10 Downing Street Fails to Be Fit for Purpose

Sir Keir Starmer visited north Wales this past Thursday to announce the development of a fresh nuclear energy facility. This represents a significant policy event with implications at local and countrywide levels. Yet, the PM did not devote extensive time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's power requirements. Instead, 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 microcosm of what his prime ministership has evolved into overall. On the one hand, he wants his government to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. Conversely, he is unable to accomplish this due to the way he – and, to an extent, the country more generally – now conducts politics and government.

The Prime Minister is unable to change the political culture single-handedly, but he can take action about his personal involvement in it. The plain fact is that he could manage the government's core far better than he does. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the nation was in less despair about his administration than it currently is, and that he was getting his messages across more successfully.

Personnel Problems in Downing Street

A number of the issues in Downing Street relate to personnel. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Perhaps he is too busy. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. But he needs to improve his performance, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He hesitated about assigning the key job of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his chief of staff, then replaced her with Morgan McSweeney.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have come and gone.
• It is a mess.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of the Administration

Every prime minister devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time talking to parliamentarians and hearing the public. Prime ministers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by performing inadequately. Yet leaders cannot express surprise when their political appointees, who are often party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as the chief of staff has recently.

The most significant problems, however, are systemic. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 study on reforming the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues last July or afterward implies he did not. The often abject experience of the Labour administration indicates recommendations like restructuring the functions of the central government office and Downing Street, and dividing the positions of top official and civil service head, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of PMs far outdistances the support available to them. As a result, all aspects suffer, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He is the victim of past failures along with the architect of present ones. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Sadly, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir himself.