🔗 Share this article

Prime Minister Starmer traveled to north Wales this past Thursday to declare the construction of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time attempting 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 in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has evolved into overall. Firstly, he wants his government to be doing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the country more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

Sir Keir cannot change the political culture single-handedly, but he is able to do something about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the centre of government much more effectively than he currently does. If he did this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Personnel Problems in No 10

A number of the issues in Downing Street are about individuals. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his deputy.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Structural Challenges at the Core of the Administration

All premiers spend too much time overseas and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and too little talking to parliamentarians and hearing the public. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who are often party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The biggest issues, however, are systemic. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues in the summer or afterward implies he did not. The often abject performance of the Labour administration suggests IfG proposals like reorganizing the functions of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the jobs of top official and head of the civil service, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs far outdistances the support available to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.