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Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales this past Thursday to reveal the development of a new nuclear power station. This represents a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he used the time trying to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing journalists that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary's goals in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has evolved into more generally. Firstly, he desires his administration to be doing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is unable to achieve this because of the way he – and, partly, the nation more generally – now conducts politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot change the political culture single-handedly, but he can take action about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could run the centre of government much more effectively than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Personnel Problems in No 10

A number of the problems in Downing Street relate to individuals. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are hard to know well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Core 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 compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who are often party activists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The biggest issues, however, are structural. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's spring 2024 report on reforming the centre of government. His inability to address these matters in the summer or since implies he did not. The frequently dismal experience of the Labour administration indicates recommendations like reorganizing the functions of the central government office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of PMs greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the architect of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.