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Sir Keir Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to announce the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary's goals in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his government to be doing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this due to the way he – and, partly, the country more generally – now conducts politics and government.

The Prime Minister is unable to change the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can do something about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the government's core much more effectively than he does. If he did this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his administration 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 any No 10 regime are hard to know accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to improve his performance, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of Government

Every prime minister devote excessive time overseas and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time talking to MPs and hearing the public. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party loyalists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's March 2024 report on overhauling the government's central operations. His failure to grip these issues last July or afterward implies he did not. The often abject performance of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the victim of past failures along with the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.