I have just got back from a thoroughly hot and sticky walk with Bella. It is the kind of close, humid weather that makes you want to sit in a dark room with a fan on full blast, but instead, Bella spent the entire time chasing things she had absolutely no chance of catching. Honestly, it feels like a rather fitting metaphor for UK politics right now.
Because, like it or not, it is officially happening. On Monday, 20th July, the keys to Number 10 are being handed over yet again. This time, Andy Burnham gets to sit in the big chair, taking over from Keir Starmer.
I will be perfectly honest and admit that I do not know a massive amount about the man. As a floating voter with absolutely zero allegiance to any political party, I only care about one thing: what is actually best for the country. Let's face it, the last 30 years or so of governance have been an abject failure, regardless of who was wearing the shiny rosettes. We are long overdue a bit of basic competence.
The Great Westminster Parachute
The actual mechanics of how this has all played out leaves a slightly sour taste. Having a sitting MP conveniently step aside so Burnham can parachute in, stand for election, and subsequently take the top job feels a bit like a rigged game of musical chairs played by people who happen to own the chairs.
However, it perfectly highlights a point I made on here a little while ago. I talked about a massive talent vacuum within the Labour Party, and UK politics as a whole. When Starmer started dialling up the ghosts of the 1990s and 2000s to shore up his position after a hammering at the local elections, it was a glaring red flag. It showed that he simply did not trust his own team. Now, Labour have essentially bypassed the entire current front bench to draft Burnham in from the outside.
Good Luck, You'll Need It
Fingers crossed Burnham will make a huge difference to the lives of everyone in the UK. I genuinely wish him the best of luck. He is going to need every single piece of luck available to him, plus a minor miracle. After all, while the man at the top might be changing, the MPs scurrying around beneath him are the exact same rabble as previous.
Let's see what Monday brings, assuming we don't all melt first.
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