I am baffled by the suggestion Sir Keir Starmer is a man of principle. Principled politicians may be right or wrong, but they are guided by a coherent set of beliefs. Starmer has demonstrated no such consistency. Instead, his career has been characterised by expediency, U-turns and a persistent failure of judgement. When Labour came to office, Starmer declared that economic growth would be his overriding priority. Yet his government’s actions have pointed in the opposite direction. Businesses have been burdened with higher employment costs, opportunities for young workers have diminished with more than million young NEETS (not in education, employment or training), but I also apportion some of the blame at the previous Conservative governments who failed to address this adequately. Investment has faltered and economic confidence has weakened. The rhetoric promised growth, reality has delivered stagnation.

His handling of public appointments tells a similar story. After championing Peter Mandelson for UK Ambassador to the US, one of Britain’s most important diplomatic posts, Starmer later sought to distance himself from the controversy that inevitably followed. Responsibility is embraced when convenient and disowned when politically costly.