the EU is a little tenuous.

It's not, it's due to better than expected growth for this quarter as I said above.

NASDAQ, DOW Jones, S&P 500 etc all down today BTW.

[Farmer Saint]

33 minutes ago, Turkish said:

If he can make a compelling case that returning will "stop the boats" then he'll instantly get a few million on board. Whatever anyone says immigration was the biggest vote swinger in Brexit. No that doesn't mean everyone who voted to leave is a thick racist.

No, but the majority were.

[iansums]

7 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

It's not, it's due to better than expected growth for this quarter as I said above.

NASDAQ, DOW Jones, S&P 500 etc all down today BTW.

It is. It opened higher due to other factors, before the growth figures were announced, welcome though they are.

[iansums]

15 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Whatever people might think about Labour Andy Burnham is probably the most likeable Prime minister we've had for decades. Hope he does well.

Agree on this. Far better than Starmer in that regard. I admire his commitment to social care although a little wary on having something similar to the NHS. I hope he does well too.

[egg]

19 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Whatever people might think about Labour Andy Burnham is probably the most likeable Prime minister we've had for decades. Hope he does well.

Agreed. I think that with some money to spend where it's needed, and if we weren't so debt laden, that he could do really well. The odds are against him though sadly. 

[Osvaldorama]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

Whatever people might think about Labour Andy Burnham is probably the most likeable Prime minister we've had for decades. Hope he does well.

 

David Brent with zero charisma or good ideas and no mandate. 

Leading the country further into decline based on delusional thinking and lack of economic understanding. 

But apart from that he’s alright, I guess 
 

[Farmer Saint]

1 hour ago, iansums said:

It is. It opened higher due to other factors, before the growth figures were announced, welcome though they are.

What other factors, as all the news outlets are saying it's due to the revised growth? What do you know that they don't?

Edited 4 hours ago by Farmer Saint

[AlexLaw76]

2 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

What other factors, as all the news outlets are saying it's due to the revised growth? What do you know that they don't?

City AM reporting it is in Large part related to oil prices easing.

[whelk]

4 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

 

David Brent with zero charisma or good ideas and no mandate. 

Leading the country further into decline based on delusional thinking and lack of economic understanding. 

But apart from that he’s alright, I guess 
 

I’m sure this guy turned down his Cambridge place to study in the university of life? Ohh the economics bollocks again. News for you mate, you ain’t bright and there are huge amount of people far smarter than you. Tell me your net worth again, I missed it last time?

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

Whatever people might think about Labour Andy Burnham is probably the most likeable Prime minister we've had for decades. Hope he does well.

I think Labour needed a Starmer. Someone to drag them enough to the centre to be broad enough to win. Someone who would change depending on the circumstances.

Once in, there was enough of the left of centre there to turn on him. Now we've got someone with more of an ideology, which we've not seen for a while.

But had it been Burnham trying to get Labour elected on a "Let's go back to the '70s, once I've agreed policy with the unions"  that would have been a lot harder. I can't say they wouldn't have got in as the Conservatives were wretched. But normally, he wouldn't have been electable.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, egg said:

Agreed. I think that with some money to spend where it's needed, and if we weren't so debt laden, that he could do really well. The odds are against him though sadly. 

I'll need to dig up the beeb podcast from the other week, but the bit I heard related to Labour dealing with the IMF in the '70s to get a loan. It was interesting to hear more nuances on the economy during his time, the things they were doing to correct it, and the flawed treasury figures that stuffed them at various points.

Just reminded of it as you mentioned debt and there are recent articles of the IMF telling us what we should be doing.

 

[badgerx16]

39 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

Leading the country further into decline based on delusional thinking and lack of economic understanding. 

Johnson, Truss & Kwarteng, Sunak........

[Turkish]

15 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

I think Labour needed a Starmer. Someone to drag them enough to the centre to be broad enough to win. Someone who would change depending on the circumstances.

Once in, there was enough of the left of centre there to turn on him. Now we've got someone with more of an ideology, which we've not seen for a while.

But had it been Burnham trying to get Labour elected on a "Let's go back to the '70s, once I've agreed policy with the unions"  that would have been a lot harder. I can't say they wouldn't have got in as the Conservatives were wretched. But normally, he wouldn't have been electable.

Starmer was a disaster from the start IMO. Came across as a complete wet lettuce with no conviction in anything he said. 

[LuckyNumber7]

And the betrayal of the British people is underway.

Burnham is clearly desperate to cuddle up to those insufferable cunts in Europe. Bloke's a twat. Even more reason to vote Reform now.

[AlexLaw76]

2 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Starmer was a disaster from the start IMO. Came across as a complete wet lettuce with no conviction in anything he said. 

remember when he managed to find time to pop by Southport for 5 mins...then called anyone who was angry a daft racist. 

[iansums]

36 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

What other factors, as all the news outlets are saying it's due to the revised growth? What do you know that they don't?

Asian markets, falling oil prices and bond yields. I do have to apolgise though as I read your earlier post as suggesting that Burnham's comments on the EU had an impact on share prices, I don't think you did suggest that.

[iansums]

2 minutes ago, LuckyNumber7 said:

And the betrayal of the British people is underway.

