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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to north Wales 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. However, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he used the time attempting to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become overall. On the one hand, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. On the other hand, he is unable to accomplish this due to the manner he – and, partly, the nation as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir cannot transform the political culture on his own, but he can take action about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could run the centre of government much more effectively than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less dismay about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Personnel Problems in No 10

Some of the problems in Downing Street relate to personnel. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are hard to know 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. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to up his game, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He dithered about giving the crucial role of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of Government

All premiers devote excessive time abroad and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and hearing the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who tend to be party loyalists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, however, are structural. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir read the a think tank's spring 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues last July or since suggests he did not. The often abject performance of Labour’s time in office indicates IfG proposals like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and dividing the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of previous shortcomings as well as the author of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the core and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.