🔗 Share this article

Prime Minister Starmer visited Wales' northern region on Thursday to declare the development of a new nuclear power station. This is a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the prime minister did not devote much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he used the time attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, partly, the nation more generally – now conducts politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot change the political culture on his own, but he is able to do something about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the government's core much more effectively than he does. If he did this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his administration than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Downing Street are about individuals. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are hard to know well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He appointed a former official 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 chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of the Administration

Every prime minister devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and hearing the citizens. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who are often party loyalists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s March 2024 study on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to address these matters in the summer or since suggests he did not. The frequently dismal experience of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the positions of top official and head of the civil service, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers far outdistances the support available to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the victim of past failures along with 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. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.