Axel Kacoutié

Andy Burnham apologises for Labour’s delayed call for a ceasefire in Gaza, acknowledging that the party’s stance did not get things right. He stops short of describing the situation on the ground as genocide. The podcast revisits an edited conversation between Guardian journalists Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey, originally recorded and published in July.

Allegations that Keir Starmer has left Andy Burnham with a £4.7bn defence funding gap prompt discussion of the political implications and possible options for Burnham as the likely incoming prime minister. The episode examines the government’s £15bn defence investment plan, the response from Labour figures, and broader questions surrounding party strategy and internal dynamics.

Andy Burnham’s first major speech as MP for Makerfield calls the Westminster system broken and sets out plans for a ‘No 10 North’, expanded devolution, large-scale council housebuilding and broad-based economic growth. The discussion examines what these proposals signal about his economic ambitions and future leadership direction.