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Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to declare the construction of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he spent it trying to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, telling journalists that Downing Street 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 now become more generally. On the one hand, he desires his government to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this due to the manner he – and, to an extent, the country as a whole – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister is unable to transform the political culture on his own, but he can take action about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could run the centre of government much more effectively than he currently does. If he did this, he could discover that the nation was in less dismay about his administration than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

Some of the issues in Number 10 are about individuals. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are hard to know well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to up his game, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He dithered about giving the crucial role of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

All premiers spend too much time overseas and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and hearing the public. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who are often party loyalists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, however, are structural. It would be beneficial to think 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 experience of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like restructuring the functions of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and dividing the positions of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of PMs far outdistances the support available to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of previous shortcomings along with the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Sadly, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.