For weeks, political commentators have been predicting the end of Andy Burnham’s honeymoon with the electorate. It hasn’t happened. When political honeymoons end, it’s usually in a sudden cloudburst. Remember when Rachel Reeves axed the Winter Fuel Payment? That’s when the heavens opened on Keir Starmer. The sun has largely shone on Burnham. He hasn’t made a disastrous decision, committed an unforgivable gaffe or done something to split his party or the country in two.
Instead, the honeymoon has simply petered out. We were promised the Caribbean, we got three long months in Rhyl. And now the nation, along with much of the Labour Party, has the creeping feeling that Burnham wasn’t the one after all. Could be worse, people think. Could be Keir Starmer. But we hoped for better, and we haven’t got it.
Honeymoons throw people together and it hasn’t taken long to figure out Andy Burnham. He’s a jolly chap, but you wouldn’t want him running the country. Except he is.
Labour was desperate to hitch itself to anyone, and grabbed Burnham. Given the dearth of talent in the cabinet, it’s easy to see how this jovial blank space floated to the top.
Burnham is a people pleaser, and the people are still broadly pleased. He wants to keep it that way. So he’s thrown us small treats such as lower bus fares, money off energy bills and a Budget designed to ‘do no harm’, rather than actually do some good. Nothing to get the juices flowing though. It’s been a long honeymoon, but at least he remembered the flip-flops. We’ve witnessed plenty of those.
Reality is sinking in – we’re just not really into him. Yesterday, the House of Commons emptied during PMQs, as Burnham mumbled tediously away. Even the combative Kemi Badenoch struggled to spice things up. She must feel like she’s thumping a wet sponge, soaking everything up and giving nothing back.
A British PM is supposed to dominate the Commons. This one slips in and out unnoticed, as if he’s only there to clear up and collect the lanyards.
Like a lot of marriages, Labour came to this one with unrealistic expectations. Now they’ve seen Burnham at close quarters, their ardour has cooled. Soon it will be the turn of voters. This honeymoon will end in the worst possible way. Apathy. By then it’ll too late. We’re stuck with him.
