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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to declare the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he used the time attempting to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, informing journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has evolved into more generally. Firstly, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. Conversely, he is incapable to achieve this because of the way he – and, partly, the country as a whole – now conducts politics and government.

Sir Keir is unable to change the political culture on his own, but he can take action about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the government's core much more effectively than he 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 communicating his points more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

Some of the issues in Number 10 are about personnel. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern 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. But he needs to improve his performance, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He hesitated about giving the key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his top aide, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time overseas and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and listening to the public. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party loyalists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the story, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues in the summer or since implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration indicates recommendations like reorganizing the functions of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and dividing the positions of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of PMs greatly exceeds the support available to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the victim of previous shortcomings as well as the author of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.