I have no doubt that in due course he will be seen as one of the most outstanding leaders Britain has had in the post-war era.
I will only consider his most important achievements.
First, that in just two years he restored a sense of stability and confidence in Britain, and around the world, that was sorely lacking after Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.
He established solid relations with Europe, so damaged by Brexit. There was new respect from our European allies. His support for Ukraine and for the NATO alliance was unshakeable, so vital when President Trump is such a loose cannon on the world stage. Keir managed Trump, when possible, while refusing to get sucked into his war with Iran. It was a difficult, but essential, decision.
President Putin has been seen off, as has President Xi: their hacking, social media attacks and attempts to spy on Britain were vigorously resisted.
Secondly, the economy was kept on an even keel. With Rachel Reeves as Chancellor there were none of the emergencies that commentators had foretold. There was no appeal the IMF or World Bank. Growth continued, even if it was not as rapid as anyone would have wished. He hands to Burnham a modest, but vital surplus.
Thirdly, there was no domestic emergency that the government could not handle. We saw violent demonstrations around asylum-seeker hotels, with protests in Epping, Newcastle, London, Bristol, and Liverpool. Clashes with counterprotesters were dealt with calmly and the police arrested the worst offenders and brought them before the courts.
The narrative of “Broken Britain” remained a far-right mirage, stoked by Trump and his billionaire acolytes. Keir celebrated our diversity and stood by all its communities when they came under attack. He condemned the “despicable” attack on the mosque in Peacehaven and stood with the Jewish community when its ambulances were set alight.
At a personal level he, and his family, came under sustained abuse. Social media spread grotesque myths about Keir without a shred of evidence. He remained stoical and silent, as a Prime Minister should.
Finally, it is worth noting his achievements as Labour leader. He eradicated the scourge of antisemitism that had been allowed to fester under Corbyn. The far left was removed and has gone on to infiltrate the Green Party.
As he leaves office Keir can look back on a job well done, even if his time in office was far too short to implement the radical changes that he dreamed of all his adult life.
Martin Plaut 