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Sir Keir Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to reveal 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 dedicate much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it attempting to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, telling journalists that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary's goals in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has evolved into more generally. On the one hand, he desires his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the nation more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot change the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can take action about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could run the government's core far better than he does. If he did this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Downing Street relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make good personnel choices, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about assigning the key job of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his top aide, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Core of Government

All premiers 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 doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as the chief of staff has recently.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 study on reforming the government's central operations. His failure to address these matters in the summer or since implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office indicates IfG proposals like restructuring the roles of the central government office and Downing Street, and dividing the jobs 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. As a result, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the victim of past failures along with the architect of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.