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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to north Wales 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. Yet, the PM did not devote much time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he used the time attempting to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, informing journalists that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted 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 perceived as performing, significant actions. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now conducts politics and government.

Sir Keir is unable to change the political culture on his own, but he can do something about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the government's core far better than he does. If he did this, he could discover that the nation was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Downing Street are about personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are hard to know well from outside. 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. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Core of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time overseas and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and hearing the public. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who are often party loyalists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, though, are structural. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues last July or afterward suggests he did not. The often abject performance of the Labour administration indicates IfG proposals like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the victim of previous shortcomings along with the author of present ones. 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 biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.