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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to declare the construction of a new nuclear power station. This is a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not devote extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he used the time trying to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, informing reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become overall. Firstly, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the country as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir is unable to transform the culture of politics on his own, but he is able to take action about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the centre of government far better than he currently does. If he did this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Personnel Problems in No 10

Some of the issues in Downing Street relate to personnel. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern 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. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to up his game, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the key job of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of the Administration

All premiers devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and hearing the public. Premiers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the story, as the chief of staff has recently.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 study on reforming the government's central operations. His inability to address these matters in the summer or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal experience of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs greatly exceeds the support available to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the casualty of past failures along with the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the core and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.