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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to north Wales this past Thursday to declare the building of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. However, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he used the time attempting to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, telling reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his premiership has evolved into more generally. Firstly, he desires his government to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. Conversely, he is unable to achieve this due to the way he – and, partly, the nation as a whole – now practices politics and government.

Sir Keir cannot change the political culture on his own, but he can take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the government's core far better than he does. If he did this, he might find that the nation was in less dismay about his administration than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Staffing Issues in No 10

A number of the problems in Number 10 are about personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are hard to know accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Core of Government

All premiers spend too much time abroad and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s March 2024 report on reforming the government's central operations. His inability to address these matters last July or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office indicates IfG proposals like restructuring the functions of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and dividing the positions of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of prime ministers greatly exceeds 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 victim of previous shortcomings along with the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.