Does anyone know what Keir Starmer is thinking?

Even at the best of times, Keir Starmer has remained tantalisingly out of reach for those who crave simple definitions. Before the election, he consistently defied demands to set out a big vision or draw straight dividing lines. He’s always more comfortable with ambiguity and complexity. As he liked to say during the final days of the campaign, ‘There’s always a “but” with me somewhere.’

Now, of course, he really isn’t having the best of times. All those ‘buts’ are piling up. The ill-disciplined briefing battle within his team appeared to elevate office politics above real politics. The Treasury decision to means-test pensioners’ winter fuel allowances was inept. Most damaging of all were the expensive freebies which smouldered on for almost a month.

Few people in Westminster can possibly believe Starmer came into politics so that he could get some free suits and go to a couple of Taylor Swift shows, as has sometimes been implied by sections of a media hell-bent on finding false equivalence with the last government.