For weeks Andy Burnham had been fluttering those Joan Collins eyelashes and insisting it was all too early to talk about a Labour leadership election. No one believed him.

Burnham has a political CV most of the British public would roll their eyes at — but the man who hopes to run Britain will keep fighting as an outsider.

Burnham argued that 'the public here are saying quite loudly to all of us, we need something different here'.

For weeks Andy Burnham had been fluttering those Joan Collins eyelashes and insisting it was all too early to talk about a Labour leadership election. No one believed him.

Burnham has announced that if he becomes prime minister, he will cut business rates for pubs and music venues by 20 per cent in 2027-28.