Why Starmer is doomed as PM without this man's help

The name Morgan McSweeney may not be on the lips of people down in the pub or at the school gate, but it is one that those in the Westminster bubble are obsessed with.

- DAVID MADDOX

Labour MPs are particularly aware of the Downing Street chief of staff's power and importance, either as something they consider to be a toxic poison at the heart of government or the means of future preferment and promotion.

So reports that Sir Keir Starmer was “screaming” at his chief of staff telling him “you were supposed to protect me” over the Lord Mandelson debacle is a sign that this government is in incredibly serious trouble.

There is even a widespread belief in Westminster’s corridors that this is not Keir Starmer’s government at all, but rather Morgan McSweeney’s. The prime minister is in many ways the front man for a project which is actually being directed by an unelected official in Downing Street.

So when people question Sir Keir Starmer’s judgement on appointments, particularly the head-scratching catastrophe of sending Lord Mandelson to Washington DC as the UK’s ambassador, they are in reality questioning the PM’s judgement in doing what McSweeney advises.

Recent tales from the big ministerial reshuffle seem to underline this point.

The three people removed from the cabinet were all people McSweeney wanted out, according to sources.