Morgan McSweeney gone - What Now For Number 10?

My point was that the parallels between him and Cummings were limited MaizieD. He was loyal to the government ministers, and Cummings was not. His relationship with the rest of the MPs is a different issue, although your summing up is probably accurate.

MaizieD
Thank you for the explanation Re money and how it works.
As someone who is practically innumerate ( but I know how many beans make 5) 😉 I found it perfectly understandable.
That’s how it should be taught in schools.
But having said that, I don’t think our masters want us to understand, after all, knowledge is power.

Peter Oborne’s views on McSweeney published by the Byline Times:

The End of Morgan McSweeney: Peter Oborne on Keir Starmer’s Departing Chief of Staff

As McSweeney resigns, we re-publish Peter Oborne’s exclusive Byline Times reporting on how Keir Starmer’s chief strategist drove Labour towards defeat by the far-right

bylinetimes.com/2026/02/08/the-end-of-morgan-mcsweeney-peter-oborne-on-keir-starmers-departing-chief-of-staff/

I’m inclined to agree with Will Hutton on Starmer:

5 Feb No doubt Mandelson withheld the truth from those vetting him - like the scorpion who stung the frog in Aesops fable, it’s in his character. Starmer has many political frailties, but to resign over being lied to? That should fall to the lead advocate and vetter, Mr. McSweeney.

8 Feb Morgan McSweeney’s necessary resignation and Mandelson’s proper expulsion from public life are the moment to draw a line. Now legislate to ensure no repeat - ever. There are searing lessons in all this. The Prime Minister needs to show they have been learned.

The Tories proved that frequent changes of Prime Minister do nothing to solve the country’s problems. Starmer needs a change of direction now. This is his chance to do so without McSweeney steering him him in the wrong one.

I see Tim Allan ,Director of Communications has also now stepped down.

For some welcome light relief, for people who can see posts on X, this clip from Yes, Minster ...

x.com/DaveWallsworth/status/2019959698959790600

Casdon

My point was that the parallels between him and Cummings were limited MaizieD. He was loyal to the government ministers, and Cummings was not. His relationship with the rest of the MPs is a different issue, although your summing up is probably accurate.

Hmmm. Was McSweeny briefing against Streeting recently showing loyalty to government ministers?

I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that he had a hand in exposing Rayner's tax affairs, but I admit that's just a gut feeling.

But I suppose it's all a bit academic now. What matters is whether Starmer can change direction, put a stop to attempting to pander to Reform voters who will never be won over to vote Labour, and make the LP more broad church again.

Casdon

I don’t think many, if any, Gransnetters have a blind faith in one party TerriBull? I think the values of different parties align to different people’s views, but we’ve all been around the block enough times to recognise that there is no political saviour on the horizon. We can only hope that the party in power does more things we agree with than the alternatives.

Or wish harder for proportional representation. Long past time we had that.

I'm certainly fed-up with having had to spend recent years of my life thinking which is the party most likely that I can vote for to vote AGAINST one particular political party.

petra

MaizieD
Thank you for the explanation Re money and how it works.
As someone who is practically innumerate ( but I know how many beans make 5) 😉 I found it perfectly understandable.
That’s how it should be taught in schools.
But having said that, I don’t think our masters want us to understand, after all, knowledge is power.

I have never thanked you, petra for drawing attention the Spiders Web documentary a while ago. I had watched it when it was first broadcast but it had slipped out of my memory.

I think the thing which needs really understanding is that the wealthy and excessively wealthy have been allowed to appropriate so much of the money which governments put into their national economies and use it mostly for their own benefit and to satisfy their lust for wealth and the power it gives them to manipulate governments. The Epstein papers are so openly displaying how they operate and the horrible use they make of of their wealth, both in their exploitation of the poor and their overt wish to destroy democracy.

DAR's thread on the psychology of the wealthy is really interesting, but what use is knowing what drives them if we ultimately condone the appropriation by admiring them and aspiring to be like them and being conned into believing that they are indispensable ' to us because 'they create jobs'?

Attempting to promote a more equitable distribution of wealth is frequently derided as 'the politics of envy'. I'd say it's the politics of frustration that the money which could benefit millions of people world wide is being hoarded and squandered by a few in such a despicable fashion while so many live precarious live, even die, for lack of what should be a public good.

