Andy Burnham’s faltering campaign
David Blackburn 12:16pm
Andy Burnham’s leadership campaign is going the way of all flesh. According to
Left Foot Forward’s model, Burnham is set to come fourth behind Ed
Balls. A You Gov poll predicted a similarly poor showing for Burnham.
I’m surprised by this. Burnham is presentable against a field of gawky rivals. Also, after a faltering start, he has tuned a clear anti-establishment message, crafted to politicise the north
south divide and New Labour's soulless metropolitanism. He reiterates it for today’s Independent, arguing that the party has been run for too long in
‘an elitist, London-centric and controlling way’ and that New Labour was ‘born of a distrust of its members.’ He added:
Presumably the self-serving elite reside in Primose Hill or in Unite’s shag pile resplendent offices, divorced from the travails of the grassroots who Burnham claims to represent. It’s a message that ought to have resonated with the Mrs Duffys of this world, who felt neglected by Labour’s distant, metropolitan leadership. Burnham was never going to win but he should be doing better. Either his message has not cut through or disaffection with the New Labour machine is not widespread among activists who recall its phenomenal electoral success.‘We still have a self-serving elite at the top of our party who put themselves and their own interests before those of the party and the members who put them into Parliament. We just can't have more of the same. Labour must rediscover its heart and soul.’
PS: On the other side of the argument, a Labour List readers’ poll suggests that Burnham is gaining momentum. However, readers’ polls should be taken with a pinch of salt – and besides, this poll is one of very few to indicate that Burnham could finish third outright; Ed Balls is expected to be the king maker.
UPDATE: As Jim Pickard notes, Burnham’s credibility took at battering on the World at One this afternoon. He was unable to discuss his tax plans, beyond a pledge that tax should take up more of the burden of deficit reduction. This is endemic to the Labour leadership campaign – none of the candidates have elaborated on their fiscal plans in any detail.
Previous
Paul T Horgan
August 23rd, 2010 12:31pm Report this commentThe main feature of the Labour leadership election is that the male candidates appear indistinguishable from each other in so many ways.
So, given the above, a mixture of any two of the candidates would suffice to lead the party.
But what kind of mixture?
Using the latest morphing technologies, I have determined that the best candidate would be 80% David Miliband with 20% Ed Balls.
Want to see how?
Watch the video of the candidates morphing seamlessly into each other here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IitpA73rphs
Biggestaspidistra
August 23rd, 2010 12:33pm Report this commentThe Mrs Duffy's of the world no doubt recognise party-member Burnham as the self serving London-centric elitist that he is.
Chris lancashire
August 23rd, 2010 12:37pm Report this commentBalls a kingmaker? More likely a Milliband a ballsbreaker.
Mike Smithson
August 23rd, 2010 12:40pm Report this commentThe YouGov poll you quote is OLD NEWS from July. Who knows what's happened in the meantime?
Magiric
August 23rd, 2010 12:46pm Report this comment"...I have determined that the best candidate would be 80% David Miliband with 20% Ed Balls."
You mean Ded Milliballs?
David Blackburn
August 23rd, 2010 12:49pm Report this commentMike Smithson,
I know it is, hence the fact I refer to it in the past tense. The point is that Burnham's campaign has never got off the ground.
TrevorsDen
August 23rd, 2010 1:02pm Report this commentBalls will pretend to be a kingmaker but how can someone finishing so low command the votes to make a difference. Balls cannot command his wife to make breakfast let alone control a block of votes.
The future prospects of labour will be dictated by the strength of the eventual leader in pushing Balls to the periphery.
All this will be further complicated by the fact that we will have a husband and wife and 2 brothers in senior positions, not to mention Mr and Mrs Harman and of course the son of Tony Benn. (and this ignores Kinnock's son being married to a Danish party leader).
Incest (alright nepotism) rules in the Labour Party - and to think they rage on about social mobility.
Chuck Unsworth
August 23rd, 2010 1:21pm Report this commentBurnham is far too pretty to be credible. A few grey hairs, a more commanding and witty style of presentation and demeanour would do him no end of good.
Old Slaughter
August 23rd, 2010 1:51pm Report this comment"who recall its phenomenal electoral success. "
I would struggle to call it 'phenomenal'.
Private Schultz
August 23rd, 2010 2:03pm Report this commentPerhaps the Labourites are wary of supporting him because of the Mid-Staffs NHS Foundation Trust Enquiry. If he were to be found culpable, the shiny new leader would be badly tarnished only 6 months in.
Alex
August 23rd, 2010 2:30pm Report this commentBurnham is a "boy" whereas at least the others are "teenagers" - shame there are no "men" running for office.
Still presumably somewhere in Parliament there was someone (probably a woman) who was recently elected who will be the Leader that takes Labour to the "promised land" - cannot see any of the geeks who are currently running for Leader ever getting there.
Naomi Muse
August 23rd, 2010 2:34pm Report this commentAll of the hangers on from the last government are incredibly teeejus, as a little person known to me says the word.
The principle behind them all seems to be the pursuit of self and could have been learned from that extraordinarily successful self-promoter, Tony Blair, himself.
Robert Taggart
August 23rd, 2010 2:56pm Report this commentAndy Burnham = Poor 'Boy' !
jon dee
August 23rd, 2010 3:13pm Report this commentYour update re World at One is important, and must now surely destroy any Burnham momentum.
Even with Kearney's softball encouragement he succeeded in sounding vacuous, unprepared and utterly unconvincing.
His determination to be a northern class warrior will impress few beyond the usual diehards - it is his bullshitting naivety which is obvious to all.
He just has'nt got it.
Tarka the Rotter
August 23rd, 2010 4:11pm Report this commentwho is Andy Burnham???????????????
Holly
August 23rd, 2010 4:57pm Report this commentYouGov poll from July?
Maybe things are even worse by now then.
The bods in the 'asset' poll did cheer me up some though....the ones the public distrust the most are very popular with the Labour bods....Go figure!
Neil Wilson
August 23rd, 2010 5:35pm Report this commentHe hasn't got a clue. Tax increases don't fund anything, they just reduce economic activity.
As any idiot knows, the government always gets its money back from any spending because it take a slice of the transaction value as the money bounces around the economy.
You only need to put taxes up when inflation looms, and with the economy limping along it'll be a while before that's required.
Daedalus
August 23rd, 2010 6:07pm Report this commentI was listening to him on the World at One whilst driving the car. I ended up screaming at the radio something along the lines of you F****** scouse commie b******; tax on land!!! this is like Derek Hatton again. I hope he or Ed Balls get the nomination labour will be so stuffed.
Daedalus
Bluebottle
August 23rd, 2010 11:35pm Report this commentHe uses too much mascara.
End of.
hadrian
August 28th, 2010 5:59pm Report this commentThe man's admitted being scared of his wife.
So, he'd doubtless be pecked to shreds by his Cabinet colleagues as well, I fear.
Back to top