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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to declare the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time trying to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, telling reporters that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has evolved into more generally. Firstly, he wants his administration to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this because of the way he – and, partly, the nation more generally – now practices political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir cannot change the culture of politics on his own, but he can do something about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could run the government's core far better than he does. If he did this, he could discover that the nation was in less despair about his administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Staffing Issues in No 10

A number of the problems in Number 10 relate to individuals. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He dithered about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He made a former official his top aide, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

All premiers spend too much time overseas and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time talking to MPs and hearing the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the story, as the chief of staff has recently.

The most significant problems, however, are structural. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's March 2024 study on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues last July or since suggests he did not. The frequently dismal experience of Labour’s time in office suggests 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. 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 past failures along with the author of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir personally.