AT lunchtime today, I will be made the leader of the Labour Party. Whoop-di-f**king-woo. Think I give a shit about that?
Labour leader. As if that’s something to be proud of. As if it’s not a badge of shame to wear for the next 72 hours before I become prime minister.
Maybe in 2010 it would have meant something to be Labour leader, but you gave it to Ed Miliband. Great f**king idea that was. Or in 2015, when the party chose Jeremy Corbyn instead. Only cost us two elections and Brexit, that one. Brilliant move.
Honestly, at that point I was done. Better buggering off to Manchester than hanging around with Jezza and his Marxism Today marrow-humpers. I wasn’t initially going to become mayor but 20 failed job interviews convinced me I wasn’t qualified for anything else.
Now, improbably, one more f**k-up of a Labour leader later, I’m the party’s new darling. Elected leader unopposed. About bloody time, but parliamentary procedure means I’m leader today but don’t get the big job until Monday.
So how does it feel to lead the Labour party after all these years? A ballache, mate. An appointment made for administrative reasons. A shitload of pointless paperwork.
I’m giving a speech later like it’s a milestone, but it’s not the big speech, is it? That’s Monday on Downing Street. Might even wear a tie for that one. This one is, like the job I’m getting today, unnecessary busywork.
So when you see headlines saying ‘Burnham made Labour leader’ and think ‘so what?’ I’m right there with you. Still, means it’s not on me when England lose tomorrow.