Did Starmer get his plan for change from New Labour?

The prime minister, after a “choppy” first few months in office, is promising to implement a “plan for change” and to introduce “measurable milestones” by which the performance of the government may be judged.

- SEAN O'GRADY

Some are calling it a “reset”, and, if so, it would be the first such effort since the heady morning of 5 July.

Riots, freebies, cuts to winter fuel payments, a tough Budget, farmers’ protests, a struggle for control in No 10 resulting in the ousting of Sue Gray, plus an early cabinet resignation... events, rather than some overarching narrative, have come to define the government.

Can things get better?

What’s the difference between a ‘mission’ and a ‘milestone’?

This is yet to be seen in the “plan for change”, but you could say that one mission is equal to two milestones. That’s because the five specified (though not that specific) “missions” are envisaged to take place over a “decade of renewal”, whereas the six prospective “milestones” will be achieved over the course of this parliament, the end of which is around five years away. A halfway milestone, in fact.

Will the milestones just be targets?