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Sir Keir Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to declare the development of a new nuclear power station. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it trying to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, telling reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has evolved into more generally. On the one hand, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is incapable to achieve this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now practices politics and government.

Sir Keir cannot change the political culture on his own, but he can do something about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the centre of government far better than he 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

A number of the issues in Downing Street are about personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs 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 a former official his top aide, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of the Administration

Every prime minister devote excessive time overseas and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and hearing the citizens. Premiers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as the chief of staff has recently.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues in the summer or since suggests he did not. The often abject experience of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and dividing the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir personally.