🔗 Share this article 10 Downing Street Is Not Capable of the Task Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales on Thursday to announce the construction of a new nuclear power station. This represents a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not devote extensive time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he used the time attempting to draw a line under the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, telling reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions earlier this week. Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has evolved into overall. Firstly, he desires his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this due to the manner he – and, partly, the country as a whole – now conducts political and governmental affairs. Sir Keir cannot change the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the centre of government far better than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the nation was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more effectively. Personnel Problems in No 10 Some of the issues in Number 10 relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are hard to know well from outside. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Perhaps he is too busy. Perhaps he is not really interested. However, he must to improve his performance, not do things slowly or incompletely. He dithered about giving the crucial role of cabinet secretary to Chris Wormald. He appointed Sue Gray his chief of staff, then replaced her with a political strategist. He brought Darren Jones in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary. His media advisors have chopped and changed. Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited. The situation is chaotic. Systemic Issues at the Core of Government All premiers spend too much time abroad and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and listening to the public. Prime ministers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party loyalists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently. The most significant problems, though, are structural. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 report on overhauling the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues last July or since implies he did not. The often abject experience of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like reorganizing the functions of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and dividing the jobs of cabinet secretary and head of the civil service, are now urgent. The dominant political role of PMs greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or ignored. This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the victim of previous shortcomings along with the author 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 biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.