Don’t agree with it all, but an interesting read.
Interesting perspective. Lots to unpack there.
Will Self talking about Burnhamism:
Well, I think the last time I was in Wigan I had a smack barm, which is the end bits of chips that are out of the bottom of the pan in the chip shop and then, you know what a barm is, it’s a buttered roll, soft butter roll. A smack barm, as I remember, in Wigan was 10p. So this is a poor constituency. It’s a very poor constituency. Labour are looking for an organic figure to unite them with their past who’s going to cancel out time in a way. The Burnham factor is an ideological factor that’s to do with a nostalgia, almost what you might call a Uchronia; a time that never was. It’s like the old Hovis advert with Dvořák’s New World Symphony playing.
“And he went up the hill to get a loaf of bread and it was always, you know, a smack barm.”
Where is the detailed policy thinking? What he seems to be running on is communitarianism and as I say, this image of an organic Labour past that somehow can be resurrected in a digital age when drone warfare is determining European politics, not cycling up the hill to get a loaf of Hovis.
I think Will Self might look at the things Burnham has said and done in Manchester to get a feel for policy. To say there’s no detail gives the impression that Self has phoned in whatever piece that comes from. Burnham isn’t exactly shy in saying what he stands for
Given Self’s previous “recreational” pursuits I was very disappointed to read the actual contents of the smack barm.
Always enjoy former hack Beverley Glick’s gossipy recollections of the 80s. In this one, she recalls an entertaining West End night out with the PSBs, featuring that dive bar
Neil left us in no doubt as to the reason for this display of decadence. “To spend as much of EMI’s money as possible,” he confirmed
this is a fascinating read about how Greater Manchester changed over the years
Not music related, but art related. A little piece I enjoyed on the Group of Seven (Canadian artists).
Interesting that it advocates for long-termism when we’re about to turn over YET another PM
Good read, thanks
That’s a great read - thanks @Hierbas
We arrived in Manchester the year of the Commonwealth Games and this is one of the best things I’ve read on so-called Manchesterism.
I’d add Eamonn Boylan who was the Stockport equivalent of Bernstein and between them they did brilliant work as council chief execs rather than politicians to develop Manchester and Stockport. One thing definitely missing is also the BBC move to Salford which has had a massive agglomeration effect alongside three major universities.
The problem is that none of the success story extends very far into Greater Manchester to places like Rochdale or Oldham (yet).
Don’t get me started on Burnham … none of the successes are down to him. He’s got an ego the size of a small planet. He was initially opposed to the bus scheme. He’ll be a disastrous PM and will usher in a Reform government.
Only a small planet? I’d say a large one 
last Burnham post unless he does something to really annoy me … but today’s Mill really gets him
Headline of the week?
I used to think the balearic world was above such skullduggery but not in Ibiza… exploiting a dying man to advance your career is pretty disgusting.
…and Rustybullethole feeling the need to big himself up in the comments. Why?
More on this on Secret DJ Facebook.
good to see Dribbler being outed
Re Will Self. I was stood behind him once with his kids in a queue at a chocolate stand at Barbican when my kid was little. One of his asked ‘why are Maltesers called Maltesers?’ and he answered in his very Will Self way, ‘because they tease you and they’re malty’. It did make me lol.