For all the talk of change, Burnham has assembled a cabinet made up in large part of the same people that his predecessor picked two years ago, even if some have been given different briefs, and the most ardent loyalists have been turfed out. The result is a set of senior ministers united across the board by little other than, perhaps, a disbelief that having been part of such an unpopular administration, they still have a seat around the cabinet table. If that affords the new prime minister their gratitude and according goodwill, history suggests it will not last long if Burnham can’t break the cycle of failure that brought down not only his Labour predecessor, but also saw the previous four occupants of Downing Street struggle to hold on to power for long enough to get much done.