Burnham is clearly desperate to cuddle up to those insufferable cunts in Europe. Bloke's a twat. Even more reason to vote Reform now.

Always good to give someone a chance 🤔

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 minute ago, Turkish said:

Starmer was a disaster from the start IMO. Came across as a complete wet lettuce with no conviction in anything he said. 

I do wonder that considering labour didn't bother with things like policies to win by default, if Truss' lettuce competitor would have also been voted in.

Perhaps I can modify my post to bring "Labour were too far to the left to be electable. Having moved to the right to get elected, they can now have some time to move a bit further to the left to get some of those ideas in place."

[whelk]

3 minutes ago, LuckyNumber7 said:

And the betrayal of the British people is underway.

Burnham is clearly desperate to cuddle up to those insufferable cunts in Europe. Bloke's a twat. Even more reason to vote Reform now.

Betrayal?  you guys just love dramatic words. I’m sure you were a balanced swing voter before

[Osvaldorama]

46 minutes ago, whelk said:

I’m sure this guy turned down his Cambridge place to study in the university of life? Ohh the economics bollocks again. News for you mate, you ain’t bright and there are huge amount of people far smarter than you. Tell me your net worth again, I missed it last time?

Aren’t* 

Did you actually go to school? 

[Osvaldorama]

14 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Johnson, Truss & Kwarteng, Sunak........

Agreed. They were too far left. They did a terrible job. 

But compared to how Labour will leave the country, their management will seem like paradise. Mark my words. 

[whelk]

2 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

Aren’t* 

Did you actually go to school? 

It was said ironically but why did I know that would pass you by?

[Osvaldorama]

Just now, whelk said:

It was said ironically but why did I know that would pass you by?

I’m honestly surprised that you know what the word ‘ironically’ means. Well done 👏 

[tdmickey3]

5 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

I’m honestly surprised that you know what the word ‘ironically’ means. Well done 👏 

And as if by magic the mouth breather in chief shows up 

[badgerx16]

27 minutes ago, LuckyNumber7 said:

And the betrayal of the British people is underway.

Burnham is clearly desperate to cuddle up to those insufferable cunts in Europe. Bloke's a twat. Even more reason to vote Reform now.

Q) Who was it who said, before the ( non binding ) referendum, "In a 52-48 referendum this would be unfinished business by a long way. If the Remain campaign win two-thirds to one-third that ends it."

 

A) Nigel Farage.

Edited 2 hours ago by badgerx16

[egg]

28 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Starmer was a disaster from the start IMO. Came across as a complete wet lettuce with no conviction in anything he said. 

I'm not sure he was authentic. In opposition he was completely different. He kicked Boris around the commons in PMQ's and looked like he could be brilliant. Then he got the gig and was completely different. Kind of a labour version of John Major, but worse.

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, egg said:

I'm not sure he was authentic. In opposition he was completely different. He kicked Boris around the commons in PMQ's and looked like he could be brilliant. Then he got the gig and was completely different. Kind of a labour version of John Major, but worse.

That’s a good summary. He was quite credible as the opposition but was an utter drip When he got the gig. I guess it’s easy to fire shots from the outside in but not so easy when it’s you being shot at. 

[egg]

3 minutes ago, Turkish said:

That’s a good summary. He was quite credible as the opposition but was an utter drip When he got the gig. I guess it’s easy to fire shots from the outside in but not so easy when it’s you being shot at. 

I think it was probably a combination of the reality being harder than theory as you suggest, plus some policy and PR people around him turning him into the wet lemon he became. The knee nonsense, for example, was undoubtedly a suggestion from policy and PR people, and I'm not sure it got any better for him after that. 

[Osvaldorama]

To be honest, the PM gig is a poisoned chalice. A succession of unserious people, with no idea how to fix things, hamstrung by an overly bureaucratic political system.

No one is even talking or being honest about the real problems that the country is facing. All that they are doing is shuffling deck chairs on the titanic and pointing fingers at each other. 
 

Until people wake up to how unsustainable government spending is, things will continue to degrade, the left will continue to want to steal more and the wealthy will continue to flee. All of which will exacerbate the decline. 

[badgerx16]

3 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

To be honest, the PM gig is a poisoned chalice. A succession of unserious people, with no idea how to fix things, hamstrung by an overly bureaucratic political system.

No one is even talking or being honest about the real problems that the country is facing. All that they are doing is shuffling deck chairs on the titanic and pointing fingers at each other. 
 

Until people wake up to how unsustainable government spending is, things will continue to degrade, the left will continue to want to steal more and the wealthy will continue to flee. All of which will exacerbate the decline. 

You were doing so well up to this point, then you let your prejudices slip out. It's almost autonomic with you.

Edited 1 hour ago by badgerx16

[Osvaldorama]

6 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

You were doing so well up to this point, then you let your prejudices slip out. It's almost autonomic with you.

How is that prejudicial? It’s the truth. 

The lefts entire playbook is to demonise hard work and steal as much as possible 

[tdmickey3]

4 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

How is that prejudicial? It’s the truth. 

The lefts entire playbook is to demonise hard work and steal as much as possible 

You have gone so far down the rabbit hole for loons, I doubt you will ever find your way out