Tony Vitofski

Bro politely explained it instead of violence

It's worse than you think. The IDF has trained dogs to pilot aircraft. Fully 25% of the sorties against Iran and Hezbollah have been carried out by Belgian Malinois.

Keir Starmer's only chance was to divide his enemies. But yesterday his arrogance and hubris drove them together, and sealed his fate - Daily Mail - dailymail.com/debate/article…

Many on Labour's left expecting a change of tack on migration issues will likely be disappointed under a Burnham premiership, if he wins Makerfield and becomes PM. The Prime Minister would have switched from a man representing a Green facing inner London seat, to a man representing a Reform facing post-industrial one. Shabana Mahmoud would likely stay on as Home Secretary. ILR reform would be seen through. Legal migration numbers will continue to tumble. Burnham in Makerfield will personally feel the heat of Reform, and hear loudly from their voters, more so than many other potential leaders.

NEW from @Ipsos_in_the_UK: % of adults in the north west of England favourable towards parties & leaders. - 48% favourable towards Andy Burnham. - 22% favourable towards the Labour Party Feels significant. Reform / Greens top but for Burnham. analysis by @Ben_Roff17

Still not entirely clear what Nigel Farage's message is going to be in Makerfield. Having spent the past month saying to everyone who will listen "Vote Reform to get rid of Starmer!!!" how does he now say "Vote Reform to save Starmer!!!".

The eight wards that will decide the future direction of the UK 👇

@tmlbk Turnout was typical for a local, 38%..but the byelection could go into the 60% range, it will get crazy! So how would that extra turnout change things? I think it could help AB because disillusioned LP voters will come out to vote for him, whereas for the local they stayed home.

Seeing a lot of “Labour Civil-War” talk this morning. The reality is the war’s basically over. There’s now agreement on the timetable - September. There’s agreement on the candidate - Andy Burnham. The other potential candidates, Cabinet, PLP and Labour movement will all now gravitate towards Burnham. What’s left of Keir Starmer’s authority is already vanishing this morning. It’s done

A Labour source texts: ‘That might be believable if he hadn’t already asked 26 other MPs first’

What they mean is they won’t block Andy Burnham because they can’t. His authority has collapsed.

Three things. One, Angela Rayner said no. Two, you cannot take someone who has no experience of running a department at all and put them in charge of the biggest and most politically important department in Britain. Three, Starmer did it because he cannot shuffle the cabinet because he’s too weak.

Things to consider about the Makerfield constituency: -Voted 65% to leave the EU -It’s culturally right wing (concerns about immigration) -Ethnically 97% white -68% Christian, 30% atheist, 1% Muslim -Not especially deprived or poor and evenly balanced between working and middle class demographic -Makerfield is in the Wigan District and Reform UK won every single seat that was up for grabs last week Andy Burnham will have to say he is anti-establishment, which he clearly isn’t and distance himself from the labour party which is impossible. Andy Burnham is popular in the Greater Manchester area, but he’s on the left of a party which has taken a drubbing for being on the left of the people of Manchester.

I can confirm that I will be requesting the permission of the NEC to stand in the Makerfield by-election. I grew up in this area and have lived here for 25 years. I care deeply about it and its people. I know they have been let down by national politics. Ten years ago, I decided to leave Westminster. Why? Because, after 16 years, I came to the conclusion that our national political system does not work for areas like ours. I learnt this fighting its failure to invest in the Wigan borough, for justice for the Hillsborough families and against its treatment of Greater Manchester during the pandemic. Over the last decade, I have been challenging this failure from the outside and building a new and better way of doing politics. We have built Greater Manchester into the fastest-growing city-region in the UK and put buses back under public control, introducing a £2 fare cap to help people with cost-of-living pressures. However, there is only so much that can be done from Greater Manchester. Much bigger change is needed at a national level if everyday life is to be made more affordable again. This is why I now seek people’s support to return to Parliament: to bring the change we have brought to Greater Manchester to the whole of the UK and make politics work properly for people. Millions are struggling and they need the Labour Government to succeed. It has already made changes to make life better for them in its first two years. After this week, we owe it to people to come back together as a Labour movement, giving the Prime Minister and the Government the space and stability they need as the by-election takes place. I want to recognise the difficult decision taken by Josh Simons and the sacrifice he and his family are making. I have worked closely with him as Mayor on issues like flooding and illegal waste dumping and have seen first-hand how effective he has been. He has put the communities of Makerfield first, made a real difference for them and should take great pride in that. Finally, I truly do not take a single vote for granted and will work hard to regain the trust of people in the Makerfield constituency, many of whom have long supported our party but lost faith in recent times. We will change Labour for the better and make it a party you can believe in again. ENDS

BREAKING: Ex-Minister Josh Simons to Resign Seat for Andy Burnham order-order.com/2026/05/14/bre…

For decades, Westminster has overseen the managed decline of towns like mine. We have talked big, then acted small, stuck in a politics of incrementalism that cannot meet the moment. We have lost the trust of those our party was built to serve. It is my unwavering belief that nothing short of urgent, radical, courageous reform will make a difference. That must start with a change in leadership. Today, I am putting the people I represent and the country I love first and will be resigning as MP for Makerfield. I am standing aside so that Andy Burnham can return to his home, fight to re-enter Parliament, and if elected, drive the change our country is crying out for. This has not been an easy decision. This is my family’s home, where only a few weeks ago, doctors and nurses at Wigan Infirmary saved our newborn son’s life. But we all must make choices and in recent days I found myself with a difficult one: defend the status quo or step forward and act. I have made my choice. I am in politics because politics is how you change lives for the better. My party has one last chance to do that: deliver for the people and places I represent, drive economic growth, secure our borders, reform our state and politics, and change a status quo that is not working. That is the fight. I believe Andy is the one to lead it.

BREAKING: Josh Simons resigns - setting up a byelection in Makerfield. Labour's majority in July 2024 was 5,399. Reform came second, Greens in fifth. Simons writes: "I am standing aside so that Andy Burnham can return to his home, fight to re-enter Parliament, and if elected, drive the change our country is crying out for."

Yesterday Downing Street were boasting Wes Streeting had bottled it and Andy Burnham didn't have a seat. This evening Wes Streeting has followed though and resigned, and Andy Burnham does indeed have a seat.

Downing Street's one hope was to split the Streeting and Burnham camps. Thanks to their aggressive, hubristic briefing yesterday they've managed to unite them.