With Andy Burnham stepping down from parliament, the Staggers has a belter of a tip for who might replace him:

“The chatter in Westminster is that Paul Mason, formerly of Newsnight and Channel 4 News, now one of Jeremy Corbyn’s most forceful advocates in the press, who was born in Leigh, is being lined up for the seat.”

Mason was indeed born in Leigh in 1960, his father was a lorry driver for a local electrics company called Ward and Goldstone and his mother was headmistress of the primary school just down the round. Mason went to school in Leigh and then Bolton, so he is a proper local lad. Corbynista sources had previously suggested to Guido that we might be seeing more of Mason in the near future, though they stress it is a decision for the local party. Go on Comrade Mason, you know you want to…

UPDATE: Mason has scotched the rumours, telling Channel 4 News he categorically will not be standing. That silly season story over before it began.

UPDATE II: Although…

Spotted: @paulmasonnews and @johnmcdonnellMP having lunch in Parliament. Definitely not plotting to parachute him into Leigh.

— Eye Spy MP (@eyespymp) August 9, 2016