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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to north Wales this past Thursday to declare the development of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not devote much time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it trying to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, telling journalists that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has now become more generally. Firstly, he wants his administration to be doing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, partly, the nation more generally – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister is unable to change the political culture on his own, but he is able to take action about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the centre of government far better than he does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

Some of the issues in Number 10 relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to up his game, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He dithered about giving the key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Core of Government

All premiers spend too much time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time talking to MPs and hearing the public. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 report on reforming the government's central operations. His inability to grip these issues in the summer or since implies he did not. The often abject experience of the Labour administration indicates IfG proposals like reorganizing the functions 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 PMs greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the victim of past failures along with the architect of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Sadly, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.