King in the North Andy Burnham is keeping up his campaign against the Labour leadership’s supposed commitment to fiscal rules. As rumours abound that Reeves is planning to remove large spending projects from the government’s balance sheet to pretend they aren’t costs, it looks like he’s might get his wish…

Burnham said on the Today Programme he was glad to hear of a return to Labour’s high-borrowing strategy:

“I am very encouraged by those by those kind of noises that we’re we’re hearing, and if you remember that phrase “borrow to invest,” it was a favorite of Gordon Brown’s back in the day – because it makes sense… that’s how the Treasury needs to see investment.”

The mayor went on to press for a new land value tax “to capture some of that uplift that comes from the infrastructure.” Reeves has ruled out some tax rises – she can always make new ones…

It looks like Andy Burnham’s not too keen to keep the hatchet buried with the Labour leadership after their ceasefire late last year. He’s been struggling through Labour’s decision to cut the Winter Fuel Allowance and resigned himself to arguing that more pensioners should be able to keep the benefit. Now the King in the North launches an attack on Starmer’s supposed fiscal prudence…

Burnham says today that the Treasury needs to urgently stop obsessing over “controlling public spending” and “understand that growth comes from giving hope and planting seeds, rather than saying no to everything.“ A thinly disguised jab at Labour’s favourite excuse for slashing away at some public spending…

After ostentatiously cutting Starmer out of his re-election campaign Burnham now says he’s set “growth tests” for Labour which include fulfilling their rail infrastructure spending commitments. Everyone knows he’s keen for “one last go” at the Westminster rat race “if a path opens up” – is Andy smelling blood?

Andy Burnham launched his re-election campaign today at old gig venue the Salford Lads Club. Polls should make for a relaxed atmosphere in the Burnham team…

No mention of Andy’s party here. Who needs the Starmer brand anyway?

Sir Keir is up in front of the cameras at 11 a.m. this morning to defend his position on the Israel-Hamas war. Having grown a spine last night after Rishi Sunak sacked Paul Bristow, Starmer suspended the whip from Andy McDonald, and is now set to face off against the left flank of his party demanding an immediate ceasefire. Despite the squawks of Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan…

Starmer will – for now at least – stand by his statement last week, calling for “humanitarian pauses” to allow aid distribution and civilian evacuations, but not an outright ceasefire. He’ll argue that would be a gift for Hamas. It is essentially the same position Rishi has taken…

The Q&A session after the speech should be the one to watch. Popcorn at the ready…

The Starmer-Burnham peace treaty lasted a grand total of 19 days. This morning Burnham has written in The Independent to warn Sir Keir it is “simply not possible” for Labour to have a clear position on the Israel-Hamas war, and insist it is actually “healthy” for “different views” to be aired. A total ceasefire would certainly be “healthy” for the Hamas terrorists who would regroup and launch a thousand more rockets across the border….

Burnham said this morning:

“In times like this, it is simply not possible quickly to arrive at a clear party line. People will have different views and it is healthy for those views to be aired… MPs’ feelings will change daily as they react to events, balance views of constituents and try to formulate a settled view. Let’s not brand them as disloyal or as if they don’t care about innocent lives.”

“MPs feelings will change daily as they react to events” reads like a disclaimer that should be tattooed on the heads of half the MPs in Westminster. Meanwhile LOTO is sitting on its hands over the growing rebellion, with frontbencher Peter Kyle saying yesterday it is unlikely those who call for a ceasefire will be sacked. A real test of Starmer’s mettle… 

Andy Burnham says he’s finally made up with Keir Starmer after a year-long briefing war over the prize of the Labour leadership. Speaking to The Guardian today, Burnham admitted his relationship with the Labour leader was in a bad place “last year“, and seems to suggest it was Sue Gray who acted as marriage counsellor:

“I think we’re in a good place. We’re meeting, we’re working together. There’s a much better, I would say, working relationship than let’s say this time last year. I’m just going to be honest about that and I appreciate it. And it’s been led by Keir. Sue Gray is making a real, genuine difference…”

Gray must be a relationship guru, because Burnham was complaining about LOTO’s negative briefings just two months ago, and admitting he still fancied a tilt at the leadership himself. Now Starmer’s position is secure, there’s no point trying to nick his job…