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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to north Wales on Thursday to declare the building of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not devote much time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling reporters that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary's goals in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has evolved into more generally. Firstly, 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 more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir is unable to transform the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can do something about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the centre of government far better than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his administration than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

Some of the problems in Downing Street relate to personnel. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious 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 improve his performance, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his top aide, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

All premiers devote excessive time abroad and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little conversing with MPs and hearing the citizens. Premiers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often party loyalists 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 good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues in the summer or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal experience of Labour’s time in office suggests IfG proposals like reorganizing the functions of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and dividing the positions of top official and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

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

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings as well as the author of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Sadly, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir personally.