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Sir Keir Starmer visited north Wales this past Thursday to announce the construction of a new nuclear power station. This is a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. However, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he spent it trying to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing reporters that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become overall. On the one hand, he desires his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is unable to achieve this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the nation more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot change the culture of politics on his own, but he can take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the centre of government much more effectively than he currently does. If he did this, he could discover that the nation was in less despair about his administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Staffing Issues in No 10

Some of the issues in Downing Street relate to individuals. 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 sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to up his game, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He made a former official his chief of staff, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Core of Government

Every prime minister devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and listening to the public. Prime ministers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. 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 story, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s March 2024 report on reforming the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues last July or since implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like restructuring the functions of the central government office and No 10, and separating the jobs of top official and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of PMs far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the victim of previous shortcomings along with 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. Sadly, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir personally.