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Prime Minister Starmer visited Wales' northern region this past Thursday to announce the construction 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 extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he used the time trying to put an end to 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 acted as a microcosm of what his premiership has evolved into overall. On the one hand, he wants his administration to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. Conversely, he is incapable to achieve this because of the manner he – and, partly, the country as a whole – now practices politics and government.

Sir Keir 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 centre of government much more effectively than he does. If he did this, he might find that the nation was in less dismay about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the problems in Downing Street are about individuals. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to improve his performance, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He dithered about giving the key job of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his top aide, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Core of the Administration

All premiers spend too much time overseas and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and hearing the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who are often party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The biggest issues, however, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 report on overhauling the government's central operations. His inability to grip these issues in the summer or afterward suggests he did not. The often abject experience of the Labour administration suggests IfG proposals like reorganizing the functions of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and separating the jobs of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the victim of previous shortcomings as well as 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. Sadly, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir personally.