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Prime Minister Starmer visited Wales' northern region on Thursday to announce the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he spent it trying to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing journalists that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary's goals in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become overall. Firstly, he wants his administration to be doing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. Conversely, he is incapable to achieve this due to the manner he – and, partly, the nation more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir is unable to change the culture of politics single-handedly, but he is able to take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the centre of government much more effectively than he does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his government than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Number 10 are about personnel. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or stick with 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 dithered about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Core of the Administration

Every prime minister devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and hearing the public. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often party loyalists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, though, are structural. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s March 2024 study on overhauling the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues in the summer or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs of top official and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of PMs far outdistances the assistance provided to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the victim of past failures as well as the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir personally.