WHY? The biggest small word in the English language.
As an inquisitive child, it was my favourite question and one which followed every iota of information I was ever given. The resultant catatonic expression on the faces of my parents, those entrusted with my education and strangers at bus stops was an early indication that my insatiable curiosity was exhausting.
Hoping to protect the mental health of those around me I continued my search for answers in the relative safety of my local library.
During an era that had yet to discover the pro’s and cons of Google, AI and social media I learned the importance of context. I also discovered that the best answers to my questions relied heavily on the quality of the questions I asked.
In a world where information is both constant and immediate, often from sources which do not involve human critical thinking but computer code, the quality of the questions we seek answers to, has never been more important.
The quiz game Jeopardy may help to illustrate my point here where the answers are provided and the aim is to figure out the question.
Answer 1. A Cob, Muffin, Barm Cake, or a Stottie are regional names of bread products associated with a Tik Tok Video.
Question 1. What is Andy Burnham?
Answer 2. ‘National Security can’t come at the expense of Social Security’ is a recent quote from a prime minister.
Question 3. Who is Andy Burnham?
WHY is the Question the same in these two examples? Andy Burnham, wasn’t even an MP until June 2026. Despite this, two months later he made the above statement in the commons, courtesy of 25,000 people in Makerfield. The black out on media scrutiny (such as it is) over the summer mean’t that there was little to go on, in regards to the beliefs of the man now currently running our country.
Over the summer and avoiding any serious declaration of his intent for our country, Andy Burnham took on the role of a social media influencer instead. For a newbie in an overpopulated market full of unsubstantiated crap, our prime ministers new job title ensured that at least his Tik Tok videos got above average traction.
There was a video of the former Mayor of Manchester playing his guitar and singing a hit by the Smiths to a soldier in Ukraine. We can only hope that it gave the exhausted war veteran some welcome respite from war (possibly not, the singing was pretty crap) but it was hardly informative of foreign policy.
Then there was Burnhman in the boozer this time drinking his pint and promising to help the hospitality trade, though a subsequent Tourist Tax announcement has since gone down like a cup of cold sick. My absolute favourite though has to be Burnham on Bread Rolls.
This time our illustrious leader, father of the second door to number 10 and the man tasked with finding solutions to the considerable problems facing this country, ranging from an invasion of illegal migrants, a soon to be bankrupt economy, a health service barely fit for purpose to name but a few, waxed lyrical about regional names for our daily staple.
Now it is possible that an Oven Bottom Muffin maker in Manchester might give a shit, but I think I speak for many of us who absolutely do not.
Why on earth did this affable, back slapping guy with eye lashes that he flutters furiously each time any one looks in his direction think that this would provide any insight into his politics? Or perhaps that was the point?
Cash strapped Brits who go to work each week only to watch their hard earned cash spent in ways that are manifestly unfair, don’t care what you call a bread roll you complete baguette!!
PMQ’s this week, however, did give us the first real insight into what we can we can expect from the policies of Andrew Murray Burnham. Unfortunately, he demonstrated only that he was woefully out of his depth and more at home in a Manchester boardroom, than a ministerial despatch box.
During his exchange with a more competent performer in the commons in the shape of Kemi Badenoch, a decent leader but unfortunately, in charge of more wets than you would find in a swimming pool, a truth bomb was dropped. Maybe delivered unintentionally, and to play to his back benchers, but in doing so, Burnham gave us the first real glimpse of his true political leanings. The indications are that they are much further to the left of common sense than he has so far let it be known.
He proudly declared that ‘there can be no National Security without social security”.
Jaws dropped and my own is still south of its usual position hours later.
If we do not have National Security or even financial security there can be no Social security. At its most base, the age old adage of ‘safety first’ looms large in many areas of our lives yet Mr. Burnham continued to insist that he was showing true leadership.
I imagine that the followers of the original opinionated lemming regarded their leader to be staunch and true too, right up to the point when they reached the cliff edge and discovered he was actually a bit of a dick.
It seems that this PM’s priorities are the continued expansion of the welfare state through tax rises with no regard to the unfairness of his ideological stance on who benefits from these revenues. I know that I am invisible to the state as beneficiary, but I do have potential as a tax target, the scope of which is getting wider than Watford Gap.
Our current Chancellor of the exchequer John Healey resigned from Keir Starmers government on a point of principle. He said at the time that the proposed settlement of the defence investment plan ‘Fall’s well short of what is required for defence and the country at this dangerous time’
In his resignation letter, he added that the then prime minister and Rachel Reeves had been unable, and unwilling to commit the resources that our nation needed at a time of rising threats. Strange how his principles seem to have evaporated as quickly as a Florida snowman now that he is in a position to ‘walk the walk’. Almost makes you wonder if this principled man, was just another plotter in the coup to topple Starmer for his own ends doesn’t it?
Sorry, there I go again with more questions. At times I exhaust myself. But I have never felt the need to ask more of them than I do now. Indeed more of us should be utilizing this small but powerful word more forensically than perhaps we do.
Why? Because I can’t help but feel that the game of Jeopardy which we are all involved in now, whether we realise it or not, is a lot more hazardous than it might seem.
Why? More next time.