This article appears as part of the Unspun: Scottish Politics newsletter.

If you’ve been watching a lot of TV news these last few days, you may have experienced what’s known as ‘semantic satiation’. That’s the psychological effect where you hear a word or phrase so often it becomes meaningless.

The cause of the current bout of nationwide semantic satiation is Andy Burnham. His name has been used so frequently by TV political reporters and their MP interviewees that it now sounds like gibberish.

The words ‘Andy Burnham’ appear in almost every sentence in coverage of the chaos gripping the Labour government.

It feels like an Andy Burnham cult has begun. Though cults do emerge when a particular group is having a collective nervous breakdown, so perhaps it makes sense after all.

His name has become such a mantra that it was the first phrase uttered on BBC radio news today. I’m starting to wonder if I’m missing something. Is Andy Burnham like a new Jesus Christ? 

Are people wandering around imagining what it must be like just being Andy Burnham? 

Is the entire population of Britain going to bed dreaming each night about Andy Burnham?

His name has become an absurd catechism in political debate. If in doubt, wheel Andy Burnham out.

The absurdity is fitting, as it seems the bulk of the Labour Party is now pinning their hopes on Burnham saving them somehow. Unfortunately for Labour his chances of........

© Herald Scotland