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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to north Wales on Thursday to reveal the construction of a new nuclear power station. This represents a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it attempting to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, telling reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become overall. On the one hand, he desires his administration to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is unable to accomplish this due to the manner he – and, partly, the nation more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir cannot change the culture of politics on his own, but he is able to do something about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the government's core much more effectively than he does. If he did this, he could discover that the country was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Personnel Problems in No 10

Some of the problems in Number 10 are about personnel. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation 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. However, he must to up his game, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He hesitated about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of the Administration

Every prime minister spend too much time abroad and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little talking to parliamentarians and hearing the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as the chief of staff has recently.

The biggest issues, however, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 report on reforming the centre of government. His failure to address these matters in the summer or since suggests he did not. The often abject performance of Labour’s time in office indicates IfG proposals like reorganizing the roles of the central government office and No 10, and dividing the jobs of top official and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, 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 author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir personally.