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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to north Wales this past Thursday to declare the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not devote much time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time trying to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has evolved into more generally. On the one hand, he wants his government to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this due to the manner he – and, partly, the country as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir cannot change the political culture single-handedly, but he can do something about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the government's core much more effectively than he does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his government than it is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Personnel Problems in No 10

Some of the issues in Downing Street are about individuals. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are hard to know well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of the Administration

Every prime minister spend too much time abroad and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party loyalists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the story, as the chief of staff has recently.

The biggest issues, though, are structural. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir read the a think tank's spring 2024 study on reforming the government's central operations. His inability to grip these issues last July or afterward suggests he did not. The often abject performance of the Labour administration suggests IfG proposals like restructuring the roles of the central government office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs 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 much is done badly or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the casualty 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. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.