🔗 Share this article

Prime Minister Starmer visited Wales' northern region this past Thursday to reveal the building of a fresh nuclear energy facility. 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 answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he used the time trying to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, informing reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has evolved into more generally. On the one hand, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this because of the way he – and, partly, the country more generally – now conducts political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot transform the political culture on his own, but he can take action about his personal involvement in it. The simple truth is that he could run the centre of government far better than he does. If he did this, he could discover that the country was in less dismay about his government than it is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Downing Street are about personnel. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to improve his performance, not do things slowly or by halves.

• He dithered about giving the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Core of Government

All premiers spend too much time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and hearing the citizens. Premiers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who are often party loyalists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be beneficial to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His inability to grip these issues last July or afterward suggests he did not. The frequently dismal experience of the Labour administration indicates IfG proposals 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 greatly exceeds the support available to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of past failures along with the architect of current mistakes. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.