Andy Burnham has been tipped to bring back another senior figure from the New Labour era in his new-look government.

The former mayor of Manchester – who served as a minister under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown – will officially take over as prime minister from Keir Starmer on July 20.

It has already emerged that his close friend James Purnell, who also served in cabinet during Labour’s last time in power, will be the new No.10 chief of staff.

David Miliband, another New Labour figure, could also be given a seat in the House of Lords in order to become foreign secretary.

Meanwhile, the i newspaper reported that Ed Balls could also be handed a peerage and given a role in Burnham’s government.

HuffPost UK has learned that another New Labour big beast who could make a dramatic comeback is Alan Milburn.

The former health secretary has held talks with Burnham about his review into record levels of unemployment among 18 to 24-year-olds.

In a speech last week, the PM-in-waiting said he wanted to introduce major education reforms which would place greater emphasis on technical qualifications rather than forcing pupils to study at university.

One minister said: “I can see Alan being brought into Andy’s government. He seems to like what Milburn has been saying about getting young people into work.”

Another source said: “Andy keeps referencing Milburn in his speeches, and Alan is clearly up for it.

“It would make sense to allow Alan to drive through his own reforms on youth unemployment as a minister.”

Asked whether Milburn could be handed a role once Burnham becomes prime minister, a source close to the new Makerfield MP insisted he had offered “no jobs and no deals”.

Milburn, who was the MP for Darlington from 1992 until 2010, was seen as an arch-Blairite during his time in government.

As well as being health secretary, he also serves as chief secretary to the Treasury and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster under the former prime minister.

After leaving Westminster, he was chair of the Social Mobility Commission between 2012 and 2017.

Like David MIliband, he would need to be made a peer in order to re-enter government.

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Usually, The Great British Bake-Off is filmed between April and June.

So perhaps it’s no surprise that fans have been wondering whether the most recent batch of bakers would be subjected to multiple record-breaking heatwaves.

The show (partly) addressed the problem directly on its Instagram page on May 27, soon after we saw the hottest May day on record.

“Us filming chocolate week,” they wrote over a clip of the iconic GBBO tent. The video was overlaid with the sound of comedian Peter Kay’s famous bit: “I like it warm, but I don’t like it this warm!”

“It’s always chocolate week when we have a heatwave,” a commenter wrote.

The Mirror reported that the show’s filming is still “underway”, and that its cameras were rolling during the June heatwave, too.

That meant amateur bakers had to continue to work their culinary magic while schools had closed due to the heat, and travellers had been advised to avoid “non-essential” journeys.

Though some fans worried filming would have to stop, the publication confirmed the show went on.

A source from the show told The Mirror, “Every measure that could be taken has been, to make the bakers comfortable. The lighting gaffer from the crew who’s in first every morning, opens up the tent, takes down the sides and gets airflow moving before everyone arrives.

“Earlier in the run, when temperatures were the opposite and it was freezing, he was doing the same thing in reverse, arriving early to put the heaters on and warm the tent up before the bakers and crew got in.

“Production runners have also kept everyone going in the heat by handing out ice lollies to bakers and crew throughout the day.”

Another source reportedly told The Mirror that the tent’s location near a cooling river, and a “welcome” breeze in the final weekend of May, made filming possible.

In 2018, then-hosts Paul Hollywood and Dame Prue Leith shared how heatwaves affect bakers’ creations.

Prue told Rolling Stone conditions were “Worse for the bakers than for us, because we just come in briefly and go out. They’re in there all the time,” while Paul added: “Yeah, chocolate week suffered a little bit. Caramel sugarwork suffered a little bit”.

Ironically, he added, bread week – when warm conditions would have made loaves rise faster – was a little cooler that year.

New host Nigella Lawson has previously said she is “allergic to the sun”, so time will only tell how she handled the hotter temps.

HuffPost UK has reached out to Channel 4 for more details.

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You know the drill. You make a little tweak in your home, and suddenly it reveals a world of possibility. That countertop that needs sanding, or (god forbid) a new floor.

Often the most tricky aspect of a renovation to nail down – choosing the right colour and material is a ball ache – flooring can get expensive extremely fast.

But good news if you’re about to embark on a new underfoot experience: Floor Street has made the entire experience much more economical with its 60% off summer sale.

From engineered wood to carpet runners, Floor Street has huge savings on its entire range from now until the end of July.

To save you even more hassle than you need, we’ve rounded up the best flooring options from the sale that are durable, easy to install and, most importantly, look stylish.

As well as offering premium flooring for less (what’s not to love?) Floor Street also prioritises the customer experience.

