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Sir Keir Starmer visited north Wales this past Thursday to reveal the building of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not dedicate much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it trying to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, informing reporters 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 evolved into more generally. Firstly, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. Conversely, he is incapable to achieve this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation more generally – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot transform the political culture on his own, but he is able to 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. If he did 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 issues in Number 10 relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He dithered about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his top aide, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Core of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time overseas and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little conversing with MPs and hearing the citizens. Premiers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often party loyalists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the story, as the chief of staff has recently.

The most significant problems, though, are structural. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's spring 2024 report on reforming the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues last July or since suggests he did not. The often abject performance of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and dividing the positions of top official and head of the civil service, are currently critical.

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

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the casualty of past failures along with the author of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the core and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.