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 TimesLara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday TimesPatrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The TimesProducers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry KitsonExecutive producer: Molly GuinnessPicture: Getty ImagesAudio: ReutersEmail us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.uk0:00 - Can Andy Burnham Build the Plane Mid-Flight?1:15 - Drama on the Commons Terrace: Euphoria & Champagne4:20 - Keir Starmer's "Revenge" Timetable6:30 - The Next Chancellor: Miliband vs. Streeting vs. Mahmood13:12 - Scrapping the Triple Lock & Upcoming Wealth Taxes17:37 - Inside Number 10: Starmer's Farewell Speech19:33 - The £10bn Defence Plan Rupturing Labour21:55 - Civil Service Gridlock: Why Access Talks Are Delayed25:20 - The Crypto Billionaire Bankrolling Nigel Farage & Reform UK29:00 - 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. 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 RadioSteven Swinford, political editor, The TimesLara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday TimesProducers: Harry Kitson, Erin CarneyExecutive producer: Molly GuinnessPicture: Getty Images00:00 - Intro: "They’re Going to Have to Drag Him Out"00:20 - Welcome to The State of It: The Makerfield Shockwave00:56 - An Extraordinary Result: How Andy Burnham Defied Political Gravity03:00 - "Vote Burnham, Get Starmer Out" Campaign Strategy04:05 - 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 Transition09:16 - The Secret List: 80+ MPs Backing Andy Burnham11:06 - Nigel Farage's Disappointment: Reform UK Share Drops12:00 - Kemi Badenoch's Tories Resurge in Scotland13:04 - Did Reform UK Choose the Wrong Candidate?14:04 - The Identity Schism Deepening Inside Reform UK16:00 - What Does an Andy Burnham Premiership Actually Stand For?17:48 - Tax Overhauls: Radical Land Tax vs. Council Tax18:38 - The NATO Summit and the Defense Investment Plan Dilemma21:00 - Tough Decisions on Welfare Cuts and Benefits23:16 - The Power Brokers: Louise Haig & Anneliese Midgley24:40 - Cabinet Secrets: Ed Miliband vs. Shabana Mahmood27:12 - Shabana Mahmood’s Hardline Immigration Reforms28:22 - 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.

The end of Britain’s political duopoly now looks complete, as Labour suffers a catastrophic by-election defeat to the Greens in Gorton and Denton. Reform comes second, while the Tories lose their deposit with just 2% of the vote. Keir Starmer is now a prisoner of the left, and Britain is undergoing a tectonic realignment of its electoral politics.Steven Swinford, political editor, The TimesPatrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The TimesGabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor, The Sunday TimesProducer: Euan DawtreyExecutive producer: Molly GuinnessPicture credit: Getty ImagesEmail us: thestateofit@thetimes.co.ukThis 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.