Keir Starmer 'Will Take Action' Against Chief of Staff Who Briefed Against Health Secretary
Labour leader Keir Starmer is under pressure to take swift action against his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, over a row that has rocked the government. The controversy began when it was reported that McSweeney had briefed about Health Secretary Wes Streeting, sparking a heated exchange between the two and even prompting an apology from Streeting.
Starmer is said to be "hate all this nonsense" but also acknowledged that briefing against colleagues is a common problem in politics. However, Labour MPs are growing increasingly frustrated with the PM's handling of the situation, with some accusing him of using the row to shore up his own position.
Ed Miliband, a former Labour leader and close ally of Starmer, has hinted that if he were in Starmer's shoes, he would sack McSweeney. "I've talked to Keir before about this kind of briefing... And I absolutely believe he would do that," Miliband said. "If he finds the person, he'll get rid of them."
The row has sparked a wider debate about the use of briefing in politics and how it can be used to attack opponents. Streeting has mounted a fierce defence of his actions, while others within Labour have expressed support for him.
But with McSweeney's position under threat, the PM is facing mounting pressure to take decisive action. The question on everyone's lips is whether Starmer will keep his word and sack McSweeney, or if he will find another way to contain the fallout from this damaging row.
Labour leader Keir Starmer is under pressure to take swift action against his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, over a row that has rocked the government. The controversy began when it was reported that McSweeney had briefed about Health Secretary Wes Streeting, sparking a heated exchange between the two and even prompting an apology from Streeting.
Starmer is said to be "hate all this nonsense" but also acknowledged that briefing against colleagues is a common problem in politics. However, Labour MPs are growing increasingly frustrated with the PM's handling of the situation, with some accusing him of using the row to shore up his own position.
Ed Miliband, a former Labour leader and close ally of Starmer, has hinted that if he were in Starmer's shoes, he would sack McSweeney. "I've talked to Keir before about this kind of briefing... And I absolutely believe he would do that," Miliband said. "If he finds the person, he'll get rid of them."
The row has sparked a wider debate about the use of briefing in politics and how it can be used to attack opponents. Streeting has mounted a fierce defence of his actions, while others within Labour have expressed support for him.
But with McSweeney's position under threat, the PM is facing mounting pressure to take decisive action. The question on everyone's lips is whether Starmer will keep his word and sack McSweeney, or if he will find another way to contain the fallout from this damaging row.
I mean, idk what's more cringeworthy - starmer trying to play it cool about this or miliband basically saying "yeah sure keir" when ed was talking about sacking mcsweeney lol. seriously though, if starmer does sack mcsweeney, i'm all for it... he needs a shakeup in that team ASAP 
but at the same time, i get why starmer is trying to tread carefully - you dont wanna fuel the drama even more 
maybe some quiet sacking or reassignment would be the way to go?
. I mean, briefing against a colleague can be seen as unprofessional, but at the same time, it's politics and people know that. But, honestly, I don't think it's fair to just let McSweeney slide without consequences 
. Starmer needs to make an example out of him, not just so he doesn't become a liability in the future, but also to show Labour MPs that he's serious about maintaining party unity 
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. And, let's be real, Ed Miliband has been a pretty strong ally to Starmer in the past, so if he says he'd sack him, that carries some weight 
. But, I think ultimately, Starmer needs to find a balance between being firm and being fair 
. but on the other hand, briefing against colleagues is just not cool 
. ed miliband's comment about sacking him if he were in starmer's shoes got me thinking... does starmer really want to take a stand here or is he just trying to avoid any drama 
? either way, it's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out 
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and its so cool... i mean whats going on with keir starmer tho? i feel like hes in a tricky spot 
he needs to take action against his chief of staff but at the same time, i get why morgan mcswenney did what he did? i dont think sacking him is a good idea though 
but whats the point of even briefing against colleagues anyway? can we just have a nice chat instead? 
The thing is, briefing is a big part of politics, right? It's like, you gotta know who's saying what to your team 
. Streeting said he was just trying to defend himself, and I think that's fair 
. The question is, will Starmer really make an example out of McSweeney? 
We'll see what happens next 
keir starmer needs to take swift action against morgan mcsweny ASAP!! like ed miliband is totally right, if keir was in his shoes he'd def sack him 
but like what if keir doesn't wanna be that person? 
i'm so frustrated with the pm's handling of this situation it's like he's trying to distract us from all the other scandals 
and we can move on from this drama 
also is Morgan McSweeney still employed by Labour? like what are the consequences if he gets sacked? will he get a nice severance package or something 
, it creates a toxic atmosphere & damages relationships. ed miliband's words are spot on, if i were in his shoes, i'd take swift action too 
. but at the same time, you gotta be careful not to create a witch hunt. maybe starmer can find a way to address the issue without making a mess of things 
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. If he actually sacks McSweeney now, it'll look like a PR move to salvage his own image. Mark my words, this is just a temporary fix to keep the Labour MPs happy for a bit longer 
. And with Streeting defendin' himself so fiercely, it's gonna be hard to contain the fallout... but hey, that's what PR teams are for, right? 
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. Sack him and be done with it! 
. Can't we all just get along? 
I'm literally dying over here thinking about this briefing thing! Like, who briefs against someone and then gets all upset when they get called out for it?! 
. The whole thing just reeks of petty politics 
.
, if Keir were to let him take the reins, he'd definitely make some changes 
! Starmer needs to show that he's got his own back and can handle his team 
and it's hard to know what's really going on behind the scenes. like ed miliband says it, keir would probably fire him if he were in starmer's shoes 
and starmer needs to get a handle on it ASAP 
