🔗 Share this article

Prime Minister Starmer traveled to north Wales on Thursday to declare the building of a new nuclear power station. This is a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the PM did not devote much time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he spent it trying to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing journalists that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has evolved into more generally. Firstly, he wants his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this due to the manner he – and, to an extent, the country as a whole – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister is unable to transform the culture of politics on his own, but he can do something about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the government's core much more effectively than he does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Number 10 relate to individuals. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are hard to know accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to up his game, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He dithered about assigning the key job of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his top aide, then replaced 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.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Core of Government

Every prime minister spend too much time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and hearing the public. Prime ministers also spend 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 ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's spring 2024 study on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to address these matters last July or afterward implies he did not. The often abject performance of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of prime ministers greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the casualty of previous shortcomings along with the author of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.