‘A massive relief and a change of mood’: how did Keir Starmer’s first week in power go?

Britain's new PM and his team are genuinely excited to have seized the reins of power in Westminster - but are under no illusion about the size of the task ahead

When the new British prime minister, Keir Starmer, invited Wes Streeting into Downing Street to appoint him health secretary on Friday 5 July, the exchanges behind closed doors were entirely cordial.

But things rarely run 100% smoothly in the first days of a new administration as a complete government jigsaw is put together, piece by piece.