🔗 Share this article

Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to declare the building of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he spent it attempting to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, telling journalists that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has now become more generally. Firstly, he desires his government to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is unable to accomplish this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the country more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir is unable to transform the political culture on his own, but he can do something about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could run the centre of government much more effectively than he does. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the country was in less dismay about his government than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Staffing Issues in No 10

A number of the issues in Number 10 relate to individuals. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his top aide, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of the Administration

Every prime minister devote excessive time abroad and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and listening to the public. Premiers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party loyalists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as the chief of staff now has.

The biggest issues, though, are structural. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s March 2024 report on reforming the government's central operations. His inability to grip these issues in the summer or since implies he did not. The often abject experience of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the central government office and Downing Street, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of prime ministers greatly exceeds the assistance provided 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 victim of past failures along with the architect of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir personally.