Lucy Fisher

He will just want to take a beat after the results to finalise his strategy.

And there are some people around him who are still sort of suggesting it would be beneficial to leave a longer break before entering Downing Street.

You know, he's had to at the moment, you know, fight a local campaign, sort of fight a campaign within the party, as well as sort of start to think about his first 100-day sprint in government if he does take the premiership.

And there are some around him who think that more planning, especially around some of the key economic questions ahead of very difficult budget this autumn, that in addition will be a glide path towards the next spending review, that it makes more sense to take some time and avoid any early mistakes.

Absolutely.

And lots of unfavourable comparisons now being made between the UK and Italy, which has famously been a byword for instability within Europe.

I think most people in Westminster agree that the level of churn has not been good for the governance and the government of the UK yet.

And in addition to that, you know, seventh prime minister in a decade, we'll be on to our eighth chancellor.

I think it will be the 10th foreign secretary.

So in other departments as well, you know, just so much turnover leads to instability and holds up making process or even implementing policies.

None of them have so far.

Welcome to Political Fix from the Financial Times with me, Lucy Fisher.

Now we are recording this in a pub in Makerfield where I've been on the ground for two days now trying to take the political temperature ahead of the by-election next week.

It is shaping up to be potentially the most historic by-election in British history.

It could change the course of the country if Labour candidate Andy Burnham wins and successfully challenges Sir Keir Starmer as we know he's planning to do

for the premiership.

And we're just sitting down to record as John Healey, the defence secretary, has sensationally resigned in protest over the financial settlement for Britain's military.

So, so much to discuss here with Jennifer Williams, the FT's Northern England correspondent.

Hi, Jen.

Hi, Lucy.