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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 major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he spent it attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

As such, 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 performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. On the other hand, he is unable to accomplish this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister is unable to change 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 centre of government far better than he currently does. If he did this, he could discover 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 No 10

Some of the issues in Number 10 are about personnel. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are hard to know accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make good personnel choices, or maintain them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He hesitated about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of the Administration

All premiers devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little talking to parliamentarians and hearing the public. Premiers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who are often party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The biggest issues, however, are structural. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s March 2024 study on overhauling the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues last July or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like reorganizing the functions of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the positions of top official and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs far outdistances the support available to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the casualty of past failures along with the architect of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the core and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir personally.