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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to north Wales this past Thursday to declare the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. However, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it trying to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. On the other hand, he is unable to achieve this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the nation more generally – now practices political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister is unable to transform the culture of politics 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 does. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the country was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

Some of the issues in Number 10 are about personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to improve his performance, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He appointed a former official his top aide, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Core of Government

Every prime minister devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little talking to parliamentarians and listening to the public. Premiers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 study on overhauling the centre of government. His failure to address these matters in the summer or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like restructuring the roles of the central government office and Downing Street, and dividing the jobs of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances 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 past failures along with the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the core and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.