The vibes, optics and words from Andy Burnham’s acceptance speech as the new Labour leader could not have been better.
Voters are tired of a top-down political class that is seemingly incapable of delivering positive change.
But Burnham’s speech, made at a special party conference, carried a punch that will resonate with the public.
By calling time on a failed “political culture” and “economic model”, the PM-to-be showed he was ready to overturn a consensus lasting decades.
By promising to “bring back hope” and restore power to local communities, he was the first Labour leader since Tony Blair to be relentlessly positive.
Seeing a Northerner about to enter Downing Street – the first since Harold Wilson – was another powerful TV moment.
But if Friday was a high for Burnham, Monday will be the comedown and the moment when rhetoric clashes with reality.
Burnham, like his ousted predecessor Starmer, faces a set of daunting challenges that will define his premiership.
The Makerfield MP has a dream of cities, towns and local communities reclaiming power under a vigorous devolution agenda.
His planned summer tour will quickly appraise him of a different priority shared by millions of people across the UK.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have First Ministers who have a vision of their countries being outside the UK.
These devolved leaders will likely ambush Burnham at some point with co-ordinated demands and he will be accused of ignoring the will of the people.
The three First Ministers – John Swinney, Rhun ap Iorwerth and Michelle O’Neill – are skilled political operators who will prove to be troublesome for the PM.
He will soon find himself as the custodian of the Union at a moment when he is surrounded by nationalist administrations of different stripes.
A bigger challenge is ensuring he does not get blown away by fierce economic headwinds.
The Starmer administration made some economic progress, but not on unemployment or inflation.
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Punters feel the pain when they shop in supermarkets or go to the forecourt and are sick of being skint.
Labour entered Government in 2024 on a promise of tackling the cost of living crisis, but voters think they have failed on this issue.
Burnham faces the difficult task of trying to make people better off while having no money to do so.
Cutting income tax or reversing the hated national insurance rise would be popular, but worsening economic conditions make such pledges near impossible to fund.
Even pushing through an agenda of public ownership for key utilities would take ages to trickle down into a material benefit for consumers.
Burnham’s domestic difficulties cannot be separated from the nightmares he faces on the international stage.
Wars in Ukraine and Iran have hit people across the UK in their pockets.
The US is key to resolving both conflicts but President Trump does not seem like a partner for peace in either situation.
Trump wants to abandon Ukraine to Russia while bombing Iran into submission – Burnham takes the opposite view.
His personal relationship with Trump will test his political skills.
Starmer and the volatile US President got on well until Trump believed the outgoing Labour PM defied him on Iran.
Trump’s dismissive reference to Burnham as the “extremely liberal” mayor of a “town” points to a difficult relationship.
A related challenge for Burnham is how to combat the political Right in his own country.
Nigel Farage is currently in a bad place, given his riches are under investigation and that he could lose his Clacton seat to a man pretending to be a bin.
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But Reform remains a huge threat to Labour and could still win the general election.
Burnham has indicated he will not mimic Reform and the Government he leads will be “distinctively” Labour.
He also knows the country has moved rightwards on immigration and a failure to stop the boats would be electoral poison.
Although Burnham paid tribute to Starmer, he will know that the Arsenal fan’s failed premiership provides a template on how not to govern.
People across the nations and regions are desperate for change and for the economic pain to end.
They are sick of having to pick up the tab for the failures of politicians and want more money.
Burnham should also look at the Starmer Government as a case study of what happens when the political Right runs amok.
Starmer was a decent person whose political shortcomings were exposed on the biggest stage.
Out of control social media and right wing broadcasters, by contrast, portrayed him as an evil man who covered up rape gangs.
The machine can chew and spit out a Prime Minister in months and Burnham has to be on guard.
Allies believe the new Labour leader has to make a positive impression within weeks if he is to stand a chance.
Deliverable policies on the cost of living crisis and giving power back to communities would be a start, they believe.
If a Burnham bounce takes Labour to 30% in the polls, he may seek his own personal mandate.
Labour’s new leader said today his party has a “last chance” to change the country.
The window of opportunity is frustratingly small.