Originality has never been a strong suit for politicians, generations of which have long confused the appearance of movement with its purpose. Sadly for us, Andy Burnham – for all his glitzy social media videos and patronising twaddle about what the working class needs – is no different.

Last week, the big idea was helping us all with the cost of living by shaving a few quid off monthly bills, while ignoring what was sending them rising. This week, it’s sitting everyone down so we can have a long, hard think about solving the social care crisis that condemns millions to an unhappy life.

In fairness to the Prime Minister, it is a can that has been battered from the number of times governments have kicked it down the road.

However, despite the warm platitudes of working “cross party” – something that famously rarely works – to resolve the crisis, it looks like he too is giving that can another knock.

Thanks to his newfound desire to hold hands across political divides, Mr Burnham has invited some of his rivals for a tea and natter.

Unfortunately, he issued those invitations when MPs are, by design, not in Westminster, which meant the Conservatives had to send a sub for their boss.

It also meant that Sir Ed Davey, who has a profound personal knowledge of the struggles carers face, was unable to attend.

A Conservative source said it was “almost like it’s only being done for show”, and I have to admit I am inclined to agree.

Then there is the matter of who was not lucky enough to make the guest list. Reform UK’s invitation got lost in the post, despite it polling in second place – or first place until very recently.

Likewise, the Green Party were unwanted – a rising party that is hoovering up the support of the youngest voters who will have to live with the consequences of government actions for longer.

It would appear that only those who have shaped the modern political consensus for much of the past century are considered worthy of deciding the shape of the next.

His strategy is transparent enough. Build a consensus with the two opposition parties, both polling far behind Reform, and any subsequent plan becomes difficult for them to oppose.

All the while excluding the parties who might actually challenge the direction of travel, that unruly pair are left outside on the pavement.

I have no reason to see this as anything other than naïve. In effect, the Prime Minister has told about 40% of the country that their votes and their views do not qualify them for the room.

This from a Prime Minister who promised us an end to political point-scoring. Consensus, on his terms, seems to involve inviting only those most likely to consent, at a moment when they most likely cannot attend, on a policy whose details he has yet to publish.

We still know remarkably little about how any of this will actually work.

Sure, we know what the Prime Minister wants, but again, we do not know how he intends to deliver it, what it will cost, or who will pay.

Wanting a thing, as any minister discovers on entering office, turns out to be the easy part.