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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 is a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the PM did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he used the time trying to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, telling reporters that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has now become overall. Firstly, he wants his government to be doing, 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, partly, the country more generally – now practices politics and government.

Sir Keir cannot transform the political culture on his own, but he can take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the centre of government much more effectively than he does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less dismay about his administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the problems in Number 10 relate to personnel. The interpersonal relations 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 stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to up his game, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his top aide, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Core of the Administration

All premiers devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and listening to the public. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues in the summer or afterward suggests he did not. The often abject experience of the Labour administration indicates recommendations like reorganizing the functions of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of prime ministers greatly exceeds the support available to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the architect of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.