The State of It

Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer both want an orderly transition but one day in, it's looking anything but orderly.
It's a transition beset with bad blood and uncertainty and also some serious technical hurdles. Is he building a plane mid-flight or is he more like Gromit, sitting on a speeding train, laying down the track in front of him?
The biggest unanswered question facing Andy Burnham is who will be his chancellor. Three names are in contention: bookmakers' favourite Wes Streeting, rank outsider Shabana Mahmood, and Ed Miliband — the bête noire of the bond markets.
Patrick reports from parliament's bars, where the champagne is flowing and Labour MPs have suddenly become shameless attention-seekers, hoping to seduce Andy Burnham's allies.

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture: Getty Images
Audio: Reuters

Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk

0:00 - Can Andy Burnham Build the Plane Mid-Flight?
1:15 - Drama on the Commons Terrace: Euphoria & Champagne
4:20 - Keir Starmer's "Revenge" Timetable
6:30 - The Next Chancellor: Miliband vs. Streeting vs. Mahmood
13:12 - Scrapping the Triple Lock & Upcoming Wealth Taxes
17:37 - Inside Number 10: Starmer's Farewell Speech
19:33 - The £10bn Defence Plan Rupturing Labour
21:55 - Civil Service Gridlock: Why Access Talks Are Delayed
25:20 - The Crypto Billionaire Bankrolling Nigel Farage & Reform UK
29:00 - Will There Be an Emergency Election?
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
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Andy Burnham could be prime minister within weeks after Keir Starmer's resignation. He may now need to build a government before the World Cup final. This is where the real trade-offs start. How long can Andy Burnham's hopey, changey, Northern Soul vibes last in Downing Street? There's already an almighty row going on over who will be his chancellor.
Also today, where did all go wrong for Keir Starmer and what did Labour MPs think of his resignation speech?
Wes Streeting has said he will not contest Andy Burnham for the Labour leadership, but are there any other possible candidates for the leadership contest?

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times

Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Producers: Harry Kitson, Euan Dawtrey

Picture credit: Getty Images
Audio: Reuters

00:00 — Starmer’s Resignation: The Total Lack of Contrition
00:48 — A Surreal Timeline: Six Prime Ministers in a Decade
01:56 — The Emotional Exit vs. The Bitter Backroom Reality
03:04 — Where It Went Wrong: Sins of Tone & Policy U-Turns
04:30 — The Brutal Verdict: "He Wasn't Up To It"
05:47 — Outsourcing Power: Sue Gray, McSweeney, and Rachel Reeves
08:46 — Enter Andy Burnham: Can He Rebrand the Labour Party?
11:36 — Ed Miliband vs. The Financial Markets
14:31 — Team Burnham's Impossible Economic Trade-offs
16:36 — Will the Gloss Wear Off? The Unforgiving Spotlight of No. 10
18:24 — Legitimacy Crisis: Nigel Farage Demands an Early Election
20:06 — The Whitehall Machine in Total Chaos
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Burnham's victory in Makerfield makes him Labour leader and prime minister in waiting. How will the next days and weeks play out?
Keir Starmer has said he will stand in a leadership contest if one is triggered. So does that mean a bloody contest rather than a coronation?
In a special episode recorded live on Times Radio with Ed Vaizey, we go through the possible scenarios.
And if Andy Burnham does become prime minister, what will he do with power? Who will be in his cabinet? We're told that Shabana Mahmood has turned down the offer of chancellor and will stay as home secretary. Is Ed Miliband still a likely candidate for chancellor? And what to do about Wes Streeting?
We also look at the Conservative win in Aberdeen South. Is this a green shoot for the Conservative Party?
And will the Makerfield result prompt some soul searching in Reform UK?

Ed Vaizey, presenter, Times Radio
Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times

Producers: Harry Kitson, Erin Carney
Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture: Getty Images

00:00 - Intro: "They’re Going to Have to Drag Him Out"
00:20 - Welcome to The State of It: The Makerfield Shockwave
00:56 - An Extraordinary Result: How Andy Burnham Defied Political Gravity
03:00 - "Vote Burnham, Get Starmer Out" Campaign Strategy
04:05 - Keir Starmer Strikes Back: Leadership Contest or Coronation?
06:37 - Starmer's Response: "I'm Not Going to Walk Away"
07:14 - Inside Starmer's Bunker: Refusing an Orderly Transition
09:16 - The Secret List: 80+ MPs Backing Andy Burnham
11:06 - Nigel Farage's Disappointment: Reform UK Share Drops
12:00 - Kemi Badenoch's Tories Resurge in Scotland
13:04 - Did Reform UK Choose the Wrong Candidate?
14:04 - The Identity Schism Deepening Inside Reform UK
16:00 - What Does an Andy Burnham Premiership Actually Stand For?
17:48 - Tax Overhauls: Radical Land Tax vs. Council Tax
18:38 - The NATO Summit and the Defense Investment Plan Dilemma
21:00 - Tough Decisions on Welfare Cuts and Benefits
23:16 - The Power Brokers: Louise Haig & Anneliese Midgley
24:40 - Cabinet Secrets: Ed Miliband vs. Shabana Mahmood
27:12 - Shabana Mahmood’s Hardline Immigration Reforms
28:22 - Wes Streeting's Defiance: Forcing a Platform Battle?
32:38 - What Happens to the Hardcore Starmer Loyalists?
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Makerfield is the most consequential by-election in history. Andy Burnham is confident he'll win. What happens then? When and how does he make a move? What can Keir Starmer do to thwart him? We have several scoops for you today.
Listen to find out which cabinet ministers are thinking of resigning after Makerfield and which senior figure has been ghosting the PM.
If Andy Burnham does get to Number 10, the whole direction of his premiership will depend on who he picks for his cabinet. We bring you the latest on what his team is thinking.
And of course it's also possible that Reform UK could beat Labour in Makerfield — what then?

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times

Executive producer: Molly Guinness
Video editor: George Clare

Picture credit: Getty Images
Audio: Times Radio
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Exclusive stories from the front line of the government's war over defence spending.
And there's a swagger about Andy Burnham's team: they're more and more confident that he'll win in Makerfield. What happens next? And how will the enmity between Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer influence the outcome?

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times
Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson
Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture: Getty Images

Email us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk
This podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.