KEVIN MAGUIRE: 'Apologetic Andy Burnham is a breath of fresh air'

Sorry proving an easier word for an Andy Burnham ready to apologise for the obscenity of Britain enriching itself from brutal, barbaric slavery is a Prime Minister dominating the public conversation. He’s a breath of fresh air in Downing Street after timid Keir Starmer, telling us what he really thinks on issues both big and small to deny oxygen to a suddenly wheezing Nigel Farage. For 18 months, Reform’s Mr Five Million Pounds made the headlines but not any more as he’s completely out-chatted by a rival with good, decent values. Burnham’s strategy echoes that of Donald Trump but mercifully the UK talk machine’s politics, philosophy and policies are the exact opposite of a get-rich-quick morally corrupt orange ogre cruising for a bruising in America’s crucial mid-term elections. The answer any question, reveal what’s on his mind approach isn’t without risks as we witnessed when the former Greater Manchester Mayor - does he ever mention Manchester?, perhaps he should more often - had to correct his response to Abu Dhabi City’s £900m Premier League sham. Europe remains a minefield yet he deserves enormous praise for stepping over the wire and picking his way through when on the other side await trade, travel, financial and security prizes. Burnham’s style is perfect for a social media age where debates are every second of every minute, a 60/60 news cycle a world away from the 24/7 days when discussions changing every hour in a day was considered fast. Buttoned-up Starmer couldn’t cope, uncomfortable like many men(me included!) talking about his feelings or going off script. Farage’s appeal was a carefully choreographed man of the people act, complaining pint in hand you can’t say this or that when his natural haunts are Mayfair private clubs sipping G&Ts with fabulously rich and powerful high-rollers. Burnham knows that Labour attracts around 30% of the votes, fewer than one-in-every-three, and he’ll stay PM after the next election whenever it comes. Reparations are impossible to calculate and a separate issue but saying sorry about slavery would be the right thing to do and underline Burnham’s good, decent values. We can agree or disagree but never ignore this PM.