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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to declare the building of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the prime minister did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it trying to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his government to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, 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 practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot change the political culture single-handedly, but he can do something about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could run the government's core far better 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 getting his messages across more successfully.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Downing Street relate to individuals. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to up his game, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the key job of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He made a former official his chief of staff, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of the Administration

All premiers devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and hearing the public. Prime ministers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often 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 good to believe that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s March 2024 study on overhauling the government's central operations. His failure to grip these issues last July or since suggests he did not. The often abject experience of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like reorganizing 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 PMs greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the casualty of past failures as well as the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir himself.