Keir Starmer breaks silence after losing two most senior staffers – pledges he won’t quit
The Prime Minister has spoken for the first time since his government was plunged into crisis.
Starmer addressed Downing Street this morning (Image: Kirsty O’Connor/ No 10 Downing Street)
Keir Starmer has broken his silence for the first time this morning, as he fights for his career amid a Downing Street operation in all-out chaos. The Prime Minister has seen two of his most senior staffers resign in the past 24 hours, first chief of staff Morgan McSweeney yesterday. This was followed by the Director of Communications, Tim Allan, resigning this morning saying it would allow the Prime Minister to build a fresh team.
Speaking to Downing Street staff this morning, Sir Keir Starmer insisted he would not be resigning and would “go forward from here”. Sir Keir insisted that his operation is united by a “driving prpose” of “public duty”.
Speaking about Peter Mandelson, the Prime Minister said: “The thing that makes me most angry is the undermining of the belief that politics can be a force for good and can change lives.
“I have been absolutely clear that I regret the decision that I made to appoint Peter Mandelson. And I’ve apologised to the victims which is the right thing to do.”
Paying tribute to Morgan McSweeney, he said: “I’ve known Morgan for eight years as a colleague and as a friend. We have run up and down every political football pitch that is across the country. We’ve been in every battle that we needed to be in together. Fighting that battle.
“We changed the Labour Party together. We won a general election together. And none of that would have been possible without Morgan McSweeney.
“His dedication, his commitment and his loyalty to our party and our country was second to none. And I want to thank him for his service.”
He highlighted the work of the government, including tackling the cost of living and cutting NHS waiting lists.
He continued: “In just a few months, we start the work of lifting half a million children out of poverty. A massive thing to do in this country because that means that lives will be changed.
“For decades to come, children who otherwise wouldn’t have fair chance and fair opportunity. Poverty holds children back like nothing else on earth. And so getting rid of child poverty opens up opportunities for so many.”
Sir Keir concluded: “We must prove that politics can be a force for good. I believe it can. I believe it is. We go forward from here. We go with confidence as we continue changing the country.”
Last night Downing Street insisted that the Prime Minister would not be making any public comments today, bar a private meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party this evening.
They ruled out a ‘lectern moment’ on the steps of Downing Street, a tacit nod to expecations the Prime Minister could resign amid the ongoing crisis.
