If I lived in Manchester and had voted in Burnham as mayor I’d expect him to serve the allotted full term that the electorate were kind enough to grant him.
To jump ship at the chance of hauling himself further up the political greasy pole would annoy me, and I suspect a significant number of those who voted him in feel the same. Therefore, I go against the general received wisdom that had Burnham been allowed to stand in the by-election the result would be a shoo-in for Labour.
I found it disappointing – though hardly surprising – that he attempted to stand, and my reaction was one of hoping he got stuffed and the unnecessary, costly election for a new mayor went to Reform. Naked ambition one second, out into the long grass with tail between legs the next.
I haven’t formulated a firm opinion on Polanski yet, though superficially I don’t really warm to him. Some have asked why he didn’t put himself forward for the by-election. I’d like to think it’s because being an elected member of the London Assembly he didn’t think it right to abandon that ship. If so, the warmth increases a notch or two.