Andy Burnham has secured endorsements from 322 Labour MPs, falling just one short of the 323 required to make a leadership challenge mathematically impossible. After days of limbo, the Greater Manchester mayor is widely expected to become the next prime minister, with Keir Starmer poised to resign and parliament set to enter recess. Burnham could take office next Monday, with the transition unfolding more like a royal wedding than a typical political handover, according to columnist Zoe Williams.
The Magic Number and Choreographed Suspense
The delay in reaching the magic number has been attributed to a need for choreographed suspense, with Williams suggesting that the final endorsements might ideally arrive via wax-sealed letter carried by horse or bird. Avoiding a contest, even a brief one, prevents comparisons to Liz Truss’s succession of Rishi Sunak or Theresa May’s of David Cameron, which Williams says would evoke associations of “Oh hell, not this again.” Instead, the change is unfolding with a sense of ceremony, though Williams warns that citizens should remain sceptical, as governing the country is a nightmare akin to marrying into the royal family.
World Cup Victory Could Intensify Unrealistic Expectations
Williams argues that the lack of precedent for such a coronation means the media may overreact, especially if England wins the World Cup. A victory in the semi-final or final could disastrously intensify national delusion, with “hope in every heart” leading to unrealistic expectations for Burnham. Future disappointments, inevitable in politics, would then feel like betrayal rather than normal life. Williams advises Burnham to hold his nerve and hope that no one starts celebrating with a pint and the national anthem at 11am on the morning after the final.
The article concludes that Burnham’s ascendance would be better if it remained in the realm of the normal, with a typical mix of supporters and critics. However, that is not for him to decide; he must simply wait and see how events unfold.
