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Sunday, July 5, 2026

Labour Trades in a True Statesman for a Snake-oil Salesman

The remarks John Major was referring to on June 26 were in Andy Burnham's Makerfield acceptance speech. He'd spent his campaign promising voters that they were his priority. Accusations had been flying around that he was using them as a stepping stone to Number 10 - which of course he was, but had constantly denied it. If he'd admitted it, he wouldn't have won.

Then he hit upon a clever idea, having majored in English at Cambridge. Poor underprivileged lad that he was. I digress. Back to Makerfield, in his acceptance speech he told his loyal voters that they weren't a stepping stone, they were a "touchstone". Ha! All government decisions and policies would have to pass the "Makerfield test," he said, to make sure places like Makerfield were finally treated fairly by that monster Westminster that had neglected them horrifically to date.

He would put his Makerfield Test at the heart of British policies. I'm sure it made them feel very important. Which is one of his primary skills that are utterly void of real commitment. This one is also transparently absurd.

Firstly, this is blatant exploitation of voters' expectations that change can be facilitated simply and should happen overnight. All voters round the world think that's how things happen. That's why the good leaders don't make false promises. Because it's impossible. Which Burnham knows full well. It's a conveniently seductive message, though. A favourite of Trump's.

Secondly, no two communities are the same, have the same voter dynamics or are influenced by the same forces. So what makes Makerfield happy might infuriate a poor community in say Liverpool, London, Cornwall or the South East. Take your pick. Their micro economies rely on different aspects, which require different policies. And helping poorer communities takes money, which means the economy has to be built, and my God there are a ton of conflicting interests there. Nothing simple at all. Further complicated by international instability.

As John Major pointed out, what about international relations with complications galore? Putin, Xi, Trump, the EU? Without a doubt Makerfield voters are going to understand the implications and consequences for their community and the country of policies and decisions made around foreign policy. They'll also understand that, in such an interconnected and disrupted world, foreign policy dictates local economies, right down to the price of fuel and bread. Of course they'll understand. Or not.

@Keir_Starmer understands it perfectly, and in two years has successfully navigated all the challenges with astonishing skill, admired, respected and liked by all leaders involved who have the best interests of the world at heart. 

Andy Burnham doesn't understand it at all. He thinks "strength at home is strength abroad". It's not a competition, mate. This is the guy who once vowed, in the deep dark recesses of the past that he was an EU man. 

"Long term, I'm gonna be honest..." Right. Such a genuine guy. Of course he rolled that right back during his Makerfield campaigning, since he was running against Reform. So all the painstaking work Keir Starmer has been doing to take us closer and closer to the EU in a way that would build stability and acceptance couldn't be consolidated by Burnham if he was PM because Makerfield wouldn't like it.

In the UK, a snake-oil salesman has been foisted on us in place of a true statesman of the highest calibre in a high stakes palace coup.  

Posted by Jennifer Stewart at 8:12 AM
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