The Bunker – News without the nonsense Crash and Burnham – Start Your Week with Gavin Esler and Ros Taylor
Jan 26, 2026
A lively rundown of UK political drama after Andy Burnham was blocked from running and the likely fallout in Labour. Debate over whether Burnham would lead differently from Keir Starmer. Discussion of centrists trying to regroup. Plans to reshape policing and calls to ban phones in schools. A UK-North Sea wind power deal and the geopolitics of a Starmer trip to China. Plus US unrest, ICE shooting coverage, and film and weather chatter.
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Burnham Battle Reveals Party Tension
- Andy Burnham's bid for a Commons seat exposed a tension between popularity and party control.
- Gavin Esler says Starmer risked internal turmoil but likely avoided costly mayoral by-election chaos.
Communication Trumps Policy Perception
- Communication matters more than policy in modern politics according to Gavin Esler.
- He contrasts Andy Burnham's strong communication with Keir Starmer's weaker media presence.
Centrists Are Politically Homeless
- Ruth Davidson and Andy Street aim to reclaim centrist voters left politically homeless.
- Gavin Esler views them as skilled communicators targeting seven million centrists.