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Sir Keir Starmer visited Wales' northern region this past Thursday to declare the construction of a new nuclear power station. This is a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. Yet, the PM did not devote much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it trying to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has evolved into overall. Firstly, he wants his government to be doing, 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, partly, the country as a whole – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister is unable to change the political culture on his own, but he can do something about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the government's core far better than he does. If he did this, he could discover that the country was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Staffing Issues in No 10

A number of the issues in Downing Street are about individuals. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He hesitated about assigning the key job of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Core of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time abroad and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The most significant problems, though, are structural. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s March 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues in the summer or since suggests he did not. The frequently dismal experience of the Labour administration indicates recommendations like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and dividing the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the victim of previous shortcomings as well as the author of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.