In the giddy rush to announce yet another ‘New Chapter’ in British politics – whose chapters these days seem to be about as lengthy and serious as those in a Biff and Chip book – there seems to have been a collective loss of sense as people hail Makerfield as a game-changer. This is at best wishful thinking, at worst, full on derangement. All Makerfield has done in the short term is to guarantee one of the silliest silly seasons for quite some time. 

Once the enjoyable demise of Starmer happens there comes the probable Burnham win. It will not take long for this too to descend into farce

Once the enjoyable demise of Starmer happens there comes the probable Burnham win. It will not take long for this too to descend into farce

We are in for a summer of unreality: Fear and Loathing in Downing Street, Labour in Wonderland. Two things seem likely to happen. Firstly, Andy Burnham will be hailed by a desperate and intellectually moribund Labour party as the saviour long-awaited who can stop their electoral extinction event. Secondly, Keir Starmer will refuse to see that his position is........

© The Spectator