In a tense exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions, Labour leader Keir Starmer found himself under scrutiny over the future of his key aide, Morgan McSweeney. The Prime Minister’s chief of staff has been blamed for a pre-emptive operation targeting Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who has responded with “undisguised fury.”
Kemi Badenoch, a Conservative MP, directly challenged Starmer on whether he had full confidence in McSweeney, to which the Labour leader gave a non-committal answer. Downing Street later clarified that Starmer did have confidence in his aide.
The incident has sparked a wider debate about the “toxic culture” within Number 10, with Streeting himself accusing the Prime Minister’s team of “self-defeating” attacks. Labour’s newly elected deputy leader, Lucy Powell, has also criticised the negative briefings against her, singling out McSweeney for criticism.
Starmer sought to distance himself from the infighting, stating that any attacks on cabinet members were “completely unacceptable.” He praised Streeting’s work as Health Secretary and insisted he had never authorised such attacks.
However, the pressure on Starmer shows no signs of abating, with Badenoch accusing him of having “lost control of his government” and the trust of the British people. The Labour leader defended his economic plans, arguing that the Conservatives had “broken the economy” and were now proposing unrealistic spending cuts.
As the political drama unfolds, Starmer will need to navigate these tensions within his own party and government if he is to maintain his grip on power and deliver on his vision for a “decade of national renewal.”
