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Prime Minister Starmer visited Wales' northern region on Thursday to reveal the building of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. However, the prime minister did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it attempting to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, informing reporters that Downing Street 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 overall. On the one hand, he wants his government to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to accomplish this due to the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot transform the culture of politics single-handedly, but he is able to do something about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the centre of government much more effectively than he does. If he did this, he might find that the nation was in less dismay about his administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Staffing Issues in No 10

A number of the problems in Number 10 are about individuals. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are hard to know well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make good personnel choices, or stick with them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to up his game, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He dithered about giving the key job of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His media advisors 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

All premiers spend too much time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time talking to MPs and listening to the citizens. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the story, as the chief of staff now has.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His failure to address these matters last July or since implies he did not. The frequently dismal experience of Labour’s time in office indicates IfG proposals like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of past failures as well as the architect of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the core and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.