🔗 Share this article Number 10 Downing St Is Not Capable of the Task Prime Minister Starmer visited Wales' northern region this past Thursday to announce the building of a new nuclear power station. This represents a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the prime minister did not dedicate much time in Wales to promoting answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, he spent it trying to put an end to the briefing controversy within Labour's leadership, informing reporters that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days. Therefore, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become overall. On the one hand, he desires his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. On the other hand, he is incapable to achieve this due to the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation as a whole – now conducts political and governmental affairs. The Prime Minister is unable to transform the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can do something about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could run the government's core much more effectively than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the nation was in less dismay about his government than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more effectively. Personnel Problems in Downing Street Some of the problems in Number 10 are about personnel. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern well from outside. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to 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, avoid slow progress or incompletely. He dithered about giving the key job of cabinet secretary to a senior official. He made Sue Gray his chief of staff, then substituted her with a political strategist. He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary. His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced. Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone. The situation is chaotic. Systemic Issues at the Heart of the Administration Every prime minister spend too much time overseas and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and listening to the public. Premiers also spend too much time engaging with the press, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party loyalists or ambitious in politics, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as the chief of staff has recently. The biggest issues, though, are structural. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir read the a think tank's spring 2024 report on reforming the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues in the summer or since implies he did not. The often abject experience of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the central government office and No 10, and separating the positions of top official and civil service head, are currently critical. The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, all aspects suffer, and much is done badly or neglected. This is not Sir Keir’s fault alone. He stands as the casualty of past failures as well as the architect of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir would take control of the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Sadly, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir personally.