🔗 Share this article

Sir Keir Starmer traveled to north Wales on Thursday to declare the development of a new nuclear power station. This is a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time attempting to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, telling journalists that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary's goals in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become overall. Firstly, he wants his administration to be doing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this because of the manner he – and, partly, the nation more generally – now practices politics and government.

Sir Keir is unable to transform the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could run the centre of government far better than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less dismay about his administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

Some of the problems in Number 10 relate to personnel. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make good personnel choices, 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 incompletely.

• He dithered about giving the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his top aide, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little talking to MPs and listening to the public. Prime ministers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who are often party activists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s March 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues in the summer or afterward implies 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 dividing the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the victim of past failures as well as the architect of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.