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Prime Minister Starmer traveled to north Wales on Thursday to reveal the building of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the PM did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he spent it trying 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 in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become overall. Firstly, he wants his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this due to the way he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot change the political culture on his own, but he can take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the government's core far better than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less dismay about his administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Number 10 relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or stick with 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 dithered about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Core of Government

Every prime minister devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time talking to MPs and hearing the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who tend to be party loyalists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 study on overhauling the government's central operations. His inability to address these matters in the summer or afterward 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 head of the civil service, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of PMs far outdistances 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 stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the architect of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the core and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.