Number 10 Downing St Fails to Be Fit for Purpose

Prime Minister Starmer visited north Wales this past Thursday to declare the construction of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This is a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not dedicate extensive time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he used the time attempting to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, telling reporters that Downing Street had not briefed against the health secretary's goals in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a microcosm of what his premiership has now become more generally. On the one hand, he wants his administration to be performing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this due to the manner he – and, to an extent, the nation more generally – now practices politics and government.

The Prime Minister cannot transform the political culture on his own, but he can do something about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the government's core far better than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the country was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

Some of the problems in Number 10 are about individuals. The interpersonal relations of every Downing Street operation are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make good personnel choices, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to improve his performance, avoid slow progress or by halves.

• He hesitated about assigning the crucial role of top civil servant to a senior official.
• He appointed Sue Gray his top aide, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His communications chiefs have been frequently replaced.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of Government

All premiers devote excessive time overseas and on foreign affairs, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time talking to MPs and hearing the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by performing inadequately. But premiers cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who tend to be party activists or politically ambitious, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney now has.

The biggest issues, though, are systemic. It would be good to think that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 report on overhauling the government's central operations. His failure to grip these issues in the summer or afterward implies he did not. The often abject experience of Labour’s time in office indicates recommendations like reorganizing the roles of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and separating the positions of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

The dominant political role of PMs greatly exceeds the assistance provided to them. Consequently, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or neglected.

This isn't Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the victim of previous shortcomings as well as the author of present ones. But those who hoped Sir Keir might get a grip on the core and prioritize governmental structures have been let down. Sadly, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.