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Sir Keir Starmer visited north Wales this past Thursday to declare the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the prime minister did not dedicate much time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it attempting to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling journalists that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become overall. Firstly, he wants his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this because of the manner he – and, partly, the country more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister is unable to change the political culture on his own, but he can do something about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the government's core far better than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his government than it is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Staffing Issues in No 10

Some of the problems in Number 10 relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are hard to know accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to up his game, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He dithered about giving the key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed Sue Gray his top aide, 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.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Core of Government

All premiers devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little conversing with parliamentarians and listening to the public. Premiers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who are often 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 structural. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s March 2024 study on overhauling the government's central operations. His inability to grip these issues last July or since suggests he did not. The often abject experience of Labour’s time in office suggests IfG proposals like reorganizing the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and separating the positions of top official and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of previous shortcomings as well as the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir personally.