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Sir Keir Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to declare the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. However, the prime minister did not devote much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it attempting to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling reporters that Downing Street 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 wants his administration to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, partly, the country as a whole – now conducts politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot transform the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can 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. If he did this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Staffing Issues in No 10

Some of the issues in Downing Street are about individuals. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are hard to know well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his top aide, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues 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 insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and hearing the citizens. Premiers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who are often party loyalists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His inability 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 central government office and No 10, and dividing the jobs of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of PMs greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the victim of previous shortcomings along with the author of present ones. 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 himself.