It is one year since Sue Gray was removed from Downing Street as Starmer’s Chief of Staff and replaced by Morgan McSweeney. Hacks bemoaned the poor start to Labour’s time in government but stressed that McSweeney was a deeply effective operator. Since he took over this is what has happened:
- Working People scandal: Labour completely changed definition of ‘Working People’ before the budget. Guido covered the slew of different definitions on what promising not to tax working people actually means. Conclusion: most are hit by Reeves’ bombshell budget…
- Budget: Labour delivers £40 billion in tax rises at the budget, promises it won’t come back for more.
- USA Scandal: Labour’s Head of Operations advertised on LinkedIn that almost 100 party staff would be heading to battleground states in the US to campaign for Kamala Harris and that their housing would be “sorted.” Trump then filed a legal complaint against Labour for “blatant interference” in the election…
- Transport Secretary Louise Haigh Resignation: Forced to resign after revelations of a fraud conviction at Aviva. After Guido noted all the times Haigh had called for Tories to resign she deemed liars or frauds…
- Anti-Corruption Minister Tulip Siddiq Resignation: Named in an investigation into her family including her deposed dictator aunt into the embezzlement of up to £3.9 billion in Bangladesh. Guido was the first in the UK to report that one…
- Labour MP Punches Constituent: Mike Amesbury filmed punching a constituent in the face six times. Guido was the first to write that one up. He had the Labour whip withdrawn, and has since pleaded guilty…
- Southport ‘Cover Up’: Starmer holds a car crash press conference on Southport stabbings ‘Coverup’. Starmer admitted he was updated on Rudakubana as information became available. No explanation was given for the delayed terror charges, including the Al-Qaeda bomb manual and ricin production. As Guido noted at the time, Starmer has been quick to call out acts of “terrorism” in the past…
- VoiceCoach-Gate: Starmer revealed to have met his voice coach Leonie Mellinger on Christmas Eve 2020 despite London being in Tier 4 lockdown and, as Guido reported, Mellinger didn’t “work” for Labour at the time. She also worked from home for other clients. As Guido also revealed the links between Starmer and Mellinger’s family look to go back much further than voice coaching…
- Health Minister Resignation: Health Minister Andrew Gwynn sacked for saying in a WhatsApp group he hoped a pensioner who didn’t vote Labour would die. Guido leaked more content from infamous chat, where members labelled Thornberry a ‘drag queen’ Thornberry and Rayner a ‘waste of time’…
- Richard Hermer Under-Fire (Still): Under fire Attorney General faces calls to resign over allegations of conflicts of interests. Guido has extensively reported on his more curious clients and views…
- Starmer’s Mate Sands: Guido revealed Starmer’s close mate Philippe Sands KC is Mauritius’ chief legal adviser on Chagos Islands. As Guido also reported, he also illegally planted the Mauritian flag on Chagos in 2022…
- Jonathan Reynolds CV Embellishment: As Guido revealed earlier, he claimed to be a solicitor when he was only a trainee.
- Angela Rayner’s Contradictory Career Claims: The Deputy PM gave inconsistent accounts of how long she worked as a home help, claiming between 7 and 17 years despite records showing it was between three to five years.
- Dan Norris arrest: Labour MP Dan Norris was arrested over allegations relating to “historic sexual attacks on a girl and a rape allegation from the 2020s”. He was subsequently suspended from the party.
- Government defeated by rebels on welfare reform. A massive humiliation…
- Lucy Powell’s ‘Dog Whistle’ Apology: Commons leader Lucy Powell apologised for claiming even a discussion of the rape gangs scandal was somehow a “dog whistle“.
- Homelessness Minister Resignation: Homelessness minister Rushanara Ali resigned after evicting her tenants before quickly listing her property again at a higher rate, breaching the terms of Labour’s incoming Renters’ Rights Bill.
- Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson resigns.
- Phase 2 is launched. No more explanation needed there…
- Starmer abandons the missions. A massive rejig in how the PM’s ‘priorities’ are delivered…
- Angela Rayner Resigns: After admitting to not paying enough tax on her second home, Rayner resigned as Housing Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister.
- Peter Mandelson sacked: Starmer eventually sacks Mandelson as US ambassador after leaked emails revealed his close relationship with ‘best pal’ Jeffrey Epstein.
- Senior figures resign from Downing Street. Paul Ovenden and Steph Driver to name but two…
- Purge of Downing Street Policy Unit. All is not well…
- Labour Together donations scandal. Leaked emails reveal detailed discussions between Labour’s chief lawyer and Morgan McSweeney on how to deal with the Electoral Commission after over £700,000 of donations were mis-reported.
- Tax hike pledge U-turn. Reeves reverses her pledge not to come back for more in the Winter Budget.
In the polls:
- When McSweeney took over Labour was on 30% in the polls. One year later it’s at 21%…
- Starmer was on -33 points in his approval rating. One year later it’s at a record low -48…
Co-conspirators can draw up their own scorecards…
