The changing of prime ministers, rather than marking epochs, has become rather commonplace. For the politically minded, that doesn’t mean that each is without the hovering of Tony Blair’s “hand of history”. A new premiership may last 49 days, or ten years. But a truly remarkable set of circumstances would be needed for Andy Burnham’s term to be fewer than three years. Labour is not a party to defenestrate its leaders. Keir Starmer achieved an unwanted first.
In Downing Street on Monday, a day of uncompromising sunshine and unrelenting news helicopters, several things were note-worthy. There was the lectern, or rather, its absence. The arrival of four feet of varnished wood has become the visual cliche of a turbulent decade in British politics. It was testament too to Burnham’s skill – and confidence – as a communicator that he doesn’t need one.
