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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region 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 prime minister did not devote extensive time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time trying to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, informing reporters that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary's goals in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become overall. Firstly, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, partly, the country more generally – now practices political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot change the political culture on his own, but he can take action about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could run the centre of government much more effectively than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the country was in less dismay about his administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Downing Street 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 sound staffing decisions, or maintain 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 key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed Sue Gray his top aide, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Core of the Administration

Every prime minister devote excessive time abroad and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and hearing the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who tend to be party loyalists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's spring 2024 study on reforming the government's central operations. His inability to grip these issues last July or afterward implies he did not. The often abject experience of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of PMs far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the author of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.