McSweeney: the man who made Starmer and his ties to Mandelson
episodePreviously titled “141: McSweeney: the man who made Starmer and his ties to Mandelson” — renamed by the publisher on Aug 4, 2026
Transcript
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Hi, this is Pod Save the UK. I'm Nish Kumar.
And I'm Coco Kahn.
The Epstein files are packed, full of dodgy deals, leaked information and sexual abuse. So why is Keir Starmer, who actually isn't in the files, the person who seems to be taking the biggest hit?
What recent events have impacted Keir Starmer's leadership?
He's either very unlucky or very bad at politics. We consider the PM's latest nightmare week with the investigative journalist Paul Holden. He's become an unofficial biographer of Keir Starmer's former chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney.
Plus, comedian Stuart Goldsmith is here to try and make us laugh about serious things. Honestly, who would try that? The Epstein Files continues to have more of an impact in the United Kingdom than in America. This week, it nearly brought down our Prime Minister, who isn't actually even mentioned in the files. Keir Starmer started, I don't know what number we're at, number 78 of his weeks from hell. He lost his Chief of Staff and Head of Communications in less than 24 hours.
And then the leader of Scottish Labour, Anna Sauer, got his pointiest of political knives out and said it was time for the PM to go. It really was touch and go for Starmer on Monday. Sky News was streaming a live shot of the front door of Number 10 in case he tried to slip out with his sunglasses on or something.
But his cabinet and Angela Rayner came through with a flurry of supportive tweets and messages that really had the ring of, do not just copy and paste, please turn into your own words.
Who is Morgan McSweeney and what role did he play in Starmer's rise?
He's managed to hang on at the time of recording on the 11th of February. At this moment, he remains in post.
First, in a meeting with Labour MPs, Downing Street released some of the prime minister's comments. So that included, I'm not prepared to walk away from my mandate or my responsibility or to plunge us into chaos as others have done. So it just, you know, all sounds very prime ministerial. Yesterday morning, he met with his cabinet colleagues and then faced some members of the public. There was an appearance at a cost of living event. Yeah, here's a clip of him just really trying to get that back on track.
It's been a busy week and therefore it's very nice to be here with you. And whatever's going in in the turmoil of politics, there's been quite a lot of that going on in the last few days. I know that for you and for millions of people, what matters most is the cost of living.
It's quite weird to talk about the turmoil of politics like it's something that's sort of happening to him.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But look, let's briefly summarise this latest chaotic week that he's referring to. So Morgan McSweeney took the hit for the decision to appoint Peter Mandelson as our ambassador to the United States of America. He stood down on Sunday. In his resignation letter, he said, I advise the Prime Minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice. The only honourable course is to step aside.
Yes.
How has the Epstein scandal affected UK politics?
So there was also the director of communications, Tim Allen. You would be forgiven if like me, you thought of home improvement, but it is a different person. He went on Monday and his statement said, I have decided to stand down to allow a new number 10 team to be built. So in his place, there were two appointments. So acting co-chiefs, Jill Cuthbertson and Vidya Elakeson, two women actually, which all feels a bit like the glass cliffs. Do you know that idea that women are only appointed to senior roles when it's basically a disaster and certain deaths?
And then another hit for Starmer, his decision to send his former communications chief, Matthew Doyle, to the Lords, despite knowing that he had campaigned for a counsellor charged with sex offences.
The story of Doyle's association with Sean Morton, who had been charged with possession of indecent images of children, was broken by The Times in late December. But Starmer only removed the whip on Tuesday after an investigation was launched by the Labour Party.
Number 10 say that Starmer wasn't aware about the connection and they've not stripped Doyle's peerage.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:02–0:14
2
What recent events have impacted Keir Starmer's leadership?
0:14–1:27
3
Who is Morgan McSweeney and what role did he play in Starmer's rise?
1:27–2:46
4
How has the Epstein scandal affected UK politics?
2:46–4:11
5
What challenges does Starmer face within his party?
4:11–7:01
6
What are the implications of McSweeney's resignation for Labour?
7:01–9:13
7
How do the findings about Labour Together's funding affect public perception?
9:13–15:53
8
What does the future hold for Keir Starmer and the Labour Party?
15:53–55:19
Speakers
6 identifiedMore from Pod Save the UK
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