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Sir Keir Starmer visited Wales' northern region on Thursday to announce the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a significant policy event with both local and national implications. However, the prime minister did not dedicate much time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he used the time trying 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.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his administration to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the country as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister is unable to change the political culture single-handedly, but he can take action about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could run the centre of government far better than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his government than it is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Personnel Problems in No 10

Some of the issues in Downing Street relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are hard to know accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He made a former official his chief of staff, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of the Administration

Every prime minister 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 allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party loyalists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the story, as the chief of staff has recently.

The most significant problems, however, are structural. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 study on reforming the government's central operations. His failure to address these matters last July or since suggests he did not. The often abject performance of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like restructuring the functions of the central government office and Downing Street, and separating the positions of top official and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs greatly exceeds the support available to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of previous shortcomings along with the author of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.