Andy Burnham has finally been crowned Labour Party leader. Attention turns now to his top team, with home secretary Shabana Mahmood hotly tipped to be named chancellor. Meanwhile, Ed Miliband and Wes Streeting continue to cast a shadow over Burnham’s picks. On Monday, after formalities with the King, Burnham will become the UK’s seventh prime minister in ten years. Today, we tell you what to expect in Monday’s power transition, discuss what his top team might signal, and ask whether Shabana Mahmood will make the best choice as chancellor.

Read more from The Independent:

Mr Milburn’s historic NEET review deserves cross-party support

Andy Burnham claims he has a plan for change – it’s a shame he still hasn’t told us what it is

What Shabana Mahmood as chancellor could mean for your money and taxes

Executive Producer: Rod Ardehali

Producer: Sam Durham

Video editor: Vali Raza

Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.

Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk.

This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s Keir Starmer’s final week in office. 739 days ago, after a rejection of the Tories and a sweeping landslide for Labour, he became PM. So where did it all go wrong for him? Today we take a trip down memory lane to summer 2024 and the beginning of Keir Starmer’s rocky first 100 days and ask: can Andy Burnham learn from Keir Starmer's mistakes?

Executive Producer: Rod Ardehali

Producer: Sam Durham

Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.

Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk.

This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Burnham has promised “growth in every postcode”. It is a big, attractive political line – the sort of thing voters want to hear after years of feeling poorer, public services feeling stretched, and wages struggling to keep up with the cost of living. It is also a promise that tells us a lot about Burnham’s politics. He has long argued that Britain is too London-centric, that Whitehall is too slow, and that too many decisions about towns and cities are made by people who do not live in them.

Today, Helen and Cleo analyse Burnham’s economic proposals so far and give insight into the harsh reality politicians face when promising ‘growth’ - does Burnham have enough time before the next general election for people to really feel this change?

Find the best clips from the podcast and more from Helen and Cleo on the show's Instagram page here.

Email your questions to Helen and Cleo on intheroom@independent.co.uk.

This podcast is part of The Independent Podcast Network and is produced in association with Next Chapter Studios.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.