Henry Zeffman: Andy Burnham presented a blueprint for his premiership

This is classified as an economic speech. It promised higher living standards for everyone, a commitment to improving business rates to support businesses such as pubs, and a surprising hint of giving people “a little more” to cope with rising costs.

Yet at its core it felt like this was really a talk about power and where it was applied. Of course, power is partly an economic question, but Burnham’s original arguments for extending power have more to do with political culture than with economic growth.

In this broad critique of the “broken” Westminster system, Burnham attacks the “finger-pointing” that “destroys what remains of public confidence in politics”.

His call for “more collaborative politics” – perhaps a clue to the search for cross-party talks that won’t solve the social care crisis – became an argument for why power should be brought closer to the local area.

On his return to national politics, Burnham was at pains to praise the positive sentiment “everywhere and in every postcode”, saying it would help rural areas and boost coastal communities.

He also said that London is the greatest capital of the world.

That may be in response to a sprinkling of anxiety – no more – about Burnham’s strong ties to the North-West being expressed by a handful of Labor MPs who represent seats in London and the South East of England.

Looking at the political and demographic trends in Labour, there are indications that London and the South are now the real heartland of the Labor Party, more so than some seats where it has traditionally been strong.

An MP representing a seat in the north of England told me after the speech that he generally liked it: “I can see why the southern MPs are worried.”

Burnham said at the start of his speech that Parliament seemed a more unhappy place than when he was last MP.

A minister who served with Burnham in the new Labor years told me recently that he expected the change in the experience of being an MP to be one of the shocks for him. Public outcry, social media and security concerns have contributed to a different atmosphere.

Here, in a dark blue t-shirt, was the Prime Minister coming to terms with himself.

Labor MPs who got the government’s slogan and were so impressed by the opinion polls that they ousted a landslide-winning leader within two years, Burnham will win their support if he can simply make politics palatable again.