# Quite right!: inside Burnham’s brutal Labour purge

An episode of [Best of the Spectator](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/793236670), 21 Jul 2026, 51 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68358fb5e1abc4be6b0308eb/e/6a5fabb3fa136e7931c29271/media.mp3?tk=eyJ0ayI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJhZHMiOnRydWUsInNwb25zIjp0cnVlLCJzdGF0dXMiOiJwdWJsaWMifQ==&sig=gIyTMoFtTiVjAwkyzLz_iIk3eRv5b15zPc0EgzmSIPY

Andy Burnham has begun his premiership with a sweeping reshuffle, purging many of Keir Starmer’s closest allies and installing a cabinet in his own image. Has he ended Labour factionalism – or simply created a new faction of enemies? And does the appointment of John Healey as Chancellor suggest that Burnham wants a safe pair of hands rather than a rival power base? Michael and Maddie also ask whether Burnham’s early promises can survive contact with economic reality. With billions already pledged on defence, energy bills, transport and public ownership, where will the money come from – and what is his plan for growth? Plus: will Shabana Mahmood be allowed to get a grip on immigration? Can Ed Miliband be trusted at the Foreign Office? And could Burnham’s mother help kill off another attempt to legalise assisted dying? Produced by Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.