Sir Keir Starmer is battling to save his premiership after the dramatic resignation on Sunday of his most trusted aide Morgan McSweeney, as Labour MPs and officials warn that his job is still in grave peril.
McSweeney’s resignation statement, in which the Downing Street chief of staff took responsibility for the decision to appoint Lord Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington, has triggered calls for Starmer to bear a similar level of blame.
Starmer will on Monday attempt to regain the initiative, with allies saying he has “instructed officials to move at pace to deliver change”. But his closest helper will no longer be at his side to implement it.