Andy Burnham - Man Of Straw?

[Gromit]

Look like he just handed the Labour Party leadership to Corbyn on a plate...

// In a series of hustings during the leadership contest, Mr Burnham had expressed anger at Ms Harman’s decision not to oppose the welfare measures after she suggested there was no public appetite for rejecting them.

But the shadow health secretary issued a statement in a letter to fellow MPs hours before the vote saying he would now abide by collective responsibility by abstaining.

In a post on Facebook after the vote, Andy Burnham claimed he would now oppose the bill despite refusing to vote against it in the Commons.
"Tonight I am firing the starting gun on Labour's opposition to this bill," he said. "If I am elected leader in September, I am determined that Labour will fight this regressive bill word by word, line by line."

It came as Mr Burnham, the frontrunner for the leadership, has been accused by MPs of damaging the party by “flip-flopping” over whether to oppose the controversial welfare reforms.//

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11752496/Welfare-cuts-passed-despite-Labour-rebellion.html

The Conservatives, and their supporters, must be overjoyed?

[mikey4444]

Gromit...in my opinion, Labour should have voted against the Bill.

It may be like the curates egg, in being good in parts but it is an attack on the working poor, and if we can't rely on Labour to defend the poorer members of our society against Tory cuts, then the Party may as well pack up and go home. Most of the other members of the Opposition voted against, and its beyond me to understand why Labour didn't as well.

If people can't see some clear blue water between Labour and the Tories, is it any wonder that the tend to vote with the status quo ?

[youngmafbog]

In some ways yes Gromit I am sure they are.

However, for the population as a whole it would be far better if labour engaged in the Bill and ensured it was as fair as possible for all. Wouldn't it?

Once again the public will be the losers.

[youngmafbog]

//in my opinion, Labour should have voted against the Bill. //

The problem with that is you only appease the hard left. The moderate voters who labour need to be actively getting back on side realise something has to be done as the system as it stands is not fair either.

Hence my reasoning that they would do better to work with the Tories/SNP/Libdems to make sure the Bill is not too OTT the other way.

[mikey4444]

The numbers left after the Election means that the Tories can always win in pretty much any debate they choose. That is why Labour needs to take a strong line here. I have no doubt that some aspects of the Bill will be altered in future Committee stages and in the House of Lords. But those millions of people that voted Labour in May need to see some teeth being shown by the Opposition and supporting a Bill that makes working people poorer is not the way to do it.

[Gromit]

youngmafbog

There are many reasons why Labour lost the election, but one of the main ones is that they were terrible in Opposition for 5 years.

It is not the job of the Opposition to say "we lost the election, so we must support our opponents policies, because the public prefer them to ours". That is defeatest. They should formulate alternative policies and sell them to the public.

[mikey4444]

Gromit...well said. Its what Blunkett was saying on the radio this morning.

The public need an alternative to think about, not some pale, washed out light blue that Labour seem to be these days.

[youngmafbog]

I'm not saying they should support them. What I said is get involved. As Mickey pointed out the Tories can vote it through anyway but if labour have a cohesive plan and set of workable ideas then the Tories are curtailed from excesses simply because they would not want the bad press.

But as I say, many people recognise the welfare state has to change.
Those that work, especially on lower incomes feel really peeved that others can get paid, thousands more in some cases, for sitting at home or preaching hatred against those paying them. Simply opposing everything the Tories do does not look good either. (And visa versa when labour are in power)

[ToraToraTora]

Oh dear oh dear oh dear, what a pickle Labour finds itself in Harperson has openned up a new split now they are in serious danger of electing a red from under the bed! Jezza is the man to keep the reds in the wilderness for at least 2 more parliaments! Can I get an “I love Corbyn” T shirt anywhere?

[naomi24]

Mikey, //The public need an alternative to think about, not some pale, washed out light blue that Labour seem to be these days. //

Gosh! That's the first time I've ever seen you criticise your beloved Labour. I think I'll save it for posterity!!

[retrocop]

naomi
Mikey joining the swelling ranks of the Labour's disillusioned. Never,you are taking what he said out of context. :-)

[naomi24]

Haha! No doubt! :o)