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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region this past Thursday to announce the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it attempting to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing journalists that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this because of the way he – and, partly, the nation as a whole – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot change the political culture single-handedly, but he is able to take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the centre of government much more effectively than he currently does. If he did this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his government than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Downing Street are about personnel. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are hard to know well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or maintain 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 assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He appointed a former official his top aide, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

All premiers devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party loyalists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir read the a think tank's March 2024 report on overhauling the government's central operations. His inability to address these matters in the summer or afterward implies he did not. The often abject performance of Labour’s time in office suggests IfG proposals like restructuring the roles of the central government office and No 10, and dividing the positions of top official and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs 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 stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings as well as the author of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.