Andy Burnham entered Downing Street with a swagger on Monday after his appointment to the office of prime minister by Britain’s King Charles. His first act before going in the door of number 10 was to proclaim a message of hope about his country’s future. It was such a contrast to the prosaic leadership of Keir Starmer, who lost office after two years despite a large majority in the House of Commons. Starmer’s biggest mistake was that he failed to inspire his party and the public.

The contrast between the styles of the two men illustrates one of the fundamental attributes of a successful leader – the need to appear comfortable and at ease in the role. It is something Starmer never managed in his time as prime minister.

The 16th-century Italian diplomat and courtier Baldassare Castiglione, whose portrait hangs in the National Gallery in Dublin, wrote that the essential attribute for a leader was “to practice in all things a certain nonchalance which conceals all artistry and makes whatever one says or does seem uncontrived or effortless”.

Successful politicians have an almost mysterious ability to connect with others, make them feel at ease and convey the impression to the people they meet that they are special. Bill Clinton had this ability in spades – but all who reach the top of the greasy pole have it to some........

© The Irish Times