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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region this past Thursday to announce the construction of a new nuclear power station. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. However, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it attempting to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, telling journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has evolved into overall. Firstly, he wants his administration to be doing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now conducts politics and government.

The Prime Minister is unable to transform the political culture single-handedly, but he can take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the centre of government far better than he currently does. If he did this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

Some of the problems in Downing Street relate to individuals. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the key job of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed Sue Gray his top aide, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Core of Government

All premiers spend too much time overseas and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and hearing the public. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often party loyalists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s March 2024 study on overhauling the government's central operations. His failure to grip these issues in the summer or since implies he did not. The frequently dismal experience of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and dividing the positions of top official and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the victim of previous shortcomings along with the architect of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Sadly, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.