🔗 Share this article

Sir Keir Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to reveal the construction of a new nuclear power station. 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 trying to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, informing reporters that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary's goals in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has evolved into overall. On the one hand, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this due to the way he – and, partly, the country more generally – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot change the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the government's core far better than he does. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the nation was in less dismay about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Downing Street are about personnel. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are hard to know 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, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited 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 Government

All premiers devote excessive time overseas and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and listening to the citizens. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the story, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues in the summer or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration indicates recommendations like restructuring the functions of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of prime ministers greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the victim of previous shortcomings along with the author of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.