Why is everyone making such a fuss about the departure of Sue Gray earlier this week as Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, and over who does what in No 10? Why are we not talking about policy, the budget and wars overseas? The reason is that no prime minister in history has ever succeeded without having the right staff and operation under them in Downing Street.
So it matters profoundly that no Labour government since 1945 has so badly bungled its Downing Street operation in its first 100 days in power. Starmer and his leading figures should have listened harder to the bountiful advice before July about how to run his office. Wise heads from past administrations implored them to recognise that governing needed a fresh mindset, and an acceptance that fixing broken structures at the centre of government should be prioritised. But Starmer and his triumphant team were looking elsewhere and, in consequence, underachieved massively in their vital first three months.
