This morning:
“Burnham won’t call an election if he enters Downing Street, his spokesperson told Bloomberg on Tuesday.”
This follows reporting by Guido and subsequently the Sun that the option is in active consideration in the Burnham camp. Burnham is currently shaping his political statements to reassure a) voters in Makerfield and b) Labour MPs who will vote in a contest. When the hypothetical Burnham Bounce comes on his ascension to Downing Street, expect that argument to begin shifting the other way…
After reports over the weekend about the possibility, Team Burnham refused to comment. Until they got scared enough this morning…
Burnham organisers like Lucy Powell are also beginning to push for a coronation of the Manchester mayor as opposed to a leadership contest post-Makerfield. Good luck…
Former leader of the SNP in Westminster Ian Blackford told Times Radio why he believes Nicola Sturgeon’s claim that she spent no time in the kitchen and therefore didn’t see any of her husband’s purchases:
“She doesn’t have a passion for cooking.”