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Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales this past Thursday to declare the development of a new nuclear power station. This represents a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he spent it trying 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 earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his premiership has evolved into more generally. Firstly, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. On the other hand, he is unable to accomplish this due to the way he – and, partly, the nation more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot change the political culture single-handedly, but he can do something about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the centre of government far better than he 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 getting his messages across more successfully.

Personnel Problems in No 10

A number of the problems in Downing Street are about 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 stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of the Administration

Every prime minister devote excessive time abroad and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little talking to MPs and listening to the citizens. Premiers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His failure to address these matters last July or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office indicates IfG proposals like reorganizing the roles of the central government office and No 10, and separating the jobs of top official and civil service head, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of PMs greatly exceeds the support available to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings as well as the architect of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Sadly, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir himself.