10 Downing St Fails to Be Capable of the Task

Prime Minister Starmer visited Wales' northern region on Thursday to reveal the building of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the prime minister did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he spent it attempting to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, informing reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary's goals earlier this week.

As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a small-scale example of what his premiership has now become more generally. Firstly, he desires his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, important things. Conversely, he is incapable to achieve this because of the way he – and, to an extent, the nation more generally – now conducts politics and government.

Sir Keir cannot change the political culture single-handedly, but he is able to take action about his own role in it. The plain fact is that he could run the centre of government far better than he currently does. If he did this, he might find that the nation was in less dismay about his administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Personnel Problems in No 10

Some of the issues in Downing Street relate to individuals. The personal dynamics of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make good personnel choices, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to up his game, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about giving the crucial role of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed Sue Gray his top aide, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

All premiers devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time conversing with parliamentarians and listening to the public. Prime ministers also allocate too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot express surprise when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, overstep boundaries or become the focus, as the chief of staff now has.

The biggest issues, however, are structural. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the Institute for Government’s spring 2024 study on overhauling the government's central operations. His inability to grip these issues last July or since suggests he did not. The often abject performance of the Labour administration suggests recommendations like restructuring the roles of the central government office and No 10, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The dominant political role of prime ministers far outdistances the assistance provided to them. Consequently, 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 as well as the architect of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and take the machinery of government seriously have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.