Alastair Campbell, a former Labour Party strategist and now co‑host of the ‘The Rest is Politics’ podcast, describes himself as a pessimist about UK politics. He says the last time he felt truly positive about Britain was during the 2012 Olympics.

Ten weeks ago, Andy Burnham seized the premiership in a bloodless coup that removed Sir Keir Starmer. The move placed Burnham at the head of government without a contested leadership election.

Campbell says Burnham showed a ruthless streak, engineering his rise to prime minister without a contest – a ‘brutal’ real‑politics move.

After witnessing that ruthlessness, Campbell now feels ‘moderately’ hopeful about Burnham’s leadership.

The shift matters because it shows how a leader’s willingness to use hard‑nosed tactics can win over even the most skeptical insiders. For observers of UK power dynamics, Burnham’s strategy offers a clear example of real‑politics in action.