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Prime Minister Starmer visited Wales' northern region this past Thursday to reveal the construction of a new nuclear power station. This represents a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the prime minister did not dedicate much time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it trying to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing journalists that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his government to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is unable to achieve this due to the way he – and, partly, the country more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir is unable to change the political culture on his own, but he can take action about his personal involvement 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 dismay about his government than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the problems in Downing Street relate to individuals. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He made a former official his top aide, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought 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.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of Government

Every prime minister devote excessive time overseas and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little conversing with MPs and hearing the public. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders 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 biggest issues, however, are structural. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s March 2024 report on reforming the centre of government. His failure to address these matters last July or afterward suggests he did not. The often abject performance of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like restructuring the functions of the central government office and No 10, 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, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.