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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to north Wales this past Thursday to announce the development of a new nuclear power station. This is a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it trying to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has evolved into more generally. On the one hand, he desires his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, partly, the country as a whole – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir cannot change the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the government's core far better than he currently does. If he did this, he might find that the country was in less dismay about his administration than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Number 10 relate to personnel. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He hesitated about giving the key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his top aide, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Core of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time overseas and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little conversing with MPs and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 report on reforming the government's central operations. His inability to address these matters last July or afterward suggests 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 dividing the positions of top official and civil service head, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of PMs far outdistances the assistance provided to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the casualty of past failures along with the author of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.