What can Harold Wilson teach Andy Burnham?

What can Harold Wilson teach Andy Burnham?

Author: Global August 7, 2026 Duration: 57:35

A northern leader. A sudden change at the top. A cost of living crisis engulfing the country. A Labour party accused of tacking left. Not Andy Burnham in 2026, but Harold Wilson in 1963.

Considering his priorities and his focus, Burnham would do well to learn the lessons from Labour's last great northern leader. A four-time election winner, a progressive pioneer, a comms master, who shaped the country in his image.

Nick Thomas-Symonds was until recently the Minister in charge of our relations with the EU. He'd been on the Labour frontbench for 11 years - but Burnham's ascendance brought an end to his time in government.

A close ally of Starmer's, he's also a respected historian and a biographer of Labour PM's past. We asked him into the News Agents studio, to look at politics through an historical and contemporary lens: what were those last days of in the Starmer bunker like? Why has the European question dogged British politics? How will Starmer be remembered? And what can Andy Burnham learn from one of the political geniuses of the 20th century?

The News Agents is a Global Production.

The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://grp.hsbc/TheRightConnections


Every weekday afternoon, Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel, and Lewis Goodall gather to make sense of the noise. Their The News Agents isn't a simple bulletin; it's a conversation between three of the UK's most experienced journalists who have seen the machinery of government and media from the inside. This daily podcast from Global focuses on the forces shaping our world, dissecting the headlines from Westminster and beyond with a sharp eye for what really matters. You'll hear them pull apart political strategies, question the official narrative, and trace the connections between today's breaking story and its deeper roots. What sets this show apart is their collective tone-a blend of genuine expertise, natural scepticism, and the occasional necessary laugh at the absurdities of the news cycle. They provide context where others just provide clips, aiming to answer the persistent "why" behind the "what." Tuning into this podcast feels like getting a direct, unfiltered briefing from colleagues who know the landscape intimately, making the complex flow of daily events not just comprehensible but genuinely engaging. It’s analysis designed for anyone who wants to move past the soundbites.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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