The substance of Starmer’s “reset” remains somewhat vague, a common affliction of new governments. He spoke of a new “Council of the Nations and Regions” that would give the devolved leaders a more formal role in shaping UK-wide policy. He promised to listen, to engage, and to treat the First Ministers as equal partners in the governance of the country. It is a message that is easy to deliver but extraordinarily difficult to implement. The fundamental tensions inherent in a devolved settlement are not easily smoothed over with warm words and handshakes. The SNP wants independence. Plaid Cymru wants independence. Sinn Féin wants a united Ireland. No amount of “resetting” is going to change those ultimate objectives.
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The challenge for Starmer is to manage the Union in a way that prevents these separatist ambitions from gaining further momentum. His best hope lies in demonstrating that the UK can work for all its constituent parts. That means delivering tangible improvements in public services and economic opportunity, a task made infinitely harder by the parlous state of the public finances. The “reset” tour was a necessary piece of political theatre. It signalled a change in tone, a break from the confrontational approach of the previous government. But the real test will come in the months and years ahead, when the difficult decisions over money and power have to be made. The goodwill generated by the tour is a fragile commodity. It will evaporate the moment Westminster tries to impose a policy that is deeply unpopular in the devolved nations. Starmer’s honeymoon with the Celtic fringe is likely to be very short indeed.
