Well he’s certainly changed his tune, hasn’t he?
It was only back in May that Andy Burnham insisted:
“I am not proposing that the UK considers rejoining the EU.
“I respect the decision that was made at the referendum and it is going to undermine everything I have said about strengthening democracy if we don’t respect that vote.”
But fast forward a few months to September and the Labour Leader now says that all options are on the table, including rejoining the European Union completely.
I wonder what the voters of Makerfield - who voted 65% Leave in 2016 - make of that change in tone following Burnham’s by-election victory?
This now makes the battle lines of the next election crystal clear.
Labour clearly don’t respect the Brexit vote, haven’t learnt their lesson and still want EU open borders.
I think they will find that to be a huge mistake as Nigel Farage and Reform take them on.
And I have to say I found Andy Burnham’s conference speech overall incredibly bizarre.
Here is a new Prime Minister, inheriting a large parliamentary majority, insisting that the next General Election is still three or so years away.
Yet most of his speech was focused on policies that Labour wouldn’t implement now, but in the next Parliament.
Is that really a sustainable position? For a Prime Minister to talk mostly of what he intends to do after the next General Election rather than now?
It tells me, once again, that an early election is on the way. I simply do not believe the denials.
As to how that next election looks? Another warning sign this week.
Last night a local by-election in Blackpool saw the Labour vote crumble - but the party still hold on to a seat.
Labour’s 42% just beat Reform’s 38% in a close contest - with Restore taking 7% and the Conservatives on 6%.
On a national level YouGov’s latest polling has Reform up 4 points to 25%, a one point lead over Labour. The Tories are down on 19% and Restore 3%.
It can’t be any clearer: the next election will be a battle between a potential Reform Government or Burnham and Labour staying in power.