🔗 Share this article 10 Downing St Is Not Fit for Purpose Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to reveal the building of a new nuclear power station. This is a major policy announcement with both local and national implications. However, the PM did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's energy needs. Rather, he used the time trying to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, informing journalists that No 10 had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week. As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his prime ministership 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 achieve this because of the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation more generally – now practices political and governmental affairs. The Prime Minister is unable to change the political culture single-handedly, but he is able to do something about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the centre of government much more effectively than he does. If he did this, he might find that the country was in less dismay about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully. Personnel Problems in No 10 A number of the issues in Downing Street relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are hard to know accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or incompletely. He hesitated about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official. He appointed a former official his top aide, then replaced her with a political strategist. He recruited a Treasury figure in from the Treasury as his deputy. His communications chiefs have chopped and changed. Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone. The situation is chaotic. Structural Challenges at the Core of Government Every prime minister devote excessive time overseas and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and too little talking to MPs and listening to the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the story, as Mr McSweeney has recently. The most significant problems, however, are structural. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His inability to address these matters last July or afterward implies he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration indicates IfG proposals like reorganizing the roles of the central government office and No 10, and separating the jobs of top official and head of the civil service, are currently critical. The political pre-eminence of prime ministers greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected. This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the victim of previous shortcomings along with the architect of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir would take control of the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Sadly, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.