🔗 Share this article

Prime Minister Starmer visited Wales' northern region on Thursday to reveal the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling journalists that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become more generally. Firstly, he wants his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is unable to achieve this because of the manner he – and, partly, the nation as a whole – now practices political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir cannot transform the political culture single-handedly, but he is able to do something about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage 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 administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

A number of the problems in Number 10 are about personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are hard to know well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of the Administration

All premiers devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and listening to the public. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the story, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The biggest issues, however, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir read the a think tank's spring 2024 study on reforming the government's central operations. His failure to grip these issues in the summer or since implies he did not. The often abject experience of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and dividing the jobs of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances the support available to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the victim of past failures as well as the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Sadly, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir himself.