The massive scramble behind the scenes before the new PM arrives

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: The massive scramble behind the scenes before the new PM arrivesPublished22 minutes agoByLaura Kuenssberg Sunday with Laura KuenssbergWelcome to limbo land. Unless a meteorite crashes to earth, Scotland wins the World Cup after all, or the ravens leave the Tower, in just over a fortnight, Andy Burnham will walk up Downing Street as the 59th British prime minister. We are, once again, in a bizarre in-between political moment.

An informal transition where the man technically in power has no authority. But the man with all the authority doesn't yet have any real power. What, though, is actually happening while the Starmers get ready to pack their bags, and the Burnhams prepare for the day that will change their lives?

The Details

This afternoon, Burnham is taking a break, watching his rugby league team, Leigh Leopards, take on the Warrington Warriors. And tomorrow night he'll stay up with his family to watch England play Mexico. But that's only a brief respite.

In public, every move he makes is being pored over to an incredible degree. Image source, Jeff Overs/BBCThe next prime minister hasn't fought a general election, so hasn't published a clear manifesto, meaning Westminster's hungry for clues. Since becoming an MP again, he's only made one big speech, given one radio interview, and taken questions from the public on social media.

Using Reddit or Instagram does make politicians more accessible to the public, allowing you, not journalists like me, to push them. Remember, though, it also gives them the power to pick and choose the topics, or the questions they want to answer. So right now in government, officials are "rushing around picking up every little hint and tidbit on areas that might affect their department", in the words of one former senior figure.

What Experts Say

As we talked about last week, Burnham's broad approach to politics has been clear for years. In his speech last Monday, he gave some details of what that would mean in practice, with a "No 10 North" in Manchester, where he wants to spend some of the week. On Thursday, he repeated his plan to give a tax cut to pubs, and small independent leisure and retail companies, paid for by levies on giant warehouses operated by big online firms like Amazon.

Image source, PABurnham has indicated he will broadly stick to the Labour manifesto from 2024, but says it has "room for manoeuvre" when it comes to tax, for example. He also wants to expand public control of utilities, some of which is underway already. Every nudge he gives is seized on in public, and in Whitehall's corridors of power.

Beyond the limited amount the likely next prime minister is saying in public, this limbo period is frantic behind the scenes politically and practically. Burnham spent the week in meetings with MPs, and a crunch session with the powerful unions. And there's a talent contest going on inside the Labour Party, with Andy Burnham the Simon Cowell, and aspirant ministers auditioning for their place.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.