🔗 Share this article

Sir Keir Starmer visited Wales' northern region on Thursday to announce the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time attempting to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling journalists that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has now become overall. On the one hand, he desires his government to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. Conversely, he is incapable to achieve this because of the way 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 is able to do something 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 nation was in less dismay about his administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Staffing Issues in No 10

A number of the problems in Downing Street relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make good personnel choices, or stick with them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to up his game, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his top aide, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of the Administration

All premiers spend too much time overseas and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little talking to MPs and hearing the citizens. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the story, as the chief of staff has recently.

The biggest issues, however, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues last July or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal experience of the Labour administration suggests IfG proposals like restructuring the functions of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs of top official and civil service head, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers greatly exceeds the support available to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.