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Prime Minister Starmer visited Wales' northern region this past Thursday to reveal the construction of a new nuclear power station. This is a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the prime minister did not dedicate much time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he spent it attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling journalists that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary's goals in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become overall. On the one hand, he desires his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now conducts politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot transform 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 government's core much more effectively than he currently does. If he did this, he could discover that the country was in less dismay 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 Downing Street are about individuals. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are hard to know well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He hesitated about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He made a former official his chief of staff, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of the Administration

All premiers devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little conversing with parliamentarians and hearing the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who tend to be party loyalists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as the chief of staff has recently.

The most significant problems, however, are structural. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 study on overhauling the government's central operations. His failure to grip these issues last July or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like reorganizing the functions of the central government office and No 10, and separating the positions of top official and head of the civil service, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of previous shortcomings along with the architect of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.