As Britain baked during the unprecedented heatwave, Andy Burnham and his Chancellor John Healey were forced to find refuge from their stuffy Downing Street flats in No10’s walled garden.
It was there that the pair spent most evenings outside in the cooler air, talking and unwinding, while thrashing out their economic vision for the country.
Burnham’s decision last month to appoint Healey to run the Treasury blindsided most of Westminster to such an extent that few ministers know what the new Chancellor stands for and what his approach to the economy will be with a crucial Budget a little over two months away.
Shorts
Indeed, one senior government minister close to the Budget discussions said they were still largely in the dark over Healey’s plans come 28 October.
