How Is Andy Burnham Preparing For Government?
7/18/202641 min
Today we look at how Andy Burnham is preparing for government on the weekend before he’s due to move into Number 10.
He’s still to make decisions around his cabinet public, but we reveal how he’s actually keeping a lot of Starmer’s staff.
Laura, Paddy and Hennry Zeffman discuss his plans for oil and gas after the BBC is told he’s planning to announce new drilling off the coast of Scotland and ask, does that give us a clue as to who the chancellor will be?
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Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Paddy O'Connell and Laura Kuenssberg. It was made by Chris Flynn with Kris Jalowiecki. The social producer was Jesse Fox. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsLaura Kuenssberg· Host0:00
Politics is a funny old game, isn't it? We had yesterday, at roughly the same time, the tremendous high for Andy Burnham doing embarrassing dad dancing on the stage, so happy he was to finally have become leader of the Labour Party.
Paddy O'Connell· Host0:11
[clapping] This is new order.
Laura Kuenssberg· Host0:13
There they are.
Paddy O'Connell· Host0:14
"I used to think that this day could never come," Henry says, is the important line.
Henry Zeffman· Host0:19
Well, because Andy Burnham has dreamed of this moment for at least 16 years, since he first tried to become leader of the Labour Party, and I'm sure there were periods even within the last year where he thought this day would never come, and now he is crowned leader of the Labour Party, and within 48 hours of us recording this, Prime Minister.
Laura Kuenssberg· Host0:37
What do we think about politicians dancing?
Paddy O'Connell· Host0:39
Don't.
Laura Kuenssberg· Host0:39
I mean, was that spontaneous dad dancing joy that is going to put a song in the hearts of middle-aged men around the country saying, "Look, I'm not the only one who looks like a bit of a plum"?
Paddy O'Connell· Host0:47
[laughs] Well, well, the thing is, Theresa May did it to Dancing Queen.
Laura Kuenssberg· Host0:51
She did.
Paddy O'Connell· Host0:52
And she managed, sort of, she managed to get to the center of the stage.
Laura Kuenssberg· Host0:55
She did.
Paddy O'Connell· Host0:56
And then she stopped. [laughs] And, and then, then you've got to remember Tony Blair, things can only get better, but he never danced.
Laura Kuenssberg· Host1:01
No, other people did, though. There's that shot, isn't it, like, of Neil Kinnock and Peter Mandelson sort of doing, like, awkward bopping.
Paddy O'Connell· Host1:08
Awkward bopping. That's what- Awkward bopping ... political dancing is awkward bopping.
Laura Kuenssberg· Host1:13
Awkward bopping.
Paddy O'Connell· Host1:13
I was there when Clinton was nominated, and they played Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow- Yes ... on a loop.
Laura Kuenssberg· Host1:19
Yes.
Paddy O'Connell· Host1:19
And people in the audience danced.
Laura Kuenssberg· Host1:22
Did he dance?
Paddy O'Connell· Host1:22
No.
Laura Kuenssberg· Host1:23
Did he play the saxophone? He sometimes did that.
Paddy O'Connell· Host1:25
Yeah, but he waved, that thing where you wave to people you can't see.
Laura Kuenssberg· Host1:28
Oh, amazing, or you're waving at

