So to the new Shadow Cabinet. Which is certainly a fresh look: very fresh in places. And whose makeup has considerably surprised me - but not for the reasons you might imagine.

What's surprised me is no place for any of Yvette Cooper, Hilary Benn or Stella Creasy. All talented people; all skilled media operators. And all left out in what otherwise is a reshuffle which a) draws heavily from the centre of the party and b) looks pretty 'Remainy'.

Except, of course, that it's not Remain - it's post-Remain. Maintaining the values which Remain represented while forging a new future outside of the EU. That's very much in line with where the membership and Labour voters mostly are.

Anneliese Dodds is an excellent and bold choice as Shadow Chancellor. The way to tell which direction policy is going to go is by looking at who has their hands on the economic tiller. That John McDonnell is delighted by Dodds' promotion says everything on that front.

Lisa Nandy, meanwhile, is a very shrewd choice as Shadow Foreign Secretary. Why? It's a major office of state, rewarding her for the impact she made in the leadership contest... but which also stops her from meddling with domestic policy direction and dragging it rightwards.

It keeps her supporters happy - but prevents them playing games too. Clever.

Many won't be familiar with Nick Thomas-Symonds, the new Shadow Home Secretary. He's a VERY smart chap who was already lecturing at Oxford by age 21, and whose role model is... Clem Attlee.

The big controversy, of course, is the demotion of Messrs Butler and Burgon. Except that's easy to explain.

They demoted themselves by not signing the BoD's pledges.
Yes yes, I know. Heck: I voted for Butler for Deputy myself! But once Starmer committed himself to those pledges, he couldn't have anyone in his team who hadn't. That actually became clear during the campaign.

I very much hope both return to the Shadow Cabinet at a later date - and strongly suspect both will, Butler especially.

Barry Gardiner? Sad to see him go, but he's hardly indispensable. And for all that he wowed the left, he more than likely alienated the broader public.

Essentially, Gardiner's problem was the difficulty all politicians on the left face. They care so much about others that they get pegged as self-righteous by viewers who, ahem, don't care half as much. The latter just view them as angry. Ian Lavery has a similar problem.

Note the comments below this row between Lavery and Boris Johnson. Look at who almost all the commentators side with.



That's why successful centre-left leaders often sound soft focus, and are reluctant to use language which can be portrayed as divisive.

The left hears them and think they don't care. Wrong. They're just aware at all times that they can't divide the people (or rather, be portrayed as having done so) and hope to win. The best politicians keep their eyes on the prize at all times.

I'm genuinely disappointed there's no place for Clive Lewis - but am delighted at David Lammy's inclusion. In an absolutely tailor made role for him too. For what are Lammy's politics but precisely about justice - or rather, fighting injustice at every turn?

Ed Miliband's return is welcome. Emily Thornberry's retention in a role which suits her experience and skills is also good news. And beyond that, I'd pick out the magnificently reliable Jim McMahon; and rising star, Rosena Allin-Khan.

Overall, this Shadow Cabinet is soft left. That's the theme running across much of it. But it's also not an attack on the left: because Angela Rayner is Deputy and Chair; Rebecca Long-Bailey has a major role; Andy MacDonald and Cat Smith are both still there.

Meanwhile, the right have Rachel Reeves (but not in a particularly important position), Ian Murray (by default, as he's Labour's only MP in Scotland), and....? Who else?

No Creasy. No Phillips. No Streeting. No McDonagh. No (thank God for that) Hodge.

Overall, it's soft left, broadly pro-European, very diverse, majority female, and has promoted a huge number of new faces. That's all good if you ask me; no major complaints here. Just Lewis and - but she did it to herself - Butler.

But what of Starmer himself?

I think Keir Starmer is a deeply shrewd individual. He won't over-promise. He'll see the danger in every question. He'll neither join a national government nor refuse to work constructively with it at a time of monumental national and global crisis. He'll always find a balance.

These are completely unprecedented times. 3 months ago, Boris Johnson supposedly had the whole world at his feet, at least for the decade ahead. He now lies in intensive care, probably on a ventilator.

4 months ago - and for the preceding 3 and a half years - it was Brexit this, Brexit that. It's not now, is it?

Nothing lasts forever. Nothing stays static forever. Public opinion shifts because events make it shift. A liability at one point becomes a huge strength at another.

After years of political paralysis, the electorate just wanted a bit of calm, a bit of stability in December 2019. Offering them the moon on a stick was just the wrong thing to do.

That same public loved Johnson's eccentricities... but now? Serious times call for serious people

That's the prism through which I view Starmer. Serious times call for serious people. The public are scared; we've never known more uncertainty. You reckon they still want laugh-a-minute stand-up now?

No. They want grown-up, coherent government and grown-up, united opposition.

With regard to which, Nick Brown is also an excellent choice as Chief Whip. He'll keep the troops together.

And on Brexit: the only reason it'd still be a big topic at the next election is if it's been a disaster. If so, who would that suit?

So while right now, the whole country has much bigger things on its mind, I'm extremely optimistic about Labour's future. I had thought winning the next election was impossible. I don't now.

We have the right leader. He's committed to the right policies. We have a good team.

And in the years ahead, we're going to be talking to a completely changed electorate. Coronavirus will alter how people view the world and especially, the need for greater equality, localism and real action on climate.

That's a backdrop against which Labour can succeed hugely.