Mike Burton

Pippa, where was the journalism? Louise Haigh has now publicly stated that plans for Andy Burnham's return were being discussed a full year before they came to fruition. If that is true, why was this not the biggest political story in Britain? Why was The Guardian not leading the investigation instead of merely commenting upon the consequences?This was never simply another Westminster story. It concerned the manner in which the Leader of the Labour Party, and therefore potentially the next Prime Minister, would come to office. The Guardian has long enjoyed unrivalled access to senior Labour figures, advisers and those at the very centre of political decision making. Are readers seriously expected to believe that a plan of such magnitude could have been in motion for an entire year without the newspaper hearing even the faintest whisper of it? That stretches credibility to its limits.If the Parliamentary Labour Party had effectively determined the outcome before Labour members were given any meaningful opportunity to influence the choice, then this was one of the most important democratic stories of recent years. Yet the newspaper that once built its reputation upon exposing what those in authority wished to conceal appeared content to observe events rather than investigate them. Thousands upon thousands of Labour members have since resigned because they believe their voice no longer matters. That alone should have prompted searching questions and sustained investigation. Instead there was silence where there should have been relentless scrutiny. So I ask a simple question. Did The Guardian fail to uncover one of the most significant political stories of modern times despite its exceptional access to the Labour Party, or did it know far more than it chose to publish while these events were unfolding? Either answer raises profound questions about the present state of political journalism. The Guardian once set the standard for holding power to account. Many readers are now entitled to ask whether that tradition has been abandoned when the story concerned those with whom it enjoyed its closest relationships.

Undermine the party leader for two years. Build a team of disgruntled insiders. Leak to the press. Bribe MPs to stand down. Don't announce cabinet positions so those you've strung along can't rebel. Profit.

So Louise Haigh sacked from Cabinet has “been working on a plan for a year” with Andy Burnham. We paid her and him for that year to do their day jobs,support the Prime Minister and government. Not to plan a coup in the background. Outrageous. Resign! @LBC @SkyNews @BBCNews

No economic credibility whatsoever. Cannot even take simple, obvious, evidence-based decisions. It’s completely unsustainable, every economist has said so. Crippling us. Even the great sage Gary Stevenson (🙄) - allegedly advising AB (🙄🙄) - says so.

Things are becoming clearer - day by day. Lucy Powell is no longer hiding that she & others were planning to depose PM Starmer & install Burnham over a year ago. When Burnham appoints his Cabinet - will be interesting to see how many of the existing members were also complicit.

So it’s all been planned for months- Deputy Leader plotting to remove the elected leader- total disgrace

What an unusual coup. You do a deal with a local MP where you get his job with the prospect he can then work for you, causing £5m in by elections. You then topple the Prime Minister, and decide - before you're even in charge - to move the country's seat of power to... your own back yard in a *£1 billion* campus you and two of your friends have 'been working' on 'for a long time'. And the friends you worked on that with? One of them was deputy to the guy you just toppled, with the full inside track, and the other you're currently trying to help into your old job.

God knows how Keir must feel about this but even I feel deeply betrayed. A supporter since I was 14 and a member for 46 years, now just disillusioned. I truly thought we were better than this.

Total Rubbish , I was there , this period in history will be remembered as one of the worst , treachery , thuggery and arrogance of one man and followed by sheep , called MPs and you are one of them , people will never forgive what , Burnhan, Nandy and Streeting have done