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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to declare the development of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he spent it attempting to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, informing reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has evolved into more generally. Firstly, he wants his administration to be doing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. On the other hand, he is incapable to accomplish this due to the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister is unable to transform the political culture single-handedly, but he can do something about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the government's core much more effectively than he does. If he did this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Downing Street are about individuals. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are hard to know accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He dithered about giving the key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Core of the Administration

All premiers devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little conversing with MPs and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who are often party activists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the story, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to address these matters last July or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like restructuring the functions of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and dividing the jobs of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs far outdistances the support available to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir personally.