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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to north Wales this past Thursday to declare the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. However, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time attempting to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, informing journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has evolved into more generally. On the one hand, he desires his administration to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is unable to achieve this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation more generally – now practices politics and government.

Sir Keir is unable to transform the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can take action about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could run the centre of government much more effectively than he currently does. If he did this, he could discover that the country was in less dismay about his administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

Some of the issues in Number 10 relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are hard to know accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or incompletely.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Core of the Administration

All premiers devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little talking to MPs and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who are often party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's spring 2024 report on reforming the government's central operations. His failure to address these matters in the summer or afterward implies he did not. The often abject performance of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like restructuring the roles of the central government 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 greatly exceeds the support available to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the victim of past failures along with the author of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Sadly, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.