Number 10 Downing Street Is Not Fit for Purpose

Sir Keir Starmer visited Wales' northern region this past Thursday to declare the development of a new nuclear power station. This represents a major policy announcement with implications at local and countrywide levels. However, the PM did not devote much time in Wales to advocating answers for the UK's energy needs. Instead, he used the time attempting to draw a line under the Labour leadership briefing row, informing reporters that No 10 had not briefed against the health secretary’s ambitions in recent days.

As such, Sir Keir’s day acted as a microcosm of what his prime ministership has now become overall. On the one hand, he wants his government to be doing, and to be perceived as performing, important things. Conversely, he is incapable to accomplish this because of the manner he – and, partly, the nation more generally – now practices politics and government.

Sir Keir cannot change the culture of politics single-handedly, but he can take action about his own role in it. The simple truth is that he could manage the centre of government far better than he does. Should he achieve this, he could discover that the nation was in less despair about his government than it currently is, and that he was communicating his points more successfully.

Staffing Issues in Downing Street

Some of the issues in Number 10 relate to individuals. The interpersonal relations of any No 10 regime are difficult to discern accurately from the exterior. But it seems obvious that Sir Keir fails to make sound staffing decisions, or stick with them. Maybe he is overly occupied. Perhaps he is not really interested. But he needs to up his game, not do things slowly or incompletely.

• He hesitated about giving the key job of top civil servant to Chris Wormald.
• He appointed a former official his top aide, then substituted her with a political strategist.
• He recruited Darren Jones in from the Treasury as his chief secretary.
• His media advisors have been frequently replaced.
• Political and policy advisers have come and gone.
• The situation is chaotic.

Structural Challenges at the Heart of Government

All premiers devote excessive time abroad and on international matters, areas where Sir Keir ought to assign more tasks, and insufficient time conversing with MPs and listening to the citizens. Premiers also spend too much time doing media, which Sir Keir compounds by doing it poorly. Yet leaders cannot claim to be surprised when their politically appointed staff, who tend to be party activists or ambitious in politics, cross lines or become the focus, as Mr McSweeney has recently.

The biggest issues, however, are structural. It would be beneficial to believe that Sir Keir reviewed the a think tank's spring 2024 report on reforming the centre of government. His failure to grip these issues last July or since suggests he did not. The frequently dismal performance of the Labour administration indicates recommendations like reorganizing the functions of the Cabinet Office and No 10, and dividing the jobs of top official and head of the civil service, are currently critical.

The political pre-eminence of PMs far outdistances the assistance provided to them. As a result, everything currently suffers, and much is done badly or ignored.

This is not Sir Keir’s sole responsibility. He stands as 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 centre and prioritize governmental structures have been disappointed. Unfortunately, the primary casualty from this shortcoming is Sir Keir personally.