🔗 Share this article

Sir Keir Starmer visited Wales' northern region this past Thursday to reveal the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. However, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he spent it attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary's goals in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his premiership has evolved into more generally. On the one hand, he desires his government to be doing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot change the political culture single-handedly, but he can take action about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the government's core much more effectively than he currently does. If he did this, he could discover that the country was in less dismay about his government than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Staffing Issues in No 10

Some of the issues in Downing Street are about individuals. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make good personnel choices, or maintain them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He made 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 communications chiefs 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 international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little conversing with MPs and listening to the citizens. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party loyalists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as the chief of staff has recently.

The biggest issues, though, are structural. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 report on reforming the government's central operations. His inability to address these matters in the summer or since suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like restructuring the roles of the central government office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers far outdistances the support available to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the author of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Sadly, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.