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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to north Wales this past Thursday to reveal the construction of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the prime minister did not devote much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it trying to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, telling journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has evolved into more generally. Firstly, he wants his government to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. On the other hand, he is unable to accomplish this due to the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir is unable to transform the political culture single-handedly, but he can take action 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. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the country was in less dismay about his administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Personnel Problems in No 10

Some of the issues in Number 10 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 does not make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to improve his performance, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He dithered about giving the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

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 insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and hearing the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who are often party loyalists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 study on reforming the government's central operations. His failure to grip these issues last July or afterward suggests he did not. The often abject experience of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and dividing the positions of top official and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the casualty of past failures along with the author of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Sadly, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir personally.