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Sir Keir Starmer visited Wales' northern region this past Thursday to declare the building of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. However, the prime minister did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time trying to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, informing journalists that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary's goals in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this due to the manner he – and, partly, the country more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister is unable to transform the political culture single-handedly, but he is able to do something about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the centre of government far better than he currently does. If he did this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Staffing Issues in No 10

Some of the problems in Downing Street relate to personnel. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are hard to know accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make good personnel choices, or maintain them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He dithered about giving the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Core of Government

All premiers spend too much time overseas and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little talking to parliamentarians and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who are often party loyalists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s March 2024 study on overhauling the government's central operations. His inability to address these matters in the summer or since implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office indicates IfG proposals like restructuring the functions of the central government office and Downing Street, and dividing the jobs of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the victim of past failures as well as the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.