We saw rather more of Andy Burnham’s legs than most of us might have wished when he was photographed out jogging in Warrington last week. Clad in shorts that would not have looked out of place on Alan Partridge, paired with an Everton shirt, the Labour leadership hopeful cut a curious figure. The aesthetic may have been questionable, but the symbolism was plain enough: Andy Burnham was running.

Jogging projects precisely the qualities politicians are so eager to advertise: stamina, discipline, vigour, endurance

Jogging projects precisely the qualities politicians are so eager to advertise: stamina, discipline, vigour, endurance

Not everyone was convinced. The Mail reported that, after setting off on his jog, Burnham returned home by car 45 minutes later. Was the whole performance staged? Burnham denied it, explaining that he often leaves his car at Newton station and runs there in the morning to collect it. He also reminded doubters that he has completed both the London and Boston marathons.

Burnham’s not the first politician to take up jogging. Since Tony Blair, most prime ministers and a soaring number of would-be PMs have been seen pounding the........

© The Spectator