New governments are always in a hurry. All the talk is of ‘the first 100 days' as ministers scramble to take bold action that shifts the dial and sets the tone before the administration, like all administrations, gets snared in knotty long-term problems and blown off course by unforeseen external events.

Sometimes the boldest thing to do is stop and listen, and there are encouraging signs that this is also part of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's strategy.