𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

There is little point in denying this is a watershed moment for Sir Keir Starmer. McSweeney has been the engine behind Sir Keir’s entry into No 10, and his influence is vast. By resigning, has he dimmed the fire threatening to consume his boss, or poured on more fuel?

Sir Keir now stands alone. McSweeney was not just his adviser, he was the architect of Labour’s election victory and the man who made Sir Keir electable. His departure over mounting pressure from the Mandelson scandal strips away the Prime Minister’s chief protector and confidant.

The parallels are unmistakable. When Boris Johnson lost Dominic Cummings the sharks started circling. Sir Keir and Mr Johnson both stood by controversial figures despite warnings. Both defended those appointments until pressure became unbearable. Both offered a trusted adviser as a sacrifice when the scandal metastasised. The difference is that Mr Johnson had time. Sir Keir may not.

Westminster operates on perception. When a Prime Minister loses his chief of staff under fire, MPs smell blood. Conversations in tearooms turn from “if” to “when”. Sir Keir’s growing list of detractors will sense opportunity. Backbenchers who stayed quiet will find their voices.

This resignation is intended to move the story on from the Mandelson scandal. But it confirms only that the appointment was politically fatal. The Prime Minister cannot blame his team. The responsibility rests entirely with him.

The sharks are no longer merely circling. They are closing in. How much more can Sir Keir take? History suggests: not much