Josh Halliday

But, you know, what he believes and his allies believe is that he can speak to the people who are turning to reform.

You know, the largely white working classes, former Labour voters, you know, left Labour rapidly over the last 10 years, but feel betrayed by Labour, feel they're working harder, they're taking home less.

The political system just doesn't work for them anymore.

This is what Burnham's all about.

It's what he's been all about for the last nine years as Greater Manchester Mayor.

So that's why he believes his time has come.

Another thing that he does, which hasn't had much of a show in politics in recent times, and it's not yet come up in this by-election, but I think it probably will do, is that he is quite unusual for a person on the left of politics because he can articulate a progressive form of patriotism.

He kind of does that really convincingly.

He can articulate this sense of, you know, being a nation of, you know, inclusion.

not shying away from, you know, the flag, which has become a divisive topic in politics, reclaiming St.

George's flag as a kind of, you know, symbol of pride rather than division.

He can do it in a way that doesn't feel kind of stilted and awkward.

You know, when you get cabinet ministers saying, I have St.

George's flags in my home and you just don't believe them.

Yeah.

I mean, well, he's a politician that, you know,

does go to the football, does enjoy a pint.

He seems normal.

He seems normal.

Andy Burnham had quite an ordinary upbringing.