The Labour conference may have started as the Andy Burnham show, but by the end of day four that show seemed to be attracting less fanfare.
Supporters of the Greater Manchester mayor are attracted by the fact that Burnham tops approval rate polling – but critics warn polling is the most fickle of measurements and that he might not be the right person to challenge Keir Starmer.
For Sir Keir’s part, he had a good conference and seemed to temporarily silence many critics who questioned his ability to lead the country.
But he is far from being out of the woods yet. He has a tough Budget to get through this autumn. Then, in May, the prime minister faces what could be make-or-break local and devolved elections, when the rise of Reform could be what seals his fate.
One cabinet minister told The Independent: “Keir needs to be less worried about Andy [Burnham] and this conference and what might happen to him in June or July next year.”
Welfare secretary Pat McFadden, though, has been telling everyone to calm down, arguing: “The prime minister does not get nearly enough of the credit he deserves for the election victory last year. Election victories are hard and even harder for Labour.”
But the question is: if not Starmer, then who? And there does not seem to be a lot of choice.
As one cabinet minister scathingly said of their colleagues: “I look round the cabinet table and I think back to the great characters of the Blair government – Mo Mowlem, Robin Cook, David Blunkett, Jack Straw. Then I look round the cabinet table again and it all looks very bland.”
There are, though, four members of this cabinet – and a former colleague of theirs – who are not bland and may have what it takes.
The young pretender
It feels like health secretary Wes Streeting has been talked about as a possible leadership candidate for years, and this conference seemed to cement his position as a potential frontrunner.
His weakness is that he is seen as too right wing – a more charismatic version of Starmer with less qualms about being compared to the Tories.
Perhaps this explains why he was the one to call for former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner – a darling of the left – to return to government quickly after quitting over her tax affairs. He wants to show that side of the party that he cares – even if most people do not think he really does.
The reborn former leader
If one person wowed the conference delegates all week at the fringes, it was energy secretary Ed Miliband. Energy may be his brief, but it’s also what he gives off when he is in the room.
A bit like former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, Miliband has found new life and purpose in life after leadership. He is now the evangelist for green energy and net zero when the world needs one.
But his fringe speeches went wider than that, laying out a more leftwing agenda – and he was cheered and applauded enthusiastically wherever he went.
Gone is the cowed and shrunken man who led the party to defeat in 2015 – he has been replaced by a man who is a serious contender to lead the party again with a new vigour.
A star is born
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood has been catapulted into the spotlight since replacing Yvette Cooper in the government’s arguably most difficult job.
She has tackled it with courage and straightforwardness, which has been a trademark of her politics for many years, but is now on full display.
Hugely likeable, while also being seen as determined and positive, it is obvious her ambitions are higher than the Home Office.
Her only problem is that she may be considered too right-wing for the tastes of many in the party. In that case it may become a choice between her and Streeting not to split the vote.
JD Vance’s friend
Deputy prime minister David Lammy is perhaps the surprise name on this list but he has returned from spending large amounts of time out of the country as foreign secretary with a renewed purpose.
It is obvious his elevation to deputy prime minister is a moment of great pride for him but not the zenith of his ambition. Lammy is certainly not bland and much more of a deep thinker than many give him credit for.
He also has the rare ability of being able to lean left and right, which could make him a unifier in a still factional party.
Those who remember some of Lammy’s gaffes before entering government should perhaps reflect on the last 15 months where, as foreign secretary, he proved himself to be a serious politician.
Not only did he navigate a number of thorny issues – not least the problems in Gaza – but he never put a foot wrong.
He also turned around the Trump relationship with aplomb despite his disobliging tweets of the past. And, indeed, he has become unlikely friends with his fishing partner, US vice president JD Vance.
The prodigal returns
Do not rule out Angela Rayner. She may have been forced to quit over her tax affairs and was not present in Liverpool this week, but her popularity on the left of the party is almost as strong as ever.
It is quite clear that a number of people are now plotting her return in some form or other.
This was also obvious at the Trades Union Congress at the start of September, where she has enormous support despite falling out with Unite.
Being out of government now also allows her to come back as a clean break candidate, which may be an advantage.
