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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to announce the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a significant policy event with both local and national implications. However, the prime minister did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he spent it trying to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing journalists that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become overall. Firstly, he desires his government to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. Conversely, he is incapable to achieve this due to the manner he – and, partly, the country as a whole – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot change the culture of politics on his own, but he can do something about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could run the government's core 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 successfully.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

Some of the problems in Downing Street are about personnel. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are hard to know accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time abroad and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and hearing the public. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the focus, as the chief of staff now has.

The biggest issues, however, are systemic. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 study on reforming the government's central operations. His failure to grip these issues last July or since suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office indicates IfG proposals like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs far outdistances 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 victim of previous shortcomings as well as the author of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.