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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to north Wales on Thursday to declare the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he spent it attempting to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, telling journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary's goals in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has now become overall. Firstly, he wants his administration to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this because of the manner he – and, partly, the country as a whole – now conducts politics and government.

Sir Keir cannot transform the culture of politics on his own, but he can do something about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the centre of government much more effectively than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his administration than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Personnel Problems in No 10

A number of the issues in Downing Street are about personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are hard to know well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Core of Government

Every prime minister devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little talking to parliamentarians and hearing the citizens. Premiers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often party loyalists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's March 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to address these matters last July or since suggests he did not. The often abject experience of Labour’s time in office suggests IfG proposals like restructuring the functions of the central government office and No 10, and dividing 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 victim of previous shortcomings along with the architect of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Sadly, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir personally.