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Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to announce the construction of a new nuclear power station. This represents a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he used the time attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

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

Sir Keir is unable to transform the culture of politics on his own, but he is able to do something about his personal involvement 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 could discover that the country was in less despair about his government than it is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Staffing Issues in No 10

A number of the problems in Downing Street relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are hard to know accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Core of Government

All premiers spend too much time abroad and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who are often party loyalists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the story, as the chief of staff now has.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s March 2024 study on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to address these matters last July or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration indicates recommendations like restructuring the functions of the central government office and Downing Street, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers far outdistances the support available to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of past failures as well as the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the core and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.