Keir Starmer’s mission impossible

Labour backbenchers have spent years dreaming of the day they are in power and get ‘the call’ from the Prime Minister, inviting them to become ministers. But this time, a few were surprised that when the call came they heard the cut-glass accent of Sue Gray on the line.

Perhaps it shouldn’t have surprised them. Her power over the government is hardly a secret: she helped run the country as a civil servant during the Tory years. Now she does so as a political adviser. Why disguise it?

Gray is a veteran of the process of forming and reshuffling governments, scrawling the names of hopefuls on cards and moving them around. Party whips work out the politics, mandarins run propriety checks. Such is the British constitution in all its dignity and efficiency. Now Keir Starmer wants a ‘mission-led government’ dedicated to five main projects: ‘boosting growth’, energy, crime, health and ‘opportunity’ outcomes.