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Sir Keir Starmer visited north Wales this past Thursday to declare the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he spent it trying to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions 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 performing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is unable to achieve this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir is unable to transform the political culture single-handedly, but he is able to do something about his own role in it. The plain fact 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 country was in less despair about his administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Downing Street relate to individuals. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are hard to know well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He dithered about assigning the key job of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of the Administration

Every prime minister devote excessive time abroad and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little conversing with MPs and listening to the citizens. Premiers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who are often party activists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The biggest issues, however, are structural. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 study on overhauling the government's central operations. His inability to address these matters in the summer or afterward suggests he did not. The often abject performance of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like restructuring the roles of the central government office and No 10, and separating the jobs of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of prime ministers greatly exceeds the assistance provided 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 stands as the casualty of past failures along with the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir himself.