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Prime Minister Starmer visited Wales' northern region this past Thursday to announce the construction of a new nuclear power station. This is a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. However, the PM did not devote 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, telling journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary's goals in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has now become overall. On the one hand, he desires his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this due to the way he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot transform the culture of politics on his own, but he can take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the centre of government far better than he currently does. If he did this, he could discover that the country was in less dismay about his government than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

Some of the issues in Downing Street relate to personnel. 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 maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to improve his performance, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury 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 the Administration

Every prime minister devote excessive time abroad and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and hearing the citizens. Premiers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The biggest issues, however, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 study on overhauling the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues last July or since suggests he did not. The frequently dismal experience of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like restructuring the roles of the central government office and No 10, and dividing the positions of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers greatly exceeds the support available to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings as well as the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir personally.