Behind the scenes, Starmer was engaged in a relentless effort to change the party’s culture. He tackled issues of internal discipline and sought to ensure that the party’s policies were grounded in economic reality. He knew that to win a general election, he had to prove that Labour could be trusted with the nation’s finances. He slowly stripped away the policies that had made the party unelectable in 2019, replacing them with a focus on "mission-led" government. This shift was not without resistance, but Starmer remained disciplined, constantly keeping his eyes on the goal of winning back the trust of the electorate.