🔗 Share this article

Sir Keir Starmer traveled to 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 PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he used the time trying to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become overall. On the one hand, he desires his administration to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to accomplish this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the country more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister is unable to transform the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can do something about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could run the centre of government far better than he does. If he did this, he could discover that the country was in less dismay about his government than it is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the problems in Downing Street relate to individuals. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern well from outside. 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, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his top aide, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time abroad and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and hearing the public. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who are often party loyalists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The most significant problems, though, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's March 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues in the summer or since suggests he did not. The often abject performance of the Labour administration suggests IfG proposals like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the victim of previous shortcomings 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 disappointed. Sadly, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir himself.