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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region this past Thursday to declare the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. However, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he used the time trying to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has evolved into overall. On the one hand, he desires his administration to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is unable to achieve this due to the way he – and, partly, the nation as a whole – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister is unable to change the political culture on his own, but he can 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 might find that the country was in less despair about his government than it is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Staffing Issues in No 10

Some 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. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or stick with them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to improve his performance, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He hesitated about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He made a former official his top aide, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Core of Government

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

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's spring 2024 report on overhauling the government's central operations. His failure to grip these issues in the summer or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office suggests IfG proposals like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and dividing the positions of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings as well as the author of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir personally.