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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to reveal the building of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the prime minister did not devote much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it trying to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become more generally. Firstly, he wants his government to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the nation more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot change the political culture single-handedly, but he can take action about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the government's core much more effectively than he currently does. If he did this, he might find that the nation was in less dismay about his administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Number 10 relate to individuals. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are hard to know well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to improve his performance, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He hesitated about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy 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 international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little conversing with MPs and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the focus, as the chief of staff has recently.

The biggest issues, however, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s March 2024 report on reforming the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues last July or since implies he did not. The frequently dismal experience of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of PMs far outdistances the support available to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of previous shortcomings along with the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.