Early this morning, before the birds and breakfast show presenters are up, a group of hardy individuals clad in red, black and gold finery will search the vaults under the Houses of Parliament.

The task of these Yeomen of the Guard, as set out in pre-spellcheck days, is “to cleer and cause to be cleered the Sellars & vaultes under and neer adjoyning the house of Peers, Painted Chamber & Court of Requests of all Timber, firewood, coales & other materialls of what kind soever and that passages be made throughout... & hightes be opened where they may that Gardes may passe throughout the day or night".

The job is a hangover from some bad business on 5 November, 1605. I don’t remember, remember the precise details, but it involved gunpowder, treason, and plot.

Whatever the reason for it, the now symbolic search forms part of the State Opening of Parliament, taking place down Westminster way today.

As usual, the event will be covered live by the BBC, but there is nothing quite like seeing the event in person if you can, ideally from one of the higher offices in the Palace of Westminster.

It is like the big parade at Disney World, only slightly less believable and with no Mickey and Minnie glad-handing the crowds. Otherwise, there are swords, gold carriages, men in tights and a big stick - something for everyone to enjoy. In the middle of it there is even a speech by someone wearing a crown who talks about “my government” and “my ministers”.

The event is aimed in the main at three groups - tourists, new MPs, and the rest of us. For the latter, the ceremony signals that the ship of state is sailing serenely onwards. Someone with a plan is in charge.

For new MPs the ceremony, parts of which date back to the 15th century, makes them feel important. At the same time they are reminded of their here today, gone tomorrow status. In the great sweep of time, they are but specks of dust. Nothing personal, but specks all the same.

There have been a lot of astonishing images lately showing how much has changed with the general election. That photograph of the Commons chamber, with the bright outfits of women MPs - a record 263 of them - breaking up a mass of dark suits was one. Sir Keir Starmer shaking the hand of his neighbour, US President Joe Biden, at the Nato summit was another. How easily people slide into new roles.

There will be more such images today, but how much has changed really? The size of the Labour majority and the scale of the Tory defeat suggested an earthquake had struck the political landscape. Looking around, however, the startling thing is how little disruption to the established order there has been. Life rumbles on as before with the same frustrations and blights.

In the government’s defence, it has only been a matter of weeks since the election. Moreover, we won’t know exactly what is in the King’s Speech until it is delivered. Plus, there was a flurry of announcements and speeches by ministers last week. Even so, the Starmer era is not starting at anything like the pace established by Blair in 1997, or Attlee in 1945.

Blair became Prime Minister on May 2. On May 6, Bank of England independence was announced. Referendums were held in Scotland and Wales. A ban on handguns became law. On and on the reforms went.

The new Labour government is said to have 35 draft laws waiting to go, among them a bill to set up the state-owned and Scotland-based GB Energy, and a bill to boost workers’ rights. It seems a lot to get through in the months ahead. Yet in terms of work rate, it is hardly a match for the several hundred acts the Attlee government passed. Now that was an administration that hit the ground sprinting.

Tony Blair moved fast when he came into office Tony Blair moved fast when he came into office (Image: free)

Again, it may seem unfair to judge a King’s speech not yet delivered, and a government not yet 100 days in office. But Sir Keir and his team began downplaying expectations long before the election, and they seem to have brought the same strategy into government. It has been disappointing, so early on, to see ministers lining up to say how bare the Tories have left the cupboard.

Perhaps Sir Keir considers a firework-free King’s Speech to be just the thing the UK needs after the chaos of the Conservative years. It could be that he is just warming up. Yet if he is not willing or able to “go big” when he has just won such a thumping majority, will he ever be ready to do so?

Like a certain slogan said, what voters wanted from this election was change. There is one way to signal the shop is under new management and that is scrapping the two-child benefit cap.

One of the greatest harms perpetrated by the Conservatives under the banner of austerity, the cap throws hundreds of thousands of children into poverty every year. Getting rid of it would cost upwards of £2.5 billion - no mean sum but consider the good done in the short and long term.

The new Prime Minister knows the arguments as well as anyone and is sympathetic, but this policy falls under his “when finances allow” rule. If any measure deserved an exemption it is this one. Given the widespread support for scrapping the limit, who, other than government ministers, is going to speak out against the move?

The SNP wants to scrap the cap via an amendment to the King’s Speech. Different amendments from other parties are being discussed.

Such is the size of the government’s majority any vote can be no more than a piece of theatre with an all too predictable end. But if it prompts even a handful of Labour MPs to rebel it will put down a marker to the government and show there is life in this old democracy yet. Every now and then, as will be seen in Westminster today, a little spectacle is just what is needed.