Andy Burnham appears to have taken another major step towards power, bringing in a big name from the Blair era – James Purnell – as his chief of staff.
What does it say about the Burnham operation and the government he is trying to build?
Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy unpack a decades-long relationship, and discuss why it’s being welcomed by Labour MPs, business and the city.
Plus, as Starmer ally Darren Jones rules himself out of a leadership challenge, is the path now clear for a Burnham coronation?
And Anne has been speaking to Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick. How do they deal with a new Labour leader, and do they have a clear narrative on migration?
