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Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to announce the development of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. However, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he used the time trying to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, telling reporters that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

Therefore, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his premiership has evolved into overall. On the one hand, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the country as a whole – now practices politics and government.

Sir Keir cannot transform the political culture on his own, but he is able to do something about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the government's core much more effectively than he does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less dismay about his government than it is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Personnel Problems in No 10

Some of the problems in Downing Street are about 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 good personnel choices, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He dithered about assigning the key job of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his top aide, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He brought Darren Jones 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

All premiers devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and listening to the public. Prime ministers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The biggest issues, however, are structural. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's March 2024 study on overhauling the government's central operations. His failure to grip these issues in the summer or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal experience of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like restructuring the functions of the central government office and Downing Street, and dividing the jobs of top official and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of PMs far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or ignored.

This isn't Sir Keir’s fault alone. He is the casualty of past failures along with the author of current mistakes. But those who hoped 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 shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.