The National:

ANDY Burnham seems to have a pretty short memory.

The mayor of Greater Manchester is furious about a travel ban having been imposed on two cities in his region, Manchester and Salford, but seems to have forgotten his silence when a similar ban was imposed on a third, Bolton, last month.

The difference in approaches can’t possibly be because Keir Starmer’s position at the head of the Labour party is much weaker now than four weeks ago.

Burnham can’t possibly be plotting a leadership bid. He strongly refutes the allegations.

Has he forgotten having already tried twice before?

READ MORE: Ambitious, calculated Andy Burnham has a lot to gain from a spat with Nicola Sturgeon

Another fact Burnham seems to have forgotten is that the rest of us do pay attention to the news.

Today, while attacking the Scottish Government for failing to notify him of incoming travel restrictions on his area, the Labour man said: “We have our differences with the UK Government, but they have genuinely got in touch with us to discuss what they were planning to do beforehand.”

The UK Government has “genuinely got in touch … to discuss what they were planning to do beforehand”?

Really?

Has Burnham forgotten that we get the English news in Scotland too?

Anyone paying attention in October last year, when Burnham was busy making his name attacking a different government, may remember why that statement doesn’t quite hold water.

READ MORE: Andy Burnham and Nicola Sturgeon to meet after battle over travel ban

At the time Greater Manchester had been placed onto the third English tier of lockdown, one of the highest in the country.

In order to alleviate the impact of these strict restrictions on people’s livelihoods, Burnham had asked the UK Government for £90 million.

Burnham wanted at least £75m, but would take a “bare minimum” of £65m. The UK Government offered £60m.

Then, on live TV while giving a speech to this effect, the Greater Manchester mayor found out that the UK Government was actually only giving his region £20m.

The announcement wasn’t even made to him, but emailed to MPs.

Burnham’s reaction to learning this news was captured live, as were the members of the crowd who shouted “disgrace” a lot.

The mayor’s face as he read the news, followed by his exasperated expression, soon became a meme.

We’re not as used to the political nuances involved in Westminster speak as former health, former culture, and former treasury secretary Burnham, but that’s not “genuinely getting in touch to discuss what you are planning to do beforehand” in our book.