Keir Starmer has quietly abandoned his “five missions”, now he should dispense with all policies that are standing in the way of growth, starting with the Employment Rights Bill, says Joe Hill

As we ring out 2025 and ring in 2026, it’s good to reflect on what we’re leaving behind as well as looking to the future. After just 18 months in office, it’s a surprise how many of their headline policies the government has dropped. Welfare reform, key reforms in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, and their commitment to not raise tax on working people for a start. They’ve learned, quickly, one of the most important lessons for running organisations – that they can’t do everything and have to prioritise.

Nowhere is this more obvious than the quiet abandoning of their “mission-driven” approach to government. The Prime Minister was propelled into power promising change, with five big missions – safer streets, cleaner energy, greater opportunities, a healthier society and higher growth. In his own words “every one a single necessary step on a longer journey”.

But now with little to show for progress on any of those missions, the idea has been adapted. The phrase only appears at big set pieces as “the defining mission of this government… to grow the economy”. Those other four missions? Suddenly they seem a lot less important.

Looking ahead to 2026,........

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