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Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales this past Thursday to declare the building of a new nuclear power station. This is a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the PM did not devote much time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he used the time trying to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, informing journalists that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary's goals in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. On the other hand, he is unable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, partly, the country as a whole – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot transform the political culture on his own, but he is able to do something about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could run the government's core far better than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the nation was in less dismay about his administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Staffing Issues in No 10

Some of the problems in Number 10 relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are hard to know accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make good personnel choices, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought 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.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little talking to parliamentarians and hearing the public. Prime ministers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often party activists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as the chief of staff now has.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues last July or since suggests he did not. The frequently dismal experience of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of PMs greatly exceeds the support available to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as 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 prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.