Miliband is back and this from the impeccably connected George Eaton suggests he is still not past the denial stage of loss:

“having returned from his holiday in Ibiza, I’m told that Miliband has been advising MPs on the lessons to learn from the defeat. The former leader has told colleagues not to listen to figures such as Peter Mandelson and not to turn rightwards, according to sources. “He’s not staying out of it,” one Labour insider told me (although the former leader will not be endorsing a candidate). Miliband is said to have emphasised that his party lost due to the failure of millions of notional supporters to turn out… Left-wingers have argued that this demonstrates the need for a more radical offer to enthuse this group, rather than a more moderate pitch aimed at winning over Conservative voters.”

Good luck with that.

Miliband might not be endorsing anyone but his campaign chief Lucy Powell and other members of his former Shadow Cabinet are falling over themseslves declaring for Burnham, as you can see on Guido’s spreadsheet of the public Labour MP endorsements so far. Send any others to team@order-order.com.

Listen to Ed, you know you want to…