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Prime Minister 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 implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he spent it trying to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, informing journalists that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become overall. On the one hand, 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 country as a whole – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot transform the political culture on his own, but he can do something about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could run the government's core much more effectively than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the nation was in less dismay about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Personnel Problems in No 10

A number of the problems in Number 10 are about personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are hard to know accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Core of the Administration

All premiers spend too much time overseas and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and hearing the citizens. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who tend to be party loyalists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His inability to address these matters last July or afterward implies he did not. The often abject performance of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like restructuring the roles of the central government office and Downing Street, and dividing the jobs of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers far outdistances the support available to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the victim of past failures as well as the architect of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.