Tuesday briefing: How might Andy Burnham bring his Makerfield magic to Westminster?

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

60% : He later clarified that, while he respects the result of the Brexit referendum, "I'd like to see us rejoin in my lifetime.
60% : And lastly, the Express pleads "Give us a proper Brexit".
53% : "Announcing a wealth tax would be a powerful symbol of intent, too, though the practicalities are challenging".
50% : There was bitter irony that the section of his brief resignation speech he must most have wanted his critics across the country to hear, where he set out his achievements in office, was almost drowned out by the EU anthem Ode to Joy, blasting from the notorious anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray's massive speaker beyond the Downing Street gates.
49% : The economy and cost of living During the Makerfield campaign, we heard ambitious long-term plans from Burnham to bring water and energy into public control, and radically overhaul the property tax and social care systems, alongside more immediate cost-of-living interventions on rent and energy levies.
49% : But there are options for tax increases, she says, "that don't step on the live wire of Labour's manifesto pledges" - capital gains tax again, for example, a bank tax or increasing the tax on high-value homes, due to come into force in 2028.
49% : Europe and the world Foreign policy is widely acknowledged as an area in which Burnham is inexperienced and one of his first challenges in office is likely to be a reset summit with the EU on 22 July.
49% : Patrick * Guardian correspondents revisited Brexit bellwether constituencies 10 years on for this cracking read, which I enjoyed in no small part because I remember the original Scottish commission.
47% : And while his Makerfield win failed to prompt the bond market panic that Rachel Reeves's backers had warned of, as Heather sets out in her column this week, she believes Burnham would be wise to set clear expectations about tax and spend, and be upfront about the fact that not everyone can be a winner.
47% : But there remains a degree of frustration among EU countries, Jon adds that for all of Starmer's warm words about closer ties, "there are the famous red lines in Labour's manifesto" on the single market, customs union and free movement, which Burnham will be boxed in by, too.
46% : During the campaign he claimed he was "not squeamish" about reducing welfare spending to fund defence.
41% : And the sheer state of public finances means there's not much he can do, unless he wanted to significantly change taxation, which he said he's not going to do.
37% : Burnham was accused of reversing his position in favour of rejoining the EU, as he campaigned in Leave-voting Makerfield.

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