Andy Burnham to back electoral reform if he becomes prime minister
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/21/andy-burnham-back-electoral-reform-if-prime-ministerOpen linkView original on sh.itjust.workshttp://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/may/21/andy-burnham-back-electoral-reform-if-prime-ministerOpen linkView original on sh.itjust.works
will he back electoral reform like starmer backed human rights, migrant rights, and trans rights?
Well he's already said he'll support anti-imigration policies.
Press X for doubt.
Please note: "Andy Burnham will be all things to all people until he becomes Prime Minister." Announcement ends.
Didn't he say he wasn't going to do this because he believes it has to be a manifesto commitment?
Perhaps, but the Labour party pretty much threw their manifesto out the window when they started focusing on punishing immigrants, peace protesters and trans people, and forcing unwanted ID checks on everything they could.
They've actually done a few good things regarding workers rights and tranport/utilities - but it's completely overshadowed by them kicking the already-downtrodden.
They didn't actually throw the manifesto away and they're not doing too badly against it: https://fullfact.org/government-tracker/
That's tracking how well they're following some of their promises (which is interesting, and in many ways good - thanks for the link).
The issue is more the seemingly random introduction of a bunch of right-wing crap that nobody who voted for them asked for, that wasn't in their manifesto - they are "throwing it out the window" by saying "sod our election promises, let's do this other shit instead".
If they can randomly add non-manifesto crap that nobody wants, then there should be no issue if Burnham wanted to introduce something that wasn't on the manifesto.
It's funny, for years the wisdom was that an economically left wing and culturally right wing party would be unbeatable, but Labour tries to be exactly that and Starmer becomes the most unpopular PM since records began.
It's almost like economic and social issues are linked by some mechanism, and a cultural shift to the right is incompatible with the economic empowerment of the working class.
Or something.
He can back it all he wants It's never in the interest of the person or party in power to change the election process.
Unless if course your facing a future bad election and this might be your way to stick around
I would hope that politicians would bring in laws that benefit the UK, rather than benefit the politicians themselves. But maybe I'm being too optimistic.
Everyone who isn’t in yet backs electoral reform. Then they get elected and they’re all like “this leads to strong governments”. It’ll never change. It’s the UK after all.