Reform cannot lose the Manchester showdown with Andy Burnham | Politics | News
Reformation can’t lose the summer showdown at Makerfield. Not that all is lost if Andy Burnham triumphs, but ultimately Reformation faces an ultimate win-win situation. If the Manchester mayor wins, it will hasten the end of the Starmer premiership and lead to a massive tax and spending glut that will spook markets, curb economic growth, catalyze austerity, anger Labor seats and force a snap election. Which Reformation is ready to win!
If Burnham loses, Labour’s chances of beating Reform, despite its abysmal polling, will be completely shattered. Whether Starmer lives to fight another day, or whether Wes Streeting or ‘Red Ange’ Rayner replaces the tottering Prime Minister, Labour’s death spiral will continue. Starmer may call time early no matter what.
It is accepted that Burnham’s win in Makerfield would be a temporary boost for him and the Labor Party. Even Reform knows that Burnham has received more favorable ratings than Farage in recent polls. But that star would dim once the Corbyn Lite agenda began in earnest and the UK economy slowed further.
Burnham is just as unprepared as Liz Truss, so the outcome could be the same, if not worse. And if Burnham or Streeting think rejoining the geriatric AB will solve everything, they need the palpitations. Even under Sir Keir, the UK is outperforming the economies of Western Europe and – needless to remind you – Brexit has been failed by toxic Tories.
If Burnham has a plan, it’s what she calls “Manchesterism”; an interventionist state that prioritizes public ownership and devolution. According to Up North’s results, this would be less than Singapore 2026 and more than Callaghan’s Britain circa 1978. Would you really trust Team Burnham to turn our ailing ship around? And that’s before we get to the ongoing problems with mass immigration, over-depleted resources, and out-of-control crime.
The last thing Britain needs is more fiscal recklessness and foolish talk from sane leaders about our border and security! After all, if the risks at Gorton and Denton are too high, the risks at Makerfield will be too high.
Nigel Farage will be hoping Reform can benefit from excellent local election results and a surge in post-election polls. Burnham, meanwhile, sees this as a chance to lose out to Farage and Starmer.
Starmer is probably secretly praying for a Reformation victory. Let the summer showdown begin.
