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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to north Wales this past Thursday to reveal the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling journalists that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his premiership has evolved into overall. On the one hand, he desires his government to be doing, 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, partly, the country as a whole – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir cannot transform the culture of politics single-handedly, but he is able to do something about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could run the government's core far better than he does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Staffing Issues in No 10

A number of the issues in Downing Street relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make good personnel choices, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to improve his performance, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He dithered about giving the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Core of the Administration

Every prime minister spend too much time abroad and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time talking to MPs and hearing the citizens. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who are often party loyalists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as the chief of staff now has.

The biggest issues, however, are structural. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 study on reforming the government's central operations. His failure to address these matters last July or since implies he did not. The frequently dismal experience of the Labour administration suggests IfG proposals like reorganizing the functions of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and dividing the positions of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

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

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected 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 failure is Sir Keir himself.