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Sir Keir Starmer visited Wales' northern region on Thursday to announce the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the prime minister did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he used the time trying to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his government to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, partly, the nation as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir is unable to transform the culture of politics single-handedly, but he is able to do something about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could run the government's core far better than he currently does. If he did this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his government than it is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Staffing Issues in No 10

Some of the problems in Downing Street relate to personnel. The interpersonal relations 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 maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to improve his performance, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

Every prime minister devote excessive time abroad 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 doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. 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 story, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His inability to address these matters last July or since implies he did not. The often abject experience of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the central government office and No 10, and separating the positions of top official and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances the support available to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of past failures as well as the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.