Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to announce the building of a new nuclear power station. This represents a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing reporters that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary's goals in recent days.
As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become overall. On the one hand, he desires his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. On the other hand, he is incapable to accomplish this due to the way he – and, partly, the nation as a whole – now practices politics and government.
The Prime Minister is unable to transform the culture of politics on his own, but he is able to take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage 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 successfully.
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. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or by halves.
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 hearing the public. Premiers 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 are often party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as the chief of staff has recently.
The most significant problems, though, are structural. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir read the a think tank's March 2024 report on overhauling the government's central operations. His failure to address these matters in the summer or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like restructuring the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and dividing the jobs of top official and civil service head, are now urgent.
The dominant political role of prime ministers greatly exceeds the support available to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or neglected.
This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the casualty of previous shortcomings as well as the author of current mistakes. 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 failure is Sir Keir personally.
