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Sir Keir Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to declare the development of a new nuclear power station. This is a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not devote much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he spent it trying to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, telling 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 prime ministership has now become overall. Firstly, he desires his government to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation more generally – now practices political and governmental affairs.

The Prime Minister cannot change the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can take action 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 could discover that the country was in less despair about his administration than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

Some of the issues in Number 10 are about individuals. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation 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. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He hesitated about assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He recruited a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Core of the Administration

All premiers devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time talking to MPs and hearing the citizens. Prime ministers also allocate 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 loyalists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The most significant problems, though, are structural. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 report on reforming the government's central operations. His inability to grip these issues in the summer or since implies he did not. The often abject performance of Labour’s time in office suggests IfG proposals like restructuring the roles of the central government office and No 10, and dividing the jobs of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the victim of past failures as well as the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Sadly, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir personally.