Burnham’s solid start

He’s made smart Cabinet picks; now comes the hard part

Let’s start with the surprise. John Healey as chancellor of the exchequer. The media, notably the FT, were led a merry dance in the run-up to Andy Burnham announcing his Cabinet team.

Despite her lack of any serious economic background, Shabana Mahmood was viewed as the favorite, eclipsing Ed Miliband, darling of the Labour left. In the event, Burnham has (wisely) stuck with Mahmood as Home Secretary, dispatched Miliband to the gilded cage of the Foreign Office, and selected ex defence secretary Healey as the second most powerful minister in his new government.