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Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to announce the construction 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 devote extensive time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he used the time attempting to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, informing reporters that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary's goals in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has evolved into more generally. On the one hand, he desires his government to be doing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. On the other hand, he is unable to achieve this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the country more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot change the political culture on his own, but he can do something about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the government's core far better than he does. If he did this, he might find that the nation was in less dismay about his administration than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

A number of the problems in Number 10 are about individuals. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to up his game, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He appointed a former official his top aide, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs 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, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who tend to be party loyalists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as the chief of staff has recently.

The biggest issues, though, are structural. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 report on reforming the government's central operations. His inability to address these matters in the summer or afterward suggests he did not. The often abject experience of the Labour administration suggests IfG proposals like reorganizing the functions of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances the support available to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of past failures along with the author of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Sadly, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.