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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to reveal the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the PM did not devote much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he used the time attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing journalists that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this because of the way he – and, partly, the country as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir cannot transform the political culture single-handedly, but he is able to do something about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the government's core far better than he does. If he did this, he could discover that the nation was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Personnel Problems in No 10

Some of the problems in Downing Street relate to 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. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to up his game, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He hesitated about assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited 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.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

All premiers devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little talking to MPs and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the story, as the chief of staff now has.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s March 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to address these matters last July or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration indicates recommendations like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the positions of top official and civil service head, 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 fault alone. He stands as the casualty of past failures as well as the author of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Sadly, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir personally.