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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to north Wales on Thursday to declare the construction of a new nuclear power station. This represents a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not devote much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it trying to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, informing journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his premiership has evolved into more generally. Firstly, 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 country more generally – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister is unable to transform the culture of politics single-handedly, but he is able to take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the government's core much more effectively than he does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his administration than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Personnel Problems in No 10

A number of the issues in Downing Street relate to individuals. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are hard to know accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to up his game, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He dithered about giving the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Core of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time overseas and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little conversing with MPs and listening to the public. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who tend to be party loyalists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the story, as the chief of staff now has.

The biggest issues, however, are structural. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's spring 2024 report on reforming the centre of government. His failure to address these matters in the summer or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration indicates recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the central government office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs of top official and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances 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 stands as the victim of previous shortcomings as well as the architect 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 failure is Sir Keir personally.