Prime Minister Starmer traveled to Wales' northern region on Thursday to reveal the building of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a significant policy event with both local and national implications. However, the PM did not dedicate much time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he used the time attempting to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing journalists that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary's goals in recent days.
As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his government to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the country as a whole – now practices politics and government.
The Prime Minister cannot transform the political culture on his own, but he can do something about his own role 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 despair about his administration than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.
Personnel Problems in No 10
A number of the problems in Number 10 relate to individuals. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are hard to know accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to up his game, avoid slow progress or incompletely.
- He dithered about giving the key job of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
- He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist.
- He brought a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
- His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
- Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
- It is a mess.
Structural Challenges at the Heart of the Administration
Every prime minister spend too much time overseas and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and listening to the public. Prime ministers also allocate too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who tend to be party loyalists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.
The most significant problems, though, are structural. It would be good to think that Sir Keir read the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His failure to address these matters in the summer or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration suggests IfG proposals like reorganizing the functions of the Cabinet Office and Downing Street, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are currently critical.
The political pre-eminence of PMs greatly exceeds the support available to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or ignored.
This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the victim of previous shortcomings along with the architect of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this failure is Sir Keir personally.
