It was never likely Starmer would simply adopt a left-wing agenda and he always intended to strike a balance between different sides of the Labour party, a person close to him said, citing his ongoing commitments to tough policies on immigration and fiscal prudence in addition to more liberal stances on Europe, child poverty and net zero. Even on the latter, and without McSweeney by his side, the premier this week indicated he was not opposed to granting more licenses for drilling at the Rosebank oil field to the north of Scotland.