Without a clearer sense of a national destination, the prime minister risks being cast as an agent of continuity instead of change There is always a stark contrast between the simplicity of a slogan that wins an election and the complexity of the task that greets an incoming government. For Labour, the challenge is especially acute because the headline promise of Sir Keir Starmer’s campaign was a single word: “change”. Aside from new faces in ministerial offices, the reality for most people was always going to feel like more of the same for some time.Wednesday’s release of official economic data, showing inflation up by 2.2% last month, illustrates the point. The increase is on the lower end of analysts’ expectations, but high prices, especially for essential groceries, will still shape the public mood. The cost of living crisis that was a major factor in bringing down the Tories is now Labour’s problem. Continue reading...