The State of It

Andy Burnham's week of maximum vibes

July 24, 2026·29 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Andy Burnham's first week as Prime Minister has been all about creating good vibes. He's pledged to end rough sleeping, cut VAT on energy bills, cap bus fares at £2, and save Britain's pubs. The obvious question is: how is he going to pay for it all?Steve takes us inside Burnham's call with Donald Trump, where everything was surprisingly cordial and the pair ended up talking about their mums.But next week, the easy announcements give way to the hard choices. Burnham is expected to unveil major interventions on social care and unemployment. Can he deliver reform while also tackling the cost of living, boosting defence spending and keeping the public finances under control?Steven Swinford, political editor, The TimesLara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday TimesPatrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The TimesProducers: Euan DawtreyPicture: Getty ImagesThis podcast was brought to you thanks to subscribers of The Times and The Sunday Times. To enjoy unlimited digital access to all our journalism subscribe here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Podzilla Summary coming soon

Sign up to get notified when the full AI-powered summary is ready.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.

Listen to This Episode

Get summaries like this every morning.

Free AI-powered recaps of The State of It and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.