The Rest Is Politics

Podbit · The Rest Is Politics

545. Burnham Beats Reform: Britain’s Next Prime Minister?

Explore episode Jun 19, 2026
News
Peak Reform Is Behind Us

545. Burnham Beats Reform: Britain’s Next Prime Minister? · Jun 19, 2026 News

Despite topping national polls, Reform UK has now lost three consecutive parliamentary by-elections — to Plaid in Caerphilly, the Greens in Gordon and Denton, and Labour in Makerfield. The money scandals, Russia links, and Tory retreads like Jenrick and Braverman are capping Farage's ceiling.

Where this was said

Should There Be a Contest or a Coronation?

At 21:10 · chapter starts 18:20

The discussion turns to process: should Labour hold a full leadership contest or allow Burnham to walk in unopposed? Rory Stewart argues in favour of a contest — Kamala Harris never had one, Theresa May's coronation was awkward, and even a brutal contest like the 2019 Conservative race helped Boris Johnson emerge stronger. He suggests Wes Streeting should stand to offer a different vision, giving the party and public a genuine choice. Alastair Campbell is less convinced: a contest that forces Burnham and Streeting to say extreme things to appeal to different Labour electorates could be destructive and ultimately provide less democratic legitimacy than the 60,000 votes Burnham just won in a real election. His money is on a coronation, and Betfair — with Burnham at 94% — seems to agree. He also raises the question of what Burnham does differently on policy: non-doms, energy, foreign affairs, tech and growth all need clearer answers.

Similar podbits

News
The ActBlue-Funded Campaign to Pin Charlie Kirk's Death on TPUSA

#2535 - Andrew Wilson · Aug 5, 2026 News

A progressive organization with a stated mission to destroy Turning Point USA received millions from ActBlue and is now publicly pushing the narrative that TPUSA insiders and Israel murdered Charlie Kirk. Andrew Wilson traced the network of accounts all amplifying the same conspiracy in perfect unison.

News
Why the Israel-Killed-Kirk Theory Doesn't Hold Up

#2535 - Andrew Wilson · Aug 5, 2026 News

The microphone-bomb theory fails on every physical front: no smoke, no ignition, mic on the wrong side of the wound. And the .30-06 rifle round used is extensively documented by the US Army — it does not always produce a through-and-through wound. Wilson argues this is a well-studied projectile with well-understood behavior.

News
The Erika Kirk Situation: Grief Under an Impossible Public Microscope

#2535 - Andrew Wilson · Aug 5, 2026 News

Erika Kirk became the CEO of TPUSA while grieving her husband's murder in public, and now faces tens of thousands accusing her of conspiring to kill him. Andrew Wilson calls it mind-boggling psychological torture. The sparklers at the memorial weren't suspicious — they were a grieving widow doing her best in an impossible situation.

News
The Corey Ruiz Shooting: Hot Takes vs. Waiting for Facts

#2535 - Andrew Wilson · Aug 5, 2026 News

Joe Rogan and Andrew Wilson watch a bystander video of the Corey Ruiz police shooting in Madison, Wisconsin live on air. The video is so blurry they initially think a female officer fired the fatal shots. They later learn a male officer did, after Ruiz allegedly pulled a knife and stabbed officers. Their conclusion: you cannot have a hot take on a story you don't understand yet.