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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to declare the building of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. However, the prime minister did not devote much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his premiership has evolved into overall. Firstly, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this due to the manner he – and, partly, the country more generally – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot transform the culture of politics single-handedly, but he is able to do something about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the centre of government far better than he does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

Some of the issues in Number 10 are about individuals. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to 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 dithered 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 finance ministry as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of the Administration

Every prime minister devote excessive time overseas and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little conversing with parliamentarians and hearing the public. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, however, are structural. It would be good 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 last July or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like reorganizing the functions of the central government office and No 10, and separating the positions of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

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

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of past failures as well as the architect of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Sadly, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.