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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to north Wales on Thursday to declare the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a significant policy event with both local and national implications. However, the prime minister did not devote much time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it attempting to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, informing journalists that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his premiership has evolved into more generally. On the one hand, he desires his government 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 manner he – and, partly, the country as a whole – now conducts politics and government.

The Prime Minister is unable to change the political culture single-handedly, but he can 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 could discover that the country was in less dismay about his administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Personnel Problems in No 10

A number of the problems in Downing Street are about individuals. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are hard to know well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to up his game, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the key job of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his top aide, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Core of the Administration

Every prime minister devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little conversing with MPs and listening to the citizens. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party loyalists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe 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 the Labour administration indicates recommendations like restructuring the functions of the central government office and No 10, and separating the positions of top official and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of PMs far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the author of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Sadly, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir personally.