Why Andy Burnham needs to go to Ukraine soon after becoming Prime Minister

However, there is one issue on which he must be steadfast: the defence of this country. He should feel the weight of this heavy responsibility on his shoulders. Defence spending should increase at least to the level that would enable John Healey, who recently resigned as Defence Secretary over the lack of sufficient extra funding, to return to Cabinet.

In addition to improving the capabilities of our Armed Forces, Burnham must work hard to maintain the UK’s alliances. He should continue Keir Starmer’s efforts to keep Donald Trump’s America onside and persuade him against pulling the US out of Nato, which many fear he wants to do.

And, most especially, Burnham must remain committed to supporting Ukraine in its efforts to defend itself against the ongoing invasion by the forces of the brutal Russian dictator, Vladimir Putin. This is the frontline in the global conflict between liberal democracy and tyranny, and while it may seem like a faraway conflict, it is crucial to the UK’s long-term security.

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After speaking to Burnham earlier this week, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “What I can say, which is what I always knew, is he’s 100 per cent behind our unwavering support for Ukraine. I know he is a fundamental believer in Nato and in our shared deterrence and in the multilateral partnerships that we have and in things like the support for Ukraine as well.”

This is encouraging, but Burnham needs to demonstrate his commitment in more tangible ways. An early visit to Kyiv should be high on his agenda.

The Ukrainians have recently managed to turn the tables on Putin, launching hundreds of drone attacks on targets in Russia. But they still need our help and, for all the domestic pressures, Burnham must ensure that they get it, both for their sakes – and ours.