Chris Mason: What can we learn from Starmer’s first day as Prime Minister?

The thrill of novelty will no doubt wear off for them and the drudgery of governing will set in. But this time at least they were aware of the significance of this moment for them.

It is 14 years since Labour ministers wandered around Downing Street.

And it’s been 27 years since they last threw the Conservatives out of office.

A few hours later, Sir Keir Starmer appeared comfortable, even relaxed, at his first press conference in his role as Prime Minister.

We reporters were led into the State Dining Room at the heart of No. 10, rather than the specially designated room at No. 9, which had been built by the last government and was particularly associated with disputes over parties during the pandemic.

Such things do not happen by chance and who knows if the government will use the newer space on camera in the future, but it was a visible sign of change.

Sir Keir assured us that his government would face the challenges it faces with what he called “ruthless honesty”.

He and his ministers have already described prisons and the NHS in England as “broken”.

Let’s see how long they have the patience to blame their predecessors.

What we will see next – and this has been telegraphed in advance – is a blitz by the Prime Minister in his travels and activities.

It turns out that when you win a parliamentary election, the roadshow of meeting, greeting, fast-paced and smiling does not end with the trip to the polling station.

Sir Keir will travel to Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff in the next few days and will meet with the mayors of England on Tuesday.

Afterwards we will fly to Washington DC for the annual summit of the NATO defense alliance.

A chance for the Prime Minister to meet other world leaders – and to stand on a stage to which only presidents and prime ministers are invited.

The following week (i.e. within the next two weeks) there will be a “King’s Speech” – the ceremonial opening of Parliament – during which the government will set out its planned new laws.

And the following day, Keir Starmer will welcome around 50 other European heads of state and government to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire for a meeting of the so-called European Political Community, a new body independent of the European Union.

An overwhelming majority after the offer of “change” – coupled with low voter turnout and a vote share lower than any other post-war single-party government – ​​may leave this government little time to demonstrate that it can deliver.

They are determined not to waste any time.