𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Can you feel it? I don’t want to say this too loudly, but I sense a shift. There’s a flicker of optimism in the air, and I honestly can’t remember the last time politics made me feel like this. Andy Burnham is doing something I thought had become impossible. He’s bringing a little bit of hope back into British politics – the Burnham bounce.

Yes, Zack Polanski briefly gave me that same feeling, but it was fleeting. With Burnham it feels more tangible. More grounded. More like something that could actually last. For years we’ve been told Britain is broken beyond repair. Every debate descends into a competition over who can paint the bleakest picture of the country.

Every policy announcement is followed by another round of tribal point-scoring, and honestly, it’s exhausting. Burnham, however, seems to be trying something different. Rather than simply listing everything that’s wrong with Britain, he’s talking about how we might actually fix it. Whether you agree with every proposal is almost beside the point, because what stands out is his tone. It’s constructive and optimistic – and Lord knows we’ve been crying out for that.

One thing I’ve never understood is why so many politicians seem incapable of admitting when an opponent has had a good idea. Why is it so difficult to say, “Actually, that’s worth considering”? Blindly opposing everything the other side proposes isn’t the winning move some think it is. I find it immature, shortsighted and completely insincere.

Nobody is going to agree with every single policy Burnham puts forward. Yet equally, nobody should expect his enemies to strongly hate everything he says. That’s politics. But disagreement doesn’t have to mean permanent warfare.

When the Prime Minister sought cross-party talks on social care reform, inviting Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey to discuss solutions, something refreshingly grown-up happened.

Instead of storming off or dismissing the discussions outright, they engaged. Kemi Badenoch made it clear there were red lines she would not cross, but she also recognised that talking is better than shouting. That, surely, is how a mature democracy should function. Sometimes the country benefits more when politicians work together than when they spend every waking hour trying to score gotcha moments for social media.

Will Westminster suddenly become one big happy family? Almost certainly not. The chances of all the major parties reaching lasting consensus on Britain’s biggest challenges remain slim, but for the first time in a long time, someone is trying to change the mood. Politics doesn’t have to be fuelled by fear, division and endless outrage. It can also be driven by ambition, optimism and the belief that Britain’s best days aren’t necessarily behind us.

I couldn’t let this week’s column pass without sharing a bit of good news with you. Our Podcast show the Daily Expresso has just reached a milestone that honestly blows my mind. In June alone, our podcast racked up an incredible 3,388,950 YouTube views, making it the most-watched UK news podcast on the platform – all within just nine months of launching.

To finish ahead of established shows like The Daily T, from The Telegraph, The Rest Is Politics, and The News Agents is something I never imagined when we first switched on the cameras. Those programmes have bigger teams, bigger budgets and years of head starts, so this achievement feels particularly special.

But none of it happens without you. Many of you first knew me as a columnist in these pages before becoming loyal listeners and viewers. The fact you’ve followed me onto YouTube, tuned in every day, shared episodes and supported the show means more than I can put into words. Thank you. And if you haven’t joined us yet, please consider popping by.

While I might be the face you see on screen, I’m only one small part of what makes The Daily Expresso work. George Gaston, Shabir Noorzai, Tyler Bentley, Ed Washington, Michael Thomas, James Walker and Sam Lister all play a huge role behind the scenes, and they deserve enormous credit for what we’ve built together.

Our podcast has never tried to copy anyone else. We’ve simply focused on honest conversations and a bit of banter. Thank you for coming along for the ride.

Gianni Infantino has turned football into a corporate circus. The game I grew up loving is disappearing before my eyes. Too often, money, marketing and television spectacle seem to matter more than the football itself.

The expanded North America World Cup only reinforced that feeling. From the scheduling to the endless commercialisation, it often felt like the beautiful game had become a billboard. I also questioned refereeing decisions throughout the tournament, fuelling my perception football’s biggest stage is no longer a level playing field. That’s why I welcome UEFA’s latest stand. Europe’s 55 football associations have voted to boycott future World Cups if FIFA pushes ahead with plans to sell stakes in its competitions to private investors. Good!

Football doesn’t belong to investment funds. It belongs to working class supporters who fill the stands, travel thousands of miles and live every kick of every ball. Once the sport becomes just another financial asset, we’ve lost something priceless.