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Prime Minister Starmer visited Wales' northern region on Thursday to declare the development of a new nuclear power station. This is a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the prime minister did not devote extensive time in Wales to promoting answers 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 Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become more generally. Firstly, he desires his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. On the other hand, he is incapable to accomplish this because of the way he – and, partly, the nation as a whole – now conducts politics and government.

The Prime Minister is unable to change the political culture single-handedly, but he is able to take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the centre of government far better than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the nation was in less dismay about his administration than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

Some of the problems in Number 10 relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to up his game, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He hesitated about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of the Administration

All premiers devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little talking to parliamentarians 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 political appointees, who are often party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, however, are structural. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s March 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues last July or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration suggests IfG proposals like restructuring the roles of the central government office and No 10, and separating the jobs of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings as well as the author of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.