Number 10 Downing Street Fails to Be Fit for Purpose

Sir Keir Starmer visited Wales' northern region on Thursday to announce the development of a new nuclear power station. This represents a significant policy event with both local and national implications. Yet, the prime minister did not dedicate much time in Wales to promoting solutions for the UK's power requirements. Rather, he used the time trying to put an end to the Labour leadership briefing row, telling journalists that Downing Street had not undermined the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day served as a small-scale example of what his prime ministership has now become more generally. Firstly, he desires his administration to be performing, and to be seen to be doing, significant actions. Conversely, he is incapable to achieve this because of the way he – and, partly, the country more generally – now conducts politics and government.

The Prime Minister is unable to transform the political culture on his own, but he can do something about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the centre of government much more effectively than he currently does. Should he achieve this, he might find that the nation was in less dismay about his administration than it is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Personnel Problems in No 10

A number of the issues in Number 10 are about individuals. The personal dynamics of any No 10 regime are hard to know accurately from the exterior. Yet it appears clear that Sir Keir does not make sound staffing decisions, or maintain them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Possibly he lacks genuine interest. However, he must to improve his performance, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He hesitated about assigning the crucial role of cabinet secretary to a senior official.
• He made a former official his chief of staff, then replaced her with a political strategist.
• He brought a Treasury figure in from the finance ministry as his deputy.
• His communications chiefs have chopped and changed.
• Advisors on politics and policy have entered and exited.
• The situation is chaotic.

Systemic Issues at the Heart of the Administration

All premiers spend too much time abroad and on foreign affairs, where Sir Keir should delegate more, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and hearing the citizens. Prime ministers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir worsens by doing it poorly. But premiers cannot claim to be surprised when their political appointees, who are often party loyalists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as the chief of staff now has.

The biggest issues, however, are systemic. It would be good to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 report on reforming the government's central operations. His failure to grip these issues last July or since implies he did not. The frequently dismal experience of Labour’s time in office suggests recommendations like reorganizing the functions of the central government office and No 10, and separating the positions of cabinet secretary and civil service head, are now urgent.

The political pre-eminence of PMs greatly exceeds the support available to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and many tasks are poorly executed or neglected.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as the victim of past failures along with the author of current mistakes. Yet individuals who expected Sir Keir might get a grip on the centre and take the machinery of government seriously have been let down. Sadly, the biggest loser from this failure is Sir Keir himself.