Starmer may view Whitehall reform as essential to his missions

Labour is discovering how hard it is to effect change but PM seems to have appetite to drive change in public sector

It was a reset designed to invigorate Keir Starmer's premiership after flagging opinion polls, a scandal over the transport secretary and worries about the economy.

The prime minister gave a speech setting out new milestones - fleshing out the missions of his government with targets on reducing NHS waiting lists, getting named bobbies on the beat and raising living standards.