Labour ‘needs to tell a better story’ – and Morgan McSweeney has a plan

Keir Starmer’s team has spent much of its time since last month’s budget on the defensive. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/Reuters

During a tetchy exchange at prime minister’s questions this week, Keir Starmer was challenged by Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, over a petition signed by more than 2.8 million people calling for him to resign.

“She talks about a petition – we had a massive petition on 4 July in this country,” he said in response. But most in Downing Street will acknowledge that, less than five months since Labour’s election landslide, the party has had a bumpier start than it had hoped.