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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to north Wales this past Thursday to declare the development of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not devote much time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he spent it attempting to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, informing journalists that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has evolved into more generally. 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 achieve this due to the way he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir is unable to change the culture of politics single-handedly, but he is able to do something about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the centre of government much more effectively than he currently does. If he did this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his administration than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

Some of the issues in Number 10 are about personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to up his game, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He made a former official his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Core of Government

All premiers spend too much time overseas and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little talking to MPs and listening to the public. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who are often party loyalists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The biggest issues, though, are structural. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 report on reforming the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues in the summer or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration indicates recommendations like reorganizing the functions of the central government office and No 10, and separating the jobs of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

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