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Sir Keir Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to reveal the construction of a new nuclear power station. This represents a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the prime minister did not devote much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he used the time attempting to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing journalists that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has now become overall. Firstly, he desires his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is unable to accomplish this due to the way he – and, to an extent, the country as a whole – now conducts politics and government.

Sir Keir cannot change the culture of politics single-handedly, but he is able to take action about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could run the government's core far better than he does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his government 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 Number 10 are about individuals. The interpersonal relations 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. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to improve his performance, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He hesitated about giving the key job of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Core of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time overseas and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little talking to MPs and hearing the public. Premiers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who are often party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the story, as the chief of staff has recently.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's March 2024 study on overhauling the government's central operations. His inability to address these matters in the summer or since implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office indicates IfG proposals like reorganizing the functions of the central government office and No 10, and separating the jobs of top official and civil service head, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the victim of past failures along with the architect of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.