This apparent hardening of attitudes is not unique to the UK, and appears to be part of a cross-national trend about how people think about poverty, fairness and who is best placed to do something about it. For example, across countries, people have become much more likely to agree that if someone works harder...

The Behavioural Insight Team – or ‘nudge’ unit, as Ministers call it – is about applying behavioural economics and social psychology to policy in a systematic way.

It was a tough first audience made up of many familiar faces who helped shape his experiences as Prime Minister – and who were now busy settling in a new Prime Minister.