Sarah Pochin is doing the media for Reform on Makerfield election night. Seems that they aren't too hopeful.

Great a labour leadership battle - just what the country needs
Then presumably into a general election given if Burnham wins he wouldnt want to be constrained by a manifesto he had no input into and the legitimacy argument and pressure he would be put under like Theresa May

No chance of an election imo. (Though we are definitely getting 12 months of cry@rsing from the right wingers and their loyal parrots for one)

Speaking from the G7 summit, the prime minister said a leadership contest would be a "bad thing" for the country and reiterated that he intended to fight any challenge.

I suppose the thing that goes against an election is that a lot of labour MPs will lose their seats

But if Burnham wins he has a massive job in uniting the party with Starmer sitting on the back benches

He is hamstrung by the pledges in the manifesto particularly on tax. I think he has said he will stick to the fiscal rules so no money to do anything new as he wont tackle the welfare bill

The future for the country looks rosy

I think the party is pretty united behind Burham. At least at this stage. Even if someone like Streeting has a go, he's said nice things about him and doesn't want to burn any bridges. Seems pretty common. Basically they've concocted this daft coronation process because everyone from the MPs to the members to the electorate have overwhelmingly decided they prefer him.

I've said before Starmer should be offered Foreign Sec or something similar. He's very skilled in that area and has made some great relationships. I'd also offer Corbyn a place back fwiw and still offer ministerial seats to right wingers like Streeting and Carns. Just get the message across that Labour is a broad church.

As for tax, it's an opportunity to maybe change though the Lords could well say no. Either way, he's just got to get on with it. Hopefully the fact that he's a far better communicator than Starmer and has a lot of experience of running a government (though on a much smaller scale) means he'll be able to deliver a plan.

there is no way Starmer would accept a cabinet post after being PM
Surely he has more self respect than that

It's s bit different if the current manager displaced you. But Starmer is uniquely shameless.

Would defeat the whole purpose of the project anyway. They will be trying to portray it as a new brand new government, far removed from the current sh111t show.

It's politics isn't it. They won't be swept out, but demoted or operating in the background. Won't be many left this time next year. Red ed won't be going anywhere, likely promoted.

Surely he has more self respect than that 

where u been the past year Roth ?

Didn't hear you moaning when they did the same and planted pro brexit, or pro reform people in the audience.

The producers are tasked with making a programme where opposing views are voiced, they are not going to leave it to
chance that the audience randomly comprises of people with opposing and or unpopular views.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/17647208.bbc-question-time-defends-audience-selection-process-following-bias-complaints/

The BBC has defended its vetting process for Question Time after a former Conservative MSP and a number of councillors appeared as part of the show's audience in Elgin.

Mary Scanlon, who served as a Conservative MSP for over a decade, appeared on the show, as a member of the audience.

Viewers took to social media after spotting Scanlon alongside a number of Conservative councillors.

Responding to the criticism over the audience selection, a spokesperson for the BBC said: “Question Time does not bar people from its audience because they have held elected office or are political activists.

There is a selection process to ensure a range of views are heard and last night’s QT audience included supporters of different political parties, including the SNP.”

The SNP MP Stewart McDonald was quick to point out that the MSP was part of the crowd tweeting “Why is former Tory MSP Mary Scanlon – 1999 to 2016 – pretending to be an audience punter on #BBCQT?”

Tory MSP Edward Mountain, replying to McDonald, said: "I think, as she is no longer an MSP, that she is just a voter. I also know she will have been through the audience vetting process."

MSP Jenny Gilruth asked: “Why is Mary Scanlon, former Tory MSP, being allowed to ask questions as if she’s a normal punter on #BBCQT? Outrageous.


i remember seeing a left winger on twitter complaining that a tory councillor was repeatedly in the bbc audience.

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/is-question-time-s-audience-producer-really-fascist/ - wow, trying to recruit audience members from the edl but not the local conservative party. and even more left wing bias - a person who recruits the audience sharing and liking posts from britain first.


the bbc get it in the neck from all sides about audience selection.

Today's the day.


The market is pretty certain Burnham wins

UK - By-Elections -- Makerfield by-election

6 Runners            £1,899,302 Matched

			101.3%		98.7%
Labour	1.1	1.11	1.12		1.13	1.14	1.15	£1,140,594
	£132	£395	£1,896		£934	£607	£1,476
Reform	9.4	9.8	10		11.5	13	13.5	£325,228
	£87	£7	£98		£100	£100	£10
Restore Britain	50	55	60		65	75	190	£429,609
	£208	£263	£3		£15	£33	£1
Green	420	430	1000		-	-	-	£3,263
	£1	£3	£269
Conservative	220	300	1000		-	-	-	£359
	£1	£10	£429
Liberal Democrats	5	220	1000		-	-	-	£249
	£5,000	£1	£438

The vibe on the ground must be very +ve.

Imagine Labour have thrown everything at this election as defeat would be disastrous.

@saddo, what is the difference between reform and restore?

Escapee Reform are followed by normal people.  Restore are followed by crazy people.  That's one big difference.  The other big one is mass deportations.

I wonder when the leadership challenge will start ? hopefully Starmer shifted ASAP, every Cloud