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Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to reveal the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the PM did not devote much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he spent it attempting to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, telling journalists that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has evolved into overall. Firstly, he desires his government to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. On the other hand, he is unable to achieve this due to the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now practices politics and government.

Sir Keir is unable to transform the culture of politics on his own, but he can do something about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the centre of government much more effectively 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

Some of the problems in Number 10 are about personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation 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 assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his top aide, then replaced 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.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of Government

All premiers spend too much time abroad and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time talking to MPs and listening to the citizens. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as the chief of staff has recently.

The biggest issues, though, are structural. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 study on overhauling 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 IfG proposals like restructuring the roles of the central government office and No 10, and dividing the jobs of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers greatly exceeds the support available to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of previous shortcomings as well as the author of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.