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Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales this past Thursday to declare the building of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not devote extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it trying to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, telling journalists that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this because of the way he – and, partly, the country more generally – now practices politics and government.

Sir Keir is unable to change the political culture single-handedly, but he is able to do something about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the government's core far better than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the nation was in less despair about his administration than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

Some of the problems in Number 10 are about individuals. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make good personnel choices, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to up his game, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He hesitated about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of the Administration

Every prime minister spend too much time overseas and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little talking to MPs and hearing the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the story, as the chief of staff has recently.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues in the summer or since implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration indicates IfG proposals like reorganizing the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the positions of top official and head of the civil service, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of PMs far outdistances the support available to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of previous shortcomings as well as the architect of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Sadly, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir personally.