Jen Williams

It was something, so it was to do with, I think you lot had had some kind of lobby World Cup League thing going on and Andy had come higher than Keir Starmer in it.

And he said, oh, it's a brilliant result for Andy.

His boyhood team of Argentina managed to win.

But having said that, his boyhood team of France lost and his boyhood teams of Morocco and Croatia both drew.

But he doesn't know his way to Westminster anyway or something like that.

Which is essentially the thing that I've written about what these jokes kind of tell you.

I think if we're going to be absolutely fair here at the same time, I was watching it from up here and down in London, Keir Starmer's people were issuing vicious briefings against Andy Burnham at the same time, right?

So Sue Gray briefly mended those bridges and then Sue Gray went away and I think we continued as we were.

I think it's two hugely capacitive men in two power bases at other ends of the country, sizing each other up, and Keir Starmer knowing damn well that Andy Burden wants this job.

Quick update for post-resignation.

This is I mean, this is pretty nightmarish, isn't it?

Because I think I'm right in saying like this is as much as we're talking about him wanting to fight on.

There also seems to be a kind of legacy vibe currently coming out of number 10.

And this was sort of supposed to be some kind of set piece part of that.

Right.

So it's about, you know, this is not ideal for that.

I think any allies of Burnham who are currently in government are going to be particularly acutely aware of the list of problems that they're already dealing with, plus the difficulty of trying to get a budget through, right?

Equally, you know, I've certainly come across several people, as I think you have, Jim, who's around Burnham, who think he just needs to move quickly.

Equally, you know, I spoke to somebody last night who just basically said, look, there isn't really a plan for what happens when he gets back down there.

It is essentially, there will have to be a contest of some kind, potentially, if Keir Starmer won't move.