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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to north Wales this past Thursday to declare the construction of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the prime minister did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it attempting to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has evolved into overall. On the one hand, he wants his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. On the other hand, he is unable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now conducts politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot change the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can do something about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the government's core much more effectively than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the country was in less despair about his government than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Staffing Issues in No 10

A number of the issues in Number 10 are about individuals. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are hard to know accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to improve his performance, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his top aide, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Core of the Administration

All premiers devote excessive time abroad and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and hearing the public. Prime ministers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The most significant problems, however, are structural. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 report on reforming the government's central operations. His inability to grip these issues last July or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the central government office and No 10, and dividing the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of PMs far outdistances the assistance provided to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the victim of past failures as well as the architect of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the core and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.