Alistair Campbell

Listen, we're going to talk about Keir and Andy Burnham in the second half, but I actually think on the... So let's just say last week, you and I, and particularly I, were absolutely splitting blood feathers the lot about what he said about NATO troops pulling back from the front line.

Keir Starmer did eventually go out and called it out for what it was and may or may not pay a price for that.

Likewise, I think you'd be harsh.

I think he did stick with the Europeans on tariffs.

Yeah, okay, okay.

Well, listen, we'll talk about Keir Starmer again after the break, and I suspect you'll be even less flattering.

Welcome back to The Rest Is Polities with me, Alistair Campbell.

Hold on.

Before we get into this, you're sort of describing Andy Burden, though, as though we're talking about Nelson Mandela or Abraham Lincoln.

Or Matt Hancock.

Exactly.

Not that bad.

So I imagine that a lot of our British listeners will know what's been going on with Starmer and Burnham.

Some of our international listeners may not.

Andy Burnham, former cabinet minister under the last Labour government, Manchester mayor, pretty popular figure up there, but has made no secret of his desire to get back into parliament.

So he put his name forward for the long list of candidates for a by-election that's just come up in Manchester.

And the national executive, the ruling national executive, had a committee hearing over the weekend and voted by eight to one for him not to be allowed to put his name forward.

They say he should stay and deliver on his mandate for four years as Manchester Bear.

This is a tricky one for me.

I think they're both wrong.