Last week, Yvette Cooper — a seasoned Labour hand who has had government experience both as work and pensions secretary and as chief secretary to the Treasury, and is perhaps Burnham's
greatest leadership rival — suggested she agreed with Miliband's refusal to accept blame.
The
greatest surprise isn't Osborne's dream of succeeding Cameron in Downing Street is fading but the Prime Minister's chief lieutenant remains in the
leadership race, stumbling without so far falling completely flat on his face when he remains a potential
rival to Boris Johnson or Theresa May or, coming up on the outside, Michael Gove when Dave departs in the months or years after the momentous, epoch - defining decision the country takes on 23 June.