John Swinney has suffered a setback in Aberdeen. But, with Andy Burnham’s victory, Keir Starmer now contemplates a sign pointing clearly to his own exit. The people have spoken, at least in part. Through their votes, they have voiced their disgust and fury with the wretched state of contemporary politics.

In Makerfield, that message was directly aimed at the Prime Minister. His time is up, whether he admits it or not. This was not a colossal Labour triumph – although one can readily understand why Sir Keir Starmer sought to portray it as such. Rather this was a howl of pain, a demand for urgent change.

Andy Burnham, he who would be PM hereafter, offered a convenient conduit. He stood to force Starmer to stand down. This was an internal Labour insurrection, played out in Greater Manchester. But there was also a huge protest vote north of the Border, in Aberdeen South. People there are furious too – about the decline and fall of the North Sea oil and gas sector. Once the source of pride and prosperity, it now struggles, beset by tax and official disdain.

It is all very well for John Swinney to blame this SNP defeat upon tactical voting. Yes, the Tories contrived to corral the Unionist vote, attracting significantly increased support while Reform UK stalled. But SNP policy is also responsible. Voters in Aberdeen wanted granite-hard reassurances about a future role for oil and gas in the transition to green energy. From the SNP, they heard uncertainty and vacillation.

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