Wes Streeting has suggested his successor as health secretary made an unaffordable deal to end a long-running doctor's strike, as he joined Labour big-hitters batting their eyelids at Andy Burnham.Mr Streeting, who quit Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet last month, said he breathed a sign of relief when the British Medical Association (BMA) accepted a new offer from James Murray at the end of June. But he used an appearance on a radio phone-in to say that the agreement to end industrial action by resident doctors was more generous than he had been prepared to give them. He was one of eight Labour big beasts out pitching for jobs under new boss Andy Burnham today as the Downing Street handover looms.Others include Ed Miliband - pushed by allies as the next Chancellor - Shabana Mahmood and Pat McFadden. Peter Kyle, Mr Murray, Emma Reynolds and Darren Jones also have engagements, while Angela Rayner and Yvette Cooper were out and about yesterday. Mr Streeting said he would 'frankly do whatever I can to roll my sleeves up' as he hosted a phone-in on LBC radio.He added saccharine praise for an incoming PM who had 'rebuilt hope' with his Makerfield by-election win.But he reserved some backhanded praise for the current health secretary, saying: 'My successor James Murray came in, got them round the table, offered them a more generous deal than I was prepared to offer – and argued the country could afford – and got them to agree it.'I'm sure I wasn't the only person who breathed a sigh of relief when that deal was done and thought finally we can get the NHS really motoring now.' Mr Streeting, who quit Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet last month, said he breathed a sign of relief when the British Medical Association accepted a new offer from James Murray - but suggested the country could not afford it A host of Labour big beasts are out pitching for jobs under Andy Burnham today as the Downing Street handover looms They include Ed Miliband (pictured), who is being pushed by allies as the next Chancellor Mr Murray has previously said that settling the walk out would cost £200million this year, saying it was 'less than the cost of one more week's worth of strikes'. The presumed new PM is expected to keep everyone guessing about jobs, with suggestions he will not announce any roles until he takes over from Keir Starmer.Mr Burnham must strike a tricky balance in drawing up his senior team, with warnings from female Labour MPs that there must be gender equality in the ministerial ranks. Mr Miliband has been heavily tipped to take charge of No11, despite alarm from business, unions and party moderates.But brother David is also in the frame for a shock comeback, potentially resuming his old role as Foreign Secretary. Some senior Labour colleagues are scathing about Ms Cooper's performance, with one telling the Daily Mail she has been 'useless'. Critics have pointed out that would mean two of the four traditional great offices of state being occupied by Milibands, with only one – Home Secretary – available to be held by a woman.Another New Labour stalwart, Ed Balls, is rumoured to be returning, possibly running a commission rather than in Cabinet. Adding to the complexity, he is married to Ms Cooper.Work and Pensions Secretary Mr McFadden made his own low-key pitch to stay in government.After Mr Burnham laid out his plan to devolve more power to regional and local governments, Mr McFadden used a speech this morning to highlight the work he had done to help employment by working with the Scottish and Welsh governments.Praising the work done in the Connect to Work programme he said: 'That's all devolved, it's all delivered locally, and that's a really important program. Some of the elected mayors are doing youth trailblazers, where we've given them a certain amount of money with lots of flexibility, saying try different things in your area to get young people into work.So, we've done some of this, but I think they can do more in the future, because local labour markets do differ, and the advantage of devolution is this: it can get around this "departmentalitis", which I think can be a problem in Whitehall.'Mr Miliband is due to answer questions in the House of Commons. Ms Mahmood, Mr Kyle and Ms Reynolds - regarded as a close ally of Mr Burnham - are all appearing before Parliamentary committees.Mr Murray took part in a Sky News special on maternity services this morning, while Mr Jones, a Starmer loyalist, is scheduled to speak at a Politico event this evening. Ms Cooper penned a wide-ranging essay about the state of the world yesterday - including a striking warning that AI could be like 'Hiroshima'.In his only broadcast interview since Sir Keir's resignation, Mr Burnham told LBC last week that he was 'deliberately' not making decisions about jobs. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is hoping to stay in one of the Great Offices of State The presumed new PM is expected to keep everyone guessing - with suggestions he will not announce any roles until he takes over from Keir Starmer (pictured) Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden is making a speech later'Westminster goes into its normal mode and it wants to endlessly speculate about personalities before policy and before direction,' he said.'I very deliberately have said ''no, I'm going to set out a new direction for the country''.'I think it's really important that, firstly, people understand what is being proposed here, and then consider what their contribution to delivering that new direction would be.'However, Mr Burnham's stance appears to be causing some difficulties in preliminary talks with the civil service, as they typically involve the politicians who are going to take over specific departments.