Leon Green

No longer really here, find me on Blue Sky…

[Leon Green @leongreen]

Spending much more time on the butterfly place, it’s like here but - you know - without the Nazis.

If you follow me here, follow me there and I’ll return the favour: https://t.co/aC93mI6Qu2

[Andy Burnham @AndyBurnhamGM]

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

[Leon Green @leongreen]

Creates a shitstorm then backtracks when it doesn’t take off as quickly as they hoped? What a fool…

[Patrick Maguire @patrickkmaguire]

Catherine West now on Radio 4 saying Keir Starmer could win a leadership election and not ruling out voting for him

[Leon Green @leongreen]

On the day more dodgy stuff about Farage has come out, you Sir are a fool.

[Leon Green @leongreen]

This would be a brilliant move.

[Joanna Hardy-Susskind @Joanna__Hardy]

Imagine if Keir now appoints Angela to Health - and then everyone merrily carries on like this was all a bad dream.

[Shehab Khan @ShehabKhan]

There’s ALWAYS a relevant The Thick Of It scene

[Leon Green @leongreen]

Get the feeling James speaks from painful experience…

[James Cleverly🇬🇧 @JamesCleverly]

I’m not sure that publicly humiliating a senior cabinet minister and possible leadership rival is a good tactic by Starmer.

[Leon Green @leongreen]

Becoming?

[Matthew Syed @matthewsyed]

The ministers urging Starmer to go are feeding the hysteria. The next leader will be subject to instant leadership speculation and the next, and the next, whether Labour, Reform or Tory. Britain is becoming ungovernable. And the media fixation on this tittle tattle is not helping

[Leon Green @leongreen]

There’s always a tweet…

[Keir Starmer @Keir_Starmer]

Why I have decided to back Andy Burnham for Labour leadership http://t.co/0rwPLtkxaB

[Leon Green @leongreen]

@MikeHolden42 Does Starmer have the guts to sack Streeting?

[Leon Green @leongreen]

🎯🎯🎯

[ALASTAIR CAMPBELL @campbellclaret]

Whatever complaints MPs have about Keir Starmer, they are now descending into the kind of headless chickenry that - whatever and whoever the outcome - will make the situation even worse for Labour. If there is a grand plan starring Catherine West and a few PPSs, then it doesn’t feel terribly thought through. A period of calm would do none of them any harm. The general election is a fair way off. The next legislative programme is about to be unveiled. There are better ways to reach such an important decision and better times too. You are MPs not commentators who exist to feed a frenzy.

[Leon Green @leongreen]

@campbellclaret Spot on

[Preet Kaur Gill MP @PreetKGillMP]

To my Labour colleagues we criticised the Tories for chaos and division and we cannot now inflict the same on the country ourselves.

People are angry and hurt, yes. But turning inwards helps nobody. We have a King’s Speech in two days.

Calm down, unite, and get on with the job.

[Leon Green @leongreen]

Why do you think that show was so well observed?

[Iona Fyfe @ionafyfe]

This literally is an episode of the Thick of It

[Leon Green @leongreen]

@ProfSunnySingh Seems a good day for it...

[Leon Green @leongreen]

This was very good from Starmer. More of this please!

[Keir Starmer @Keir_Starmer]

Watch my press conference live. https://t.co/ZXx4qGaDBI

[Lewis Goodall @lewis_goodall]

Whereas of course Trump’s plan is comprehensive and well thought through.

[Leon Green @leongreen]

@HugoPap2 There’s no such thing as a super majority

[Leon Green @leongreen]

@narindertweets 🎯

[Leon Green @leongreen]

@narindertweets @JuliaHB1

[Leon Green @leongreen]

@DominicG1990