𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Sir Keir Starmer stood in the House of Commons on Wednesday to insist his right-hand man, Morgan McSweeney, remains “an essential part” of his Downing Street operation.

The Prime Minister was responding to an attack from Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who branded his chief of staff “a protégé of Peter Mandelson”.

It was, after all, the pupil of the Prince of the Darkness who loyally pushed for Mandelson’s appointment to the UK’s most senior diplomatic posting – the UK’s ambassador to the United States.

The Conservatives argued there are “serious questions to answer” over the disgraced former peer’s rise to the role, with Mrs Badenoch accusing the Prime Minister of “injecting Mandelson’s poison into the heart of his Government” on McSweeney’s advice.

It is not the first political contamination associated with the aide credited with winning Climbdown Keir in the 2024 General Election.

He survived an internal briefing war that targeted Health Secretary Wes Streeting in November, a row over undeclared donations a month earlier, and accusations that he is somewhat responsible for Labour’s “women problem”.

So it seems McSweeney could yet become a convenient scapegoat for a Prime Minister whose political judgement has repeatedly come under scrutiny.

Sir Flip Flop, after all, has already chalked up at least 14 major U-turns since taking office 18 months ago.

Ultimately, it is he – not his advisers – who is responsible for running the country.

And it was the Prime Minister himself who acknowledged he was aware that Mandelson’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein continued after the latter’s conviction for child sex offences – yet still appointed him to represent Britain on the global stage.

Sacking a senior aide who is much disliked by Labour’s parliamentary party may offer temporary political cover, but it won’t save his skin.

When Mrs Badenoch pressed Sir Keir on McSweeney’s role, the Prime Minister said: “Morgan McSweeney is an essential part of my team. He helped me change the Labour Party and win an election. Of course, I have confidence.

“But whatever is slung across this despatch box, I don’t think it’s right for the Cabinet Secretary to be denigrated in that way and to suggest that he would be involved in a cover-up.”

For now, the Prime Minister is standing by his No 10 svengali.

But allies and opponents know Sir Keir is not a man unfamiliar with a sudden change of direction.

This saga is less about if Sir Keir’s head will roll, but more about when.

His former deputy, Angela Rayner, already drew blood by knifing the Prime Minister in the Commons on Wednesday by pressing for a tweak to the Government’s amendment.

If the febrile atmosphere coursing through the corridors of power is anything to go by, then it is only a matter of time before leadership hopefuls declare “off with his head”!