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Sir Keir Starmer visited Wales' northern region on Thursday to reveal the construction of a new nuclear power station. This represents a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the PM did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it attempting to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, telling reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary's goals in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has now become overall. Firstly, he wants his administration to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. On the other hand, he is unable to achieve this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the nation more generally – now practices politics and government.

Sir Keir is unable to change the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can take action about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could run the government's core far better than he does. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the nation was in less despair about his administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

Some of the issues in Downing Street are about personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are hard to know well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He dithered about giving the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his top aide, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Core of Government

All premiers devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and hearing the citizens. Premiers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as the chief of staff has recently.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His failure to address these matters last July or since suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office suggests IfG proposals like restructuring the functions of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and dividing the jobs of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of PMs greatly exceeds the support available to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Sadly, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.