As Sir Keir Starmer approached the first anniversary of his general election victory, the indelible image this week was of a prime minister failing to fully back his chancellor Rachel Reeves, tears rolling down her cheeks, her welfare reform plans in tatters.

By our own metrics, the government is not thriving. Waiting times at emergency ( A&E) wards may be falling, but at a glacial pace. The number of migrants crossing in small boats has risen by 38% over the past year. Housebuilding is moribund and crime incidents, although relatively low, have increased by 10%.