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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to reveal the development of a new nuclear power station. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time trying to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, telling reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has evolved into overall. On the one hand, he wants his administration to be doing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this due to the way he – and, to an extent, the country more generally – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot transform the political culture on his own, but he can do something about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact 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 dismay about his administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Personnel Problems in No 10

A number of the problems in Number 10 are about individuals. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to improve his performance, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his top aide, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time overseas and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and listening to the public. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who are often party loyalists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s March 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His inability to address these matters in the summer or since suggests he did not. The often abject experience of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like reorganizing the functions of the central government office and No 10, and dividing the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of PMs greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the victim of previous shortcomings as well as the author of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir personally.