Kemi Badenoch savages Keir Starmer over McSweeney resignation, jeering ‘as soon as once more it is someone else’s fault’
Kemi Badenoch utterly eviscerated Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over the resignation of his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney following the Peter Mandelson scandal.
Mr McSweeney, who has been one of Sir Keir’s closest aides for nearly six years, resigned today after pushing for the appointment of Lord Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the US.
In a statement, Mr McSweeney admitted that naming the disgraced peer as Britain’s top diplomat in Washington DC was ‘wrong’.
He said he was taking ‘full responsibility’ for advising the Prime Minister to do so, adding: ‘In the circumstances, the only honourable course is to step aside.’
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir of trying to shift the blame for Lord Mandelson’s appointment onto Mr McSweeney.
‘It’s about time. Once again with this PM it’s somebody else’s fault: “Mandelson lied to me” or “Morgan advised me”,’ she said.
‘Keir Starmer has to take responsibility for his own terrible decisions. But he never does.’
Sir Keir paid tribute to Mr McSweeney on Sunday for having ‘turned our party around’ and said he owned his outgoing aide ‘a debt of gratitude’.
Kemi Badenoch utterly eviscerated Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over the resignation of his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney following the Peter Mandelson scandal
Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff has quit Downing Street as the Government continues to reel from the Peter Mandelson scandal
Sir Keir is facing the worst crisis of his 18-month premiership following fresh revelations about Lord Mandelson’s friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage suggested Sir Keir ‘won’t be far behind’ in departing No10 following local elections in May
‘It’s been an honour working with Morgan McSweeney for many years,’ the PM said.
‘He turned our party around after one of its worst ever defeats and played a central role running our election campaign.
‘It is largely thanks to his dedication, loyalty and leadership that we won a landslide majority and have the chance to change the country.
‘Having worked closely with Morgan in opposition and in Government, I have seen every day his commitment to the Labour Party and to our country.
‘Our party and I owe him a debt of gratitude, and I thank him for his service.’
Sir Keir is facing the worst crisis of his 18-month premiership following fresh revelations about Lord Mandelson’s friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Many Labour MPs have been openly questioning Sir Keir’s chances of remaining in Downing Street amid the scandal that has engulfed his Government.
A number of backbenchers had demanded the scalp of Mr McSweeney – viewed as a ‘mentee’ of Lord Mandelson – as they fumed at No10’s decision to appoint the ex-Cabinet minister as US ambassador.
Sir Keir has now lost two chiefs of staff during his time in Downing Street, following the acrimonious exit of Sue Gray in October 2024.
The loss of Mr McSweeney, who was the architect of Sir Keir’s general election victory, is a further shattering blow to the PM’s increasingly fragile grip on power.
Mr McSweeney played a key role in Sir Keir’s success in taking Labour from opposition to Government after he replaced Jeremy Corbyn as leader in April 2020.
It had previously been speculated that, due to the pair’s closeness, Mr McSweeney’s departure from No10 would only come if accompanied by Sir Keir’s own exit.
Mr McSweeney’s resignation will be seen as a desperate bid by Sir Keir to keep himself in power, with Angela Rayner – the former deputy PM – said to be on leadership ‘manoeuvres’.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, Armed Forces minister Al Carns and Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell are also seen as possible replacements for Sir Keir.
