Inside Starmer’s first week as he enters No 10

Sir Keir Starmer is Britain’s new Prime Minister, and the business of government has begun immediately.

This is what the Labour leader has in store for his first week:

Friday, July 5

Following Rishi Sunak’s formal resignation on Friday morning, Sir Keir went to Buckingham Palace, where the King invited him to form a Government.

He then went to Downing Street where he gave a victory speech outside Number 10 and went inside for the first time as the man in charge.

The Prime Minister’s first day will be predominantly taken up by appointing the Cabinet, which Pat McFadden, Labour’s campaign chief, has said will be complete by close of play on Friday.

Sir Keir will also meet senior civil servants, including Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, and be handed day-one briefings and formal advice from the Civil Service.

The issues discussed will be his responsibilities as Prime Minister and immediate policy priorities. These will have been discussed already by Sir Keir and senior civil servants in “access talks”, to which opposition leaders are invited before an election.

Sir Keir’s most solemn job, on day one, will be writing the letters of last resort – instructions to the commanders of Britain’s Trident missile submarines on how to respond if the Government has been destroyed in a nuclear attack.

Saturday, July 6

Mr Sunak is expected to start the process of moving out of Number 10, allowing Sir Keir to move in. As he settles in, a series of congratulatory phone calls with world leaders will begin, prioritising key allies such as the United States and France.

The Prime Minister’s day will also feature a series of national security briefings from Britain’s military chiefs and intelligence heads on the biggest threats facing the country.

A major policy announcement could be made as soon as Saturday, following Sir Keir’s remarks in his victory speech that his mission of “national renewal” would begin immediately. This could be the scrapping of the Rwanda scheme, which Labour has vowed to axe on “day one”.

Elsewhere, Sir Keir will appoint his “nuclear deputies” – senior members of the Government who will be given authority to approve the use of Britain’s nuclear deterrent if the Prime Minister is absent or seriously ill.

Sunday, July 7

As the weekend progresses, conversations will turn to how Number 10 will be set up during Sir Keir’s premiership, with Sue Gray, the partygate investigator, expected to play a key part given her role as his chief of staff.

The Government is thought likely to set up a new “executive cabinet” of Sir Keir, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Mr McFadden, while a Blairite-style policy delivery unit will be created in an attempt to ensure that priorities are implemented.

The new Cabinet’s special advisers will also be installed, though this is typically the responsibility of the ministers themselves. Phone calls with world leaders will continue to be made.

Monday, July 8

On Monday, diplomatic conversations, civil servant briefings and the setting up of Number 10’s internal machinery will continue.

It is likely that Sir Keir’s wife, Victoria, and their two children will have moved into the flat above No 10 by this point.

The family are also expected to get a dog, most likely a German Shepherd. Whether it will get along with Larry, the resident Downing Street cat, remains to be seen.

Further policy announcements are also likely, although the specifics of Sir Keir’s priorities are not certain.

Tuesday, July 9

On Tuesday, the new Prime Minister will attend his first major foreign policy summit since the election when he attends Nato’s 75th anniversary celebrations in the United States.

He will be joined by David Lammy, his Foreign Secretary, and John Healey, the Defence Secretary.

The summit will centre on the Russia-Ukraine war, and Sir Keir is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president.

Back in Britain, the Commons will meet for the first time to formally elect the new Speaker. Lindsay Hoyle, the incumbent, will take the role.

Wednesday, July 10

Sir Keir is expected to remain stateside as the Nato summit continues. A bilateral meeting with Joe Biden, the US President, has not yet been confirmed but would be expected.

In the Commons, with the Speaker now elected, the swearing in process for all MPs will begin. The Speaker will be the first member to either swear the oath of allegiance or make a solemn affirmation.

Thursday, July 11

As Nato’s summit continues into its third and final day, Sir Keir will have the opportunity for more bilateral talks with key allies. In the Commons, the swearing in of MPs will continue for a second day.

Friday, July 12

Sir Keir is expected to land back in Britain from the Nato summit. His attention will turn to the state opening of Parliament on July 17, where the King will deliver the King’s Speech, setting out the new Government’s legislative agenda.