Andy Burnham has unveiled his first cabinet as prime minister, appointing John Healey as chancellor in a surprise move, shifting Ed Miliband to the Foreign Office and keeping Shabana Mahmood as home secretary. The announcement, followed by his first speech outside Downing Street, offers an early signal of the political direction and priorities of his government, with attention now turning to who holds real influence within it.

In his speech, delivered without the customary prime ministerial lectern, Burnham pledged to end rough sleeping, reviving a flagship commitment from his time as mayor of Greater Manchester. The Independent's In The Room podcast examines what these cabinet choices reveal about the government he intends to build, who has gained influence, who has been sidelined, and whether his pledges are realistic.