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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to declare the development of a new nuclear power station. This is a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the prime minister did not devote much time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he used the time attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling reporters that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary's goals in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his premiership has evolved into overall. Firstly, he wants his administration to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is unable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, partly, the nation as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister is unable to transform the political culture single-handedly, but he is able to take action about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the centre of government much more effectively than he does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less dismay about his government than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Personnel Problems 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 good personnel choices, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He hesitated about assigning the key job of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

All premiers spend too much time abroad and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little conversing with parliamentarians and hearing the public. Premiers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often party loyalists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank'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 often abject experience of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like reorganizing the functions of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and dividing the positions of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

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

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the victim of past failures as well as the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.