‘I spoke to Keir Starmer in No10- he is aware of folks want extra hope this winter’

Keir Starmer’s first months in No10 have been gloomier than you might expect for a Prime Minister who has just won a thumping majority.

Celebrations over Labour’s return to power after 15 years were quickly replaced by warnings about the mess left behind by the Tories and the painful decisions needed to fix it.

Mr Starmer believes he needs to be straight with the public instead of offering Boris Johnson-style false hope. But privately, those around him accept that maybe it’s all been a bit too grim.

So the PM will use the Labour conference this week to pivot to hope, offering a spoonful of sugar with the medicine Labour is prescribing for Britain. When I interviewed him in Downing Street this week, it was clear that he gets that Brits need some reassurance heading into another tough winter.

He isn’t gloomy by nature and sitting across from him in No10, it was clear that he’s energised by the chance to change things. He often told friends how much he hated being opposition leader, how frustrating it was to watch from the sidelines as the Tories smashed up the place.

Now he’s the one in power. And his test will be whether people feel that their lives are better under a Labour Government. It’s been a challenging few weeks for the PM, with a backlash over winter fuel cuts for pensioners and a damaging row over freebies. Mr Starmer appeared unruffled by the cash for clothes row in our interview but he won’t be.

He’s very close to his family and he won’t like newspaper reports about his wife Victoria, particularly as Lady Starmer wants to stay out of the limelight. But soon after we spoke, No10 U-turned, saying the PM, Deputy PM Angela Rayner and Chancellor Rachel Reeves won’t take any more cash for their wardrobes.

Mr Starmer has presented himself as Mr Rules and so the donations row was often framed that way. This is important, rules matter. But the PM also promised to bring about change.

He promised voters an end to Tory sleaze and scandal, to lead a Government of service that puts working people first. He would do well to remember this.