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Sir Keir Starmer visited Wales' northern region this past Thursday to declare the construction of a new nuclear power station. This is a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the prime minister did not devote extensive time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he spent it attempting to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing journalists that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his government to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is unable to achieve this because of the way he – and, partly, the nation as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister is unable to change the culture of politics on his own, but he can take action about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could run the centre of government 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 communicating his points more successfully.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Downing Street relate to personnel. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are hard to know accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He hesitated about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his top aide, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Core of Government

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 MPs and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who are often party activists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as the chief of staff now has.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir read the a think tank's March 2024 study on overhauling the government's central operations. His failure to address these matters last July or afterward suggests he did not. The often abject performance of the Labour administration suggests IfG proposals like restructuring the functions of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and separating the positions of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings as well as the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir personally.