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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to announce the building of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he used the time attempting to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, informing reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he desires his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is unable to achieve this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the country as a whole – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir is unable to change the culture of politics on his own, but he can do something about his personal involvement 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 administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

Some of the issues in Number 10 relate to personnel. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are hard to know well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He dithered about giving the key job of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his top aide, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Core 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 parliamentarians and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as the chief of staff has recently.

The most significant problems, though, are structural. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir read the a think tank's March 2024 report on reforming the centre of government. His failure to address these matters in the summer or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office 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 PMs far outdistances the assistance provided to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of past failures along with the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Sadly, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.