It ain’t over until the fats girl sings, but when the polls are even near being proper, it would take the political equal of an asteroid obliterating the Earth to cease Sir Keir Starmer from strolling by way of the door of No 10 on Friday.
The well-oiled equipment of the British state has been purring in direction of this doubtlessly seismic second for greater than a 12 months: Sue Grey, who spent years on the prime of the Civil Service earlier than switching to change into Starmer’s chief of workers, has led the transition talks – and has drawn up the grid for the primary 100 days of a Labour authorities.
With the parliamentary recess looming on the finish of July, Starmer is anticipated to maneuver quick to cement his statist imaginative and prescient of the nation’s future – led by a repeal of the Rwanda migrants scheme, French-style union legal guidelines and the slamming of VAT on non-public college charges.
When he returns from his go to to Buckingham Palace, to ask the King for his permission to kind a authorities, Starmer will ship a short speech from Downing Avenue, earlier than being greeted on the door of No 10 by Cupboard Secretary Simon Case.
After being clapped by way of the door by workers, he will probably be led to the Cupboard Room to satisfy his most senior officers: it was at this level in 2019 that Boris Johnson began blurting out what he had mentioned with the Queen, till he was rapidly reminded concerning the protocol of sovereign discretion.
Starmer, pictured at present, is anticipated to maneuver quick to cement his statist imaginative and prescient of the nation’s future, led by a repeal of the Rwanda migrants scheme, French-style union legal guidelines and the slamming of VAT on non-public college charges
Chillingly, Starmer, whose predecessor Jeremy Corbyn vowed by no means to make use of the nuclear deterrent, will then be instructed by a senior naval commander to write down 4 equivalent handwritten ‘letters of final resort’ to the Trident submarine commanders
Starmer’s first process will probably be to take heed to an in depth private safety briefing – he will probably be given the choice of asking his spouse and two kids to hitch – overlaying points similar to a terrorist assault on No 10. A supply mentioned: ‘The brand new Prime Minister is actually knowledgeable that they’ve to go away instantly, with out argument or dialogue, by way of a community of secret tunnels which lie beneath Whitehall.’
Chillingly, Starmer, whose predecessor Jeremy Corbyn vowed by no means to make use of the nuclear deterrent, will then be instructed by a senior naval commander to write down 4 equivalent handwritten ‘letters of final resort’ to the Trident submarine commanders – orders which will probably be utilized if the Authorities has been worn out in a nuclear assault. An industrial-sized shredder will probably be wheeled in to destroy the present letters from Rishi Sunak. David Cameron responded to this on his first day in 2010 by placing his hand on his brow and exclaiming: ‘Oh my God, that is actual!’
Starmer will even have to attract up a shortlist of essentially the most senior aides he would need to be a part of him in a nuclear bunker – a topic of jealous in-fighting in earlier regimes.
By now, the primary calls will probably be coming in from world leaders. A supply mentioned: ‘That is considered essential. The primary dialog units your entire tone for the brand new diplomatic relationship.
‘Numerous thought goes into what the primary ‘ask’ will probably be to every world chief, what they are going to be demanding in return, and what the response will probably be.’
Whereas all this is occurring, Starmer will even be launched to the responsibility clerks, Backyard Room Ladies and supervisor of the PM’s flat – he’ll reside ‘above the store’ along with his household – who will collectively handle his day by day life on a minute-by-minute foundation.
A authorities supply mentioned: ‘It’s shortly made clear to the brand new PM that these individuals will probably be working nearly each side of his day by day affairs. It is then they realise they are not simply beginning a brand new job, they’re handing over their lives. It is vitally detailed.
‘They ask what time the PM needs to be woken – do they need a name or a knock on the door, do they need to take breakfast within the flat, or one thing at their desk? Do they need official papers introduced up, or favor to work on them in the primary constructing? It is stuff like that.’
Starmer’s thoughts will then flip to the appointment of his Cupboard. Whereas many of the senior members of his frontbench are anticipated to maneuver straight into place, there’s nonetheless scope for surprises: Shadow Overseas Secretary David Lammy will probably be notably nervous within the wake of a whispering marketing campaign in opposition to him generated by his digital absence from the election marketing campaign path.
Grey has been in shut contact with shadow Cupboard ministers through the marketing campaign to check their readiness for presidency, with many referred to as in for face-to-face conferences in her workplace in Labour’s South London HQ and grilled on their plans for the primary 100 days. Central to the dialogue have been which measures to incorporate within the King’s Speech on July 17, which might set out Starmer’s legislative programme.
Grey began the method in September, quickly after she took up the place, when she ordered the Shadow Cupboard to be ‘match match’ for his or her first weeks in workplace.
One aide mentioned of the previous Whitehall mandarin: ‘She holds the pen. It has been fairly seamless. She has largely instructed us to crack on with our plans, however has additionally urged helpful contacts to talk to about implementation and provided her personal concepts.’
Prone to be essentially the most urgent subject is immigration. Labour has promised to axe Sunak’s Rwanda migrant deportation scheme ‘on day one’: with as much as 60,000 migrants earmarked for deportation to Rwanda, they may by definition be handed an efficient ‘amnesty’ and positioned within the asylum system.
When mixed with an anticipated enhance in small-boat crossings, it might convey the Starmer honeymoon to a swift finish. Shadow Residence Secretary Yvette Cooper, who plans to start out work on her new Border Safety Command on day one, will usher in a ‘nationwide safety dash’ to determine rising threats to the UK.
Starmer will even have to attract up a shortlist of essentially the most senior aides he would need to be a part of him in a nuclear bunker, a topic of jealous in-fighting in earlier regimes
Her different plans embrace legal guidelines to crack down on delinquent behaviour, enhance preparedness for terrorist assaults and launch a assessment on violence in opposition to ladies.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves will begin by setting a date for the subsequent Funds; she will even legislate within the King’s Speech to impose VAT on non-public college charges from 2025.
Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy chief, has been spearheading the celebration’s plans to introduce new employees’ rights by way of laws, together with an finish to zero-hours contracts and easing restrictions on union exercise.
Wes Streeting, the seemingly Well being Secretary, says he’ll reopen negotiations with the British Medical Affiliation to attempt to finish the physician strikes.
He says that his focus for the primary 100 days will probably be Labour’s pledge so as to add 40,000 additional NHS appointments per week, giving course to NHS trusts, organising surgical hubs and forcing extra NHS workers to work additional time on weekends and evenings.
Starmer will take his first international journey as PM simply 4 days after his appointment, attending a summit of the Nato alliance in Washington alongside Joe Biden and different world leaders. And on July 18, the Prime Minister will host main EU leaders the European Political Neighborhood summit at Winston Churchill’s birthplace Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.
Churchill wrote about his personal first day as Prime Minister in The Gathering Storm, saying: ‘As I went to mattress about 3am, I used to be aware of a profound sense of reduction . . . Eventually I had the authority to offer instructions over the entire scene.’
If the polls are right, Starmer’s personal ‘authority to offer instructions’ will probably be nearly fully untrammelled.
