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Sir Keir Starmer traveled to north Wales on Thursday to declare the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a significant policy event with both local and national implications. However, the PM did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, 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 earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has evolved into overall. Firstly, he desires his government to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. On the other hand, he is unable to achieve this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the country more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot 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 manage the government's core far better than he currently does. If he did this, he could discover that the country was in less dismay about his government than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Personnel Problems in No 10

A number of the problems in Downing Street relate to individuals. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to improve his performance, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He made a former official his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

Every prime minister devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little talking to parliamentarians and hearing the citizens. Premiers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party loyalists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The biggest issues, though, are structural. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 report on overhauling the government's central operations. His failure to grip these issues last July or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the central government office and Downing Street, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances the support available to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the victim of past failures as well as the author of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.