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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region this past Thursday to reveal the building of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the PM did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to promoting 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 goals 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 desires his government to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the country as a whole – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot transform the culture of politics on his own, but he is able to take action about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the government's core much more effectively than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less dismay about his administration than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Staffing Issues in No 10

A number of the problems in Number 10 relate to personnel. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are hard to know accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make good personnel choices, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to improve his performance, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his top aide, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of the Administration

All premiers spend too much time abroad and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and listening to the public. Prime ministers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as the chief of staff has recently.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues last July or since implies he did not. The often abject experience of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and separating the positions of top official 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 many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the casualty of past failures as well as the architect of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.