Goodness only knows it’s been blisteringly hot this week.

And among those suffering with the adverse effects of prolonged exposure to the sunshine are the merry men and women of the loony Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association.

It is the only logical explanation for the Labour-affiliated rail union of around 17,500 members endorsing net zero zealot Ed Miliband as the next Chancellor. Most of the country is recoiling in horror at the prospect of the heat pump fanatic returning to inflict more pain and misery with vicious tax hikes, especially after his stint as Labour leader hit the buffers.

But rather than shunting this deeply dangerous man into the sidings where he belongs, the TSSA said it was supporting Miliband as, wait for it, he represents a fresh start. No, seriously.

According to them he is not a perennial failure, nor a deeply unpopular or foaming-mouthed socialist. No, he is an “experienced hand willing to take a different approach to delivering an economy that works for everyone”.

God help us. If you weren’t on red alert already, this should give you sleepless nights.

TSSA General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust gleefully said: “The Labour movement needs an experienced hand as Chancellor who is responsive to the needs of working people and who represents a clear break from the status quo.

“We believe Ed Miliband has demonstrated that he understands the need for a different approach, one that is prepared to invest for the long term and deliver an economy that works for everyone. We think Ed Miliband should be the next occupant of Number 11.”

Taking advice from a union whose members work for the shambolic and grossly expensive railways, ferries, and bus services, somewhat speaks for itself.

Yet they are first out of the blocks to fly the flag for a man who struggles to eat a bacon sandwich, let alone run an economy.

The path under Red Ed is clear: anti-business and anti-growth – an approach that dates back to his ill-fated time as Labour leader when he said companies should either be classified “producers” or “predators”.

The current Energy Secretary has stubbornly refused to issue new oil drilling licences in the North Sea, despite Britain being strangled by an ongoing energy and fuel crisis.

His one-eyed approach to the climate has exacerbated the cost of living crisis by ramping up household energy bills.

Even Lord Walker, Labour’s cost of living tsar, said the business community and money markets would “freak out” if Britain jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire by replacing calamitous Rachel Reeves with even worse Miliband.

He said: “He’d be a disaster. I think if Ed were to come in, it would be balked at by the business communities, the markets would freak out.

“[Starmer] has stuck by him with these net zero policies, despite everyone around him telling him that this is really impacting the cost of living in a very adverse way.

“And what does Ed do in terms of disrespect? He was the first to plunge the knife in the back about a month ago and sat Keir down and told him his time was up.”

In 2010, after Gordon Brown resigned following Labour’s general election defeat, Andy Burnham ran to become the party’s leader but finished fourth out of five candidates, losing to Ed Miliband. In 2015 he tried again, but was beaten by Jeremy Corbyn.

He’s now set to be crowned prime minister without a mandate in less than one month after his junta-like assault on Keir Starmer, clapped to power in a shameful coronation by a weak-willed and slavish Labour clique.

Talk about failing upwards.

To give you some idea of how warped Labour is – from top to bottom – in the middle of a global energy supply crisis it still refuses to drill our own oil and gas in the North Sea. Why? ​Despite homes and businesses facing spiralling costs and rising energy bills, it is more interested in Miliband’s net zero projects rather than the widespread financial misery it is causing.

Its ideological obsessions – driven by Miliband’s dogma – has left Britain dangerously dependent on foreign imports.

Instead of backing British energy and jobs he has helped shut them down, shipping opportunities overseas.

It’s patently obvious this is bad for growth, bad for security, and bad for working families.

Of course none of this matters to Labour’s union paymasters who want to keep the cosy closed shop cabal going under Burnham.

It perhaps explains why Unison and the National Education Union are also backing Miliband for chancellor.