On top of next working day delivery, all of its flooring options are easy to install, and are durable enough to outlast the mess of every day life.

Each option comes with its own warranty, from 25 years to life, and Floor Street sources its wood from FSC certified forests, so it’s kind to your home and the planet.

With travel becoming a logistical nightmare, we’re all after a taste of hotel life in our own homes with boutique-inspired herringbone and chevron flooring.

While real wood comes with a hefty price tag attached to it, engineered wood is rising the ranks because it’s easy to install, is compatible with under floor heating, and it can withstand a room with changing temperatures.

If you’re on DIY TikTok you will have noticed stair runners are having a moment, because there’s no reason your eye for design can’t extend upwards.

Recently, Mount Etna – Europe’s most active volcano – saw a spectacular burst of lava, which the BBC reported could be seen from “miles away”.

It followed reports of lava flowing down the volcano days before and raised the alert level in the area.

Mount Etna’s eruptions are pretty frequent, with 11 reported bursts in three weeks taking place in 2021. These can sometimes lead to ash plumes.

So what might that mean for those travelling to the area?

While the ash clouds typical of Mt Etna’s eruptions can affect flights, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) told HuffPost UK that these disruptions are less severe than they used to be.

Spokesperson Jonathan Nicholson said: “Following the 2010 volcanic eruption in Iceland and the lessons learned since, volcanic eruptions now cause less disruption to aviation.

“The whole sector learned a lot about the impact that volcanic ash can have, while new technology and understanding means the impact can be better handled to minimise any disruption to passengers.”

Still, Italy’s Civil Protection Department said on its site that ash clouds can affect the Catania Fontanarossa, Sigonella, and Reggio Calabria airports and may “cause significant disruption to the transport sector”.

Keep an eye on your airline and airports’ updates if you’re travelling to the area.

“The lava flows of Etna, due to their viscosity and consequent low… speed, [usually don’t] constitute a danger to the safety of people.

“In [cases where] leakage occurs from [areas of] high altitude, the flows would rarely reach the towns,” Italy’s Civil Protection Department shared on their site.

In the rare case that an eruption might threaten a town, they added, it “is usually possible to implement measures aimed at altering their path”.

The most dangerous type of eruption, they continued, comes from “vents placed at low altitude: in such case the time to carry out any cooling flows would clearly be reduced, and most probably it would be useful to resort to the evacuation of the population from threatened areas”.

In 1983, 1992, 2001 and 2002, some canals were excavated, others had their banks reinforced, and barriers were laid down to change the direction of the lava flow.

“It should be noted that in the last two cases, interventions were designed to protect tourist infrastructures located at high altitudes,” the government body added.

Multiple monitoring systems, including thermal cameras, constantly track the mountain’s status.

You can check on the volcano’s status via INGV.

It’s crucially important to keep up-to-date with the volcano’s status if you’re visiting. Follow all local weather advice.

You probably already know that walking is really, really good for us, but you might not be aware just how little you have to stroll to see some benefits.

As few as 2,337 steps a day can lower your risk of dying from heart-related health conditions, including heart attack and stroke. Even a quarter of an hour’s stroll a day works wonders for our health.

No wonder the NHS previously called the activity “overlooked”.

And starting in 2027, NHS England will begin offering rewards for those who manage to go for a roughly half-hour-long stroll once a day for a month.

The program, called “marathon a month” or Movement 26.2, will give those who log 42.195 km a month incentives.

It’s the result of the government’s 10-year health plan for England.

The marathon a month scheme has been developed with Sir Brendan Foster, a former Olympic medallist.

Sir Foster said: “I’m known for running, but the ambition here is far simpler. We just want people to walk. Simple,” the BBC reported.

He also stated, “The WHO recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity a week. We realised that adds up to roughly the distance of a marathon every month.”

The 10-year health plan claims physical inactivity costs the NHS £10.5 billion a year.

It’s hoped that the walking scheme will attract 100,000 users in a single month in 2027.

It’s expected to begin early next year.

So far, it looks like Movement 26.2 is about your overall monthly walking distance. You likely won’t have to keep up a streak every single day, though Sir Forster said the program will tap into the mentality behind e.g. Snapchat streaks.

“If someone walks 30 minutes five times a week, they could gain up to four extra years of healthy life,” he said.

You will need to log your miles via a smartphone or smartwatch. It’ll be officiated by the NHS Points Scheme.

Sir Foster said that the rewards will start off digital, but will eventually become more material.

“Initially there’ll be digital rewards, like keeping a streak going for three months. Over time, there’ll be other kinds of rewards – medals, T-shirts, but also discounts and rewards,” he claimed.