I hope they sort themselves out as the alternative parties are unthinkable - we had 14 years of Tories that ran us into the group despite changing their PM 5 times and Reform are proving disastrous at local council level and that’s before you even take into account their party is now filled with failed Tories adding to their already noxious views of our communities.

I also hope they sort themselves out so we can concentrate on getting Mountbatten-Windsor-ex-Prince before the courts. He was paid by taxpayers to be the ‘UK Representative for International Trade and Investment’ and the Epstein memos reveal he was operating wholly corruptly in the role (and not just ineptly as many of us assumed). It needs sorting out above board, in the courts in public and we need compensation for the damage done. The money he was paid needs repaying back to the public purse.

fancythat

fancythat

What is that people think has been so badly mishandled?

Crime
Boats
Economy
Europe

He has tinkered with politics, at best.

Forgot China. That is a big one in my book.

And "standing by" whatever and whoever he could.

Thank you for replying. None of the other Starmer critics have done.

I think that getting closer to Europe is a good thing. They were (still are?) our biggest trading partner, and Brexit has been very damaging. Similarly, whereas China is neither an ally nor a politically compatible state, trading with them is a necessary evil, and there is no point in alienating them entirely. We are a dwindling power (more so since Brexit) and we need to have trading partners to survive. China is a huge market, so we can't afford to refuse to deal with them.

The 'boats' situation has got worse since Brexit, as we no longer share border security with France. It was Cameron/Johnson who took us to that, costing the economy a fortune in the process and subsequently. It is true that the problem has not been solved, but it wasn't any closer to being solved before KS came to power. If we get closer to Europe again, it may be that the French will co-operate with border security - they can hardly be blamed for not doing so as it is.

I don't know much about crime statistics, but my impression is that murder rates have plummeted and shoplifting has risen. There is a plan to restore neighbourhood policing, which should reduce anti-social behaviour, and probably shoplifting too. That might be a simplistic view - as I say, crime isn't something I know much about, but I do know that police funding and numbers were slashed under the Tories.

I think KS has been very good for the UK on the world stage at a time of very shifting sands, and whilst the things I mentioned in my earlier post probably don't have much of an impact on many of us on here, things like minimum wage increases and renters' rights will improve the lives of working families after years of decline in their living standards.

I'd like to see that sort of policy go further, but I suppose it has to go one step at a time. I really don't think that young families should be expected to shoulder the burden of non-workers, whether they are pensioners (like me) or those who don't work for other reasons. It must be soul-destroying to work long hours and have no more to show for it after paying for housing and healthcare than if you'd stayed indoors. The balance has to be restored so that people are better off in work, whether that is by raising wages or cutting costs for essentials such as childcare and housing - it's only fair. At least there have been some inroads into putting that in motion, and I don't see how anyone can object to that, even if it doesn't make a difference to their own lives.

There was never going to be an instant regeneration of the country - after 14 years things were too far gone for that. I don't think the way KS (and RR for that matter) handled the immediate changeover was good, though. I understand that they wanted to be realistic and not make promises they couldn't keep, but they were too gloomy and downbeat, and the media were snapping at their heels throughout. they should have led with 'This is what we are aiming for [insert policy]. As there is a 'black hole' in the finances we can't do it as quickly as we'd have liked to, but we hope to have it in place by [insert realistic timescale] and meanwhile we will do X'.

That's Mandelson gone, and Andrew MW.
Who else, in our two Houses of Parliament, has links to Epstein.
Surely they also must go?

We need politians who have the interests of the British people first and foremost.
There has been too much interference and bribery from foreign nations including Russia, China, USA and possibly Israel.
Clear out those suspects, then work with who is left.

StoneofDestiny

I hope they sort themselves out as the alternative parties are unthinkable - we had 14 years of Tories that ran us into the group despite changing their PM 5 times and Reform are proving disastrous at local council level and that’s before you even take into account their party is now filled with failed Tories adding to their already noxious views of our communities.

I also hope they sort themselves out so we can concentrate on getting Mountbatten-Windsor-ex-Prince before the courts. He was paid by taxpayers to be the ‘UK Representative for International Trade and Investment’ and the Epstein memos reveal he was operating wholly corruptly in the role (and not just ineptly as many of us assumed). It needs sorting out above board, in the courts in public and we need compensation for the damage done. The money he was paid needs repaying back to the public purse.

I think the UKTI stuff is a bit more complex. If I remember correctly, the Lownie book said that he did the UKTI visits more or less as instructed, but then used them to go on without diplomats or trade representatives to other more dubious visits alone.
Happy to be corrected if others have the text. I listened to it on Audible.

I only just heard this driving along, so hope I've got it right .......
that, Tim Allen, Keir Starmer's executive director of communications has now resigned.
About time!

MartavTaurus

I only just heard this driving along, so hope I've got it right .......
that, Tim Allen, Keir Starmer's executive director of communications has now resigned.
About time!

He was the third one, not been in post long. I hope that now McSweeney has gone, it might improve and we will see more women in post.

That would help.

Mamie

MartavTaurus

I only just heard this driving along, so hope I've got it right .......
that, Tim Allen, Keir Starmer's executive director of communications has now resigned.
About time!

He was the third one, not been in post long. I hope that now McSweeney has gone, it might improve and we will see more women in post.

He had Susan Grey (sp) as his first Chief of Staff, that didn’t end well.

GrannyGravy13

Mamie

MartavTaurus

I only just heard this driving along, so hope I've got it right .......
that, Tim Allen, Keir Starmer's executive director of communications has now resigned.
About time!

He was the third one, not been in post long. I hope that now McSweeney has gone, it might improve and we will see more women in post.

He had Susan Grey (sp) as his first Chief of Staff, that didn’t end well.

I understand Sue Gray and McSweeney did not exactly see eye to eye. I don't think she would have recommended the Mandelson appointment.

Personally, I don't think it matters TBH, am convinced all the shenanigans are orchestrated, they all get nice wage packets and fat handshakes when they leave, not to mention the spin-off "directorships" or whatever of large companies, and dare I say , thank you "gifts" for seeing policies that suit companies and corporations more than the taxpayer!

Not sure what the fix for all this would be, and also not sure any of us can actually make a difference, it's all smoke and mirros, and fat cats getting fatter, none of them care if their reputation gets dragged through the press, why would they? They have nice fat financial cushions to cry into if they feel so inclined!

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has convened a Press conference at 2.30 calling for Starmer to resign.

Keir & team are cutting back on the huge profits made by the private fostering agencies which have crippled local authorities thats why the mainstream want him out. multiply that by how many private firms local authorities use and its a loss for private investors. Look on threads, many are saying sit tight Keir!!https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/feb/04/private-child-social-care-providers-in-england-pushed-out-for-profiteering

Primrose53

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has convened a Press conference at 2.30 calling for Starmer to resign.

I can understand why he would do that with only a few weeks to go before the Scottish parliament elections, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Eluned Morgan does the same, they are both fighting off challenges, particularly from the nationalists.

mae13

Remember when Dominic Cummings resigned and left Boris Johnson adrift? That's when the wheels started to come off the bus.

We'll see.

The wheels fell-off and were sold to highest bidder when Bliar became PM.

MT62

Hope Milliband doesn’t take over 😩

....or Rayner.....or Burnham

Maremia

That's Mandelson gone, and Andrew MW.
Who else, in our two Houses of Parliament, has links to Epstein.
Surely they also must go?

Totally agree!

If we’re going to do this, let’s do it properly; expose all the politicians with links to Epstein and get rid of them. Bring it on!

Just ask the pensioners with a small private pension, publicans, small landlords and small business owners what Labour has done for them and I think you'll get a different opinion. Nothing!! Probably made life worse. Just because they have done a few things for a few people doesn't make them that much better than the Tories in the beginning who were told by the out going Labour chancellor that there was no money left. As for the lying campaign promises especially around the WASPI women. I'm all for if you lie just to get votes and have no intention of following through with these promises, as a politician you cant be that good and don't deserve any praise.

This is interesting.
www.history.co.uk/articles/worst-british-prime-ministers

Lord Frederick North (1770 – 1782)
Whenever anyone asks who the worst PM of all time was, one name crops up more than any other - Lord Frederick North. It is North who refused to abandon the Tea Act, which forced subjects in the Thirteen Colonies to buy East India Company tea and pay taxation to the Crown, while undercutting smugglers, merchants and artisans. Furious at the imposition of taxation without representation, North’s stubbornness led to the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolutionary War that saw Britain lose its colonies.