Football culture

Sometimes it's hard to be a culture secretary. One day you can be wrestling with the thorny issue of how to keep Channel 4 afloat without damaging the BBC. The next you can be watching another kind of shoot-out entirely in the comfy seats at the Champions League final in Moscow. Yes, Andy Burnham looked as though he was enjoying the lighter side of his brief as he stood behind Michel Platini as the medals and cup were handed out to Manchester United's jubilant players and manager last night. Despite being a life-long Everton supporter, Burnham is MP for Leigh in Greater Manchester. So perhaps no surprise to see him clapping with slightly more enthusiasm when Man Utd collected their winners medals. Monkey hears another attendee in Moscow was very recently ex-ITV director of television Simon Shaps. However, Shaps was there in his capacity only as an ardent Man Utd